God is here
by Linda Macqueen
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).
Read Psalm 46
At this time in the church year, it’s customary to focus on the end of things as we know them. In Sunday’s text, the disciples were shaking in their boots as Jesus predicted cataclysmic events ahead. Today, Psalm 46 holds no punches either, listing catastrophe after catastrophe that lie in wait for us. It’s all rather bleak and unsettling, isn’t it? But facing up to the fragility of life is a necessary reality check. We shouldn’t be surprised when life takes a nasty turn – and neither should we be surprised when we find God right there with us when it does.
‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble’. In a world where chaos swirls around us – whether it’s personal challenges, global crises or heartbreak close to home – God remains unshakably present. The earth may give way, mountains may crumble, and waters may roar, yet one truth stands firm: God is with us.
God has longed to be close to his people from the moment Adam and Eve drew their first breath; he sought them even as they hid from him (Genesis 3:9). He went before the Israelites as fire and cloud as they journeyed through the desert (Exodus 13:21,22). Then he lived with them in the temple (2 Chronicles 7:16). Then God came to Earth as a person, Jesus, called Immanuel – ‘God with us’ (Matthew 1:23). And now he is closer still, with his Spirit living in us (1 Corinthians 3:16). That’s as close as he can get!
Take heart: God’s longing to be close to you has never changed. He will not leave you, no matter how fierce the storm you are facing now, or the one looming on the horizon. Rest in the promise that the God of Psalm 46 dwells in you by his Spirit and will be with you to your dying breath. He will never leave you. He is your refuge, now and forever.
Loving Father, though I do not know what the future holds, I do know that you hold the future. Give me today the faith to hold onto your promise that you will never leave me or forsake me, no matter what happens to me or whatever I may lose. Hold me in your arms, my refuge and strength. Amen.
Linda Macqueen retired in September 2025, having served 26 years as editor of The Lutheran and Communications Manager for the LCANZ. She has rapidly adapted to retirement, happily and energetically bringing her long-neglected home and garden back to life. She lives in the beautiful Adelaide Hills with her husband, Mark, and with their household’s lord and master, Nelson the rescued galah.
The dwelling place of God
by Linda Macqueen
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel (1 Kings 6:13).
Read 1 Kings 6:1–14
Finally, Solomon gets to build the long-awaited temple, a permanent place in which God will live among his people. It’s a picture of beauty and grandeur. The care and expense lavished on the temple reflect Solomon’s desire to give God the very best – a dwelling fit for the Almighty King.
But in verses 11 to 13, God interrupts the effusive descriptions of the temple with a timely reminder to Solomon: ‘As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, observe my laws and keep all my commands and obey them, I will fulfil through you the promise I gave to David your father.’ It’s as though God is tapping Solomon on the shoulder as he gazes lovingly at the emerging temple: ‘Don’t let this building steal your heart, my son. Don’t forget me, and don’t forget what it is that I really want.’
Then, as now, God was not seeking a magnificent temple so much as he was desiring relationship with his people and hearts turned towards him. A beautiful temple meant nothing if those within it did not seek God’s will or strive to reflect his character.
Centuries later, God would dwell among his people, not in a building, but in the person of Jesus – the Word became flesh (John 1:14). And after Jesus’ resurrection, God did something even more radical: he sent his Holy Spirit to live in us. Our bodies are living, walking, talking temples (1 Corinthians 6:19). Just as God once filled Solomon’s temple with his glory, he now fills our lives with his presence, shaping us to be people whose hearts beat in time with his.
Lord of Lords and King of Kings, as I gaze on the beauty of Solomon’s temple, remind me what you desire most – you don’t want things; you want me. Change me and rearrange me today so that my heart seeks yours, my will aligns with yours, and my words and actions reflect your loving kindness in your world. Amen.
Linda Macqueen retired in September 2025, having served 26 years as editor of The Lutheran and Communications Manager for the LCANZ. She has rapidly adapted to retirement, happily and energetically bringing her long-neglected home and garden back to life. She lives in the beautiful Adelaide Hills with her husband, Mark, and with their household’s lord and master, Nelson the rescued galah.
What love looks like
by Linda Macqueen
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him! (1 Kings 3:26b)
Read 1 Kings 3:16–28
I vividly remember this story in my Sunday school book, which featured a picture of King Solomon poised to cut a sleeping baby in half with a sword. I was horrified by the risk he took: ‘What if the wrong woman won the day, and the baby was cut in two?’
It’s true that Solomon takes a risk, but it is a calculated one – and it shows that the wisdom he’d asked God for is indeed surging through his veins. This wisdom is more than intellectual; it also demonstrates deep discernment of the human heart.
By ordering that the baby be divided between the two women, he exposes the true mother’s love. Her willingness to surrender her claim – the most precious relationship she could have – to save her child’s life shows the self-sacrificing nature of real love. The real mother would rather lose her son to another than see him harmed. The imposter mother, on the other hand, agrees to the division, caring more for justice as she claims, than for the child’s wellbeing.
This story points to the remarkable wisdom Solomon received from God: wisdom to see beyond appearances and recognise the heart’s true motives. But it also reveals something profound about the nature of love. True love is not possessive, nor does it seek its own way at any cost. Genuine love puts the wellbeing of the other first, even when it means great personal loss.
If we need an example of what that sort of love looks like, we need only gaze a little while at the cross.
Heavenly Father, thank you for all you gave up in exchange for my life. Help me to reflect that sort of selfless love today in my interactions with everyone I meet. Help me to put the needs of others before my own, not counting the cost. Amen.
Linda Macqueen retired in September 2025, having served 26 years as editor of The Lutheran and Communications Manager for the LCANZ. She has rapidly adapted to retirement, happily and energetically bringing her long-neglected home and garden back to life. She lives in the beautiful Adelaide Hills with her husband, Mark, and with their household’s lord and master, Nelson the rescued galah.
What do you want?
by Linda Macqueen
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong … (1 Kings 3:9).
Read 1 Kings 3:1–15
Imagine for a moment that God appears before you and says, ‘Ask me to give you whatever you want.’ What springs immediately to mind? Would you ask for your problems at work or in your family to go away, or healing for a loved one, or financial security, or perhaps peace in the world?
In today’s reading, God invites Solomon, a young and inexperienced king, to ask for anything he wants. First, let’s look at what Solomon does not ask for. He does not ask for the death or demise of his enemies (‘Give me a safe and stress-free life’). He does not ask God to cover Adonijah head to toe in agonising boils that never heal (‘Give me justice’). He does not ask for wealth and prestige (‘Give me power and security’).
Instead, Solomon asks for ‘a discerning heart’, wisdom to govern God’s people well, to do what is right. His motivation is not self-centred; instead, it is rooted in his awareness of his own limitations and his desire to serve God and others faithfully.
Solomon’s request delights God. God not only grants him unmatched wisdom but also blesses him with what he didn’t ask for: wealth and honour. The blessings flowed from Solomon’s request that aligned with God’s own heart – a humble desire to serve and lead justly.
We often come to God with our lists of wants and needs. There’s nothing wrong with asking God for help in all areas of life; however, Solomon’s story invites us to examine our motivations. Are we asking for things that serve only ourselves, or are we seeking what will enable us to grow our spiritual muscles and to love God and our neighbour more fully?
Father God, change my heart to match the desires of your own heart. Help me to seek not my own will but your good and gracious will – for me and for others. Help me to trust that, just as you did with Solomon, you will delight in giving me what I truly need. Amen.
Linda Macqueen retired in September 2025, having served 26 years as editor of The Lutheran and Communications Manager for the LCANZ. She has rapidly adapted to retirement, happily and energetically bringing her long-neglected home and garden back to life. She lives in the beautiful Adelaide Hills with her husband, Mark, and with their household’s lord and master, Nelson the rescued galah.
True authority is your friend
by Linda Macqueen
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires (1 Kings 2:2b,3a).
Read 1 Kings 1:32–2:4
Authority gets bad reviews these days. That’s probably because we so often see people using their authority for selfish – even evil – purposes. But authority, used the way God intended, is a blessing. Properly exercised, authority creates order and security, promotes justice and frees people to thrive.
Today, we see old King David ready to pass on the mantle of leadership. Adonijah, having attempted to seize the throne for himself, is suddenly struck with panic, his self-appointed authority dissolving like jelly under the weight of David’s God-given authority. In contrast, unassuming Solomon, the rightful heir, becomes strong and resolute. His character is forged into steel by David’s clear, decisive command and blessing.
David’s authority was not merely political; his words shaped destinies. Solomon received not only the crown but also a charge: ‘Be strong, act like a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires.’ David’s authority equipped Solomon to face the challenges ahead with confidence and courage, and with the support of the people.
Yet David’s authority, as mighty as it was, points us to a greater authority – one given by God to Jesus. Throughout the gospels, we see Jesus exercising authority over sickness, storms, evil spirits and even death itself. His authority was absolute because it came from the Father himself. Unlike David, whose authority was limited to a nation, Jesus’ authority extends over all creation and all the powers of darkness.
With Solomon, we are called to stand firm and trust in the One who holds ultimate authority. When we recognise Christ’s authority in our lives, our courage is kindled, and fear is sent packing. May we walk confidently, knowing that he is for us, his word is final, and his kingdom will stand forever.
Dear Jesus, forgive me for forgetting that you have authority over everything in heaven and on earth, over powers and dominions, even death. I bring to you my fears and anxieties and lay them at your feet. Just say the word and banish them from my heart and mind today. Amen.
Linda Macqueen retired in September 2025, having served 26 years as editor of The Lutheran and Communications Manager for the LCANZ. She has rapidly adapted to retirement, happily and energetically bringing her long-neglected home and garden back to life. She lives in the beautiful Adelaide Hills with her husband, Mark, and with their household’s lord and master, Nelson the rescued galah.
True greatness
by Linda Macqueen
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
Solomon … shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place (1 Kings 1:30b).
Read 1 Kings 1:5–31
This reading describes a dramatic event in the history of Israel’s monarchy. In today’s language, we might call it a military coup. Adonijah, an elder brother of Solomon, defies the authority of his father, King David, gathers around him fickle religious and political leaders, disloyal factions of the army and opportunistic members of his own family, and declares himself king. He makes lavish public sacrifices, but this is not done to honour God; it’s feigned humility and reverence designed to garner the support of the people. This overgrown, spoilt brat does not sound anything like the descendant of David whom God had promised would continue the royal bloodline (2 Samuel 7:11b–16).
Meanwhile, young Solomon is waiting quietly and patiently in the background. Like his father before him, he does not put his name forward to be king. And unlike his brother, Solomon does not grasp power, fame or anything else that might prop up a fragile ego. It’s no surprise then that it is Solomon, not Adonijah, whom God establishes as king of Israel.
This pattern is seen time and time again in God’s dealings with his people. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). In Jesus, we see humility perfected. Though he was God, Jesus did not consider equality with God something to be grasped. Instead, he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant and obeying God even to death on the cross (Philippians 2:5–8). His leadership was marked not by self-promotion, but by self-sacrifice, love and service.
Whether it is found in a kitchen or a boardroom, true greatness in the kingdom of God always has and always will be clothed in humility and self-denial.
Heavenly Father, help me to reject the spirit of Adonijah – the temptation to use my knowledge, position or strength to promote myself. Instead, help me to adopt the humility of Solomon and, ultimately, of Jesus: to trust your timing, to wait patiently for your call, to serve with humility wherever you have placed me, and (if you ask me) to lead with gentleness and grace. Amen.
Linda Macqueen retired in September 2025, having served 26 years as editor of The Lutheran and Communications Manager for the LCANZ. She has rapidly adapted to retirement, happily and energetically bringing her long-neglected home and garden back to life. She lives in the beautiful Adelaide Hills with her husband, Mark, and with their household’s lord and master, Nelson the rescued galah.
Get ready for a shake-up
by Linda Macqueen
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
… The time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down (Luke 21:6).
Read Luke 21:5–19
Imagine that Jesus is looking at you right in the eye and telling you that everything you’ve built your hope on is about to crumble, that even what you believe about God and his promises is sinking sand. That’s pretty much what Jesus is telling his disciples in today’s text.
For the disciples and all devout Jews, the temple was much more than a building. It was the very heart of their worship, the place where heaven and earth met, and the dwelling place of God among his people. Its grandeur was a visible sign of God’s presence and his promise of enduring faithfulness. So, what Jesus was saying, that ‘not one stone will be left on another’, was utterly shocking – and this, coming from a rabbi!
Jesus was preparing the disciples for the day when everything they thought they knew about God and how he works would shatter. The temple had reached its use-by date; God was about to create a radically new way of living among his people. Jesus’ declaration to his disciples – about the fall of the temple and the awful hardships ahead – was a harsh one. But the disciples’ religious foundations had to shatter, so they could build a faith on the Rock that would last forever.
Still today, God, in his great love for us, will not allow us to build our lives on anything less than Christ himself. From time to time, he will rattle us, causing the foundations of our self-made security to tremble. If necessary, he will even shake us free of our religious rules and rituals, if they are what we are building our hope on. God will do whatever it takes to make us cling to Christ alone.
Jesus, my Rock and my Redeemer, what is it that you are asking me to let go of today? Help me to place my trust not in what can be lost (no matter how noble it might be), but in you alone, my eternal Saviour who holds me safe, no matter what is crumbling beneath my feet. Amen.
Linda Macqueen retired in September 2025, having served 26 years as editor of The Lutheran and Communications Manager for the LCANZ. She has rapidly adapted to retirement, happily and energetically bringing her long-neglected home and garden back to life. She lives in the beautiful Adelaide Hills with her husband, Mark, and with their household’s lord and master, Nelson the rescued galah.
The power of song
by Tim Klein
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
Sing to the Lord a new song (Psalm 98:1a).
Read Psalm 98
Sometimes, we can feel totally powerless and out of control. We don’t always understand what God is doing, and things are happening around us that distress and wound us. The world is in turmoil, and even Australia, which has known relative peace, experiences unrest. God’s word has gone out into all the world, yet so many reject and oppose him. Many people loved by God – even some in our own families – have rejected his love and salvation.
All these things can distress our hearts. They can unsettle our faith and call into question God’s faithfulness. We can feel powerless in the face of such distress. But there is a power greater than all of us. God is still God! He rules. Nothing can change that.
What a privilege that we can connect with the Lord’s power in many ways. That happens when he feeds us with his own body and blood in holy communion. It also occurs through the direct power of God’s word, present and at work in our lives.
There is another significant power that God gives us: the power of song. In the face of our struggles, he tells us to sing: ‘Sing to the Lord a new song!’
Tell the Lord’s story in song. Be reminded of all he has done, is doing and will continue to do for his people. Sing of hope. Sing of past and present mercies. Sing of miracles and mighty acts. Join with his creation – with rivers and trees, seas and mountains. With them, we praise and honour our God.
Not only does this honour and praise the Lord, but it gives us power and courage in the face of darkness, and brings light and hope into our lives. It empowers our lives with hope and the promise of God’s continuing lordship over all creation.
Lord of all: open our eyes to see your presence and what you are doing in the world. Open our ears to hear your voice all around us. Open our hearts and minds to acknowledge and praise your wonderful name. Open our voices to sing a new song to you every day. Empower us to live with boldness and hope as your living and active presence in the world. In the name of Christ. Amen.
Tim is a recently retired LCANZ pastor. He enjoys spending time with family, connecting with neighbours and gardening. This is the season of flowers: beautiful irises, anemones, proteas, leucodendrons and leucospermums – and roses! They all give witness to God’s glory and grace.
Betrayal and grief
by Tim Klein
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: ‘O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you – O Absalom, my son, my son!’ (2 Samuel 18:33).
Read 2 Samuel 18:19–33
The saga of Absalom is over. Absalom and his lustrous locks lie in a stone-covered pit. The king, his father David, mourns for his death. ‘O Absalom, my son, my son.’
Given Absalom’s betrayal, why did David mourn with such grief? This son, a son whom he loved greatly, had conspired against him, attacked him and caused grief in the households of thousands of soldiers. Does he deserve the grief of his father?
Contrast this with the death of David’s son from Uriah, which we read in Monday’s devotion. The boy is dying, David is fasting and weeping, pleading with God to heal him. When the boy dies, David simply gets on with life. We don’t hear about any significant grief – nothing at all like his grief over the death of Absalom.
I am wondering if there is some crossover with Jesus’ thoughts when he said, ‘I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance’ (Luke 15:7).
It’s as if the boy, who was young and had done no evil against David, is not mourned because he is safe and saved. Whereas Absalom, on the other hand, has committed so much betrayal and violence that David is mourning his eternal loss.
There’s no easy way to explain this double-sided dealing from a human perspective. But what about from the Lord’s perspective? I’m still reflecting on this.
I’m caring for a dying man as I write this. He’s a man of faith. Yes, his family and I will mourn his death, but we will also celebrate and give thanks to God for his life – here and into eternity. God will welcome him safely home: Well done, good and faithful servant – enter!
God grant that our families and loved ones will mourn us, not with deep, explosive grief, but with certainty that we are safe and saved.
Father, we ask in Jesus’ name for a sure and certain faith and trust in you as we commit our loved ones into your keeping. Keep them in faith. Let their hope and ours rest in you. Amen.
Tim is a recently retired LCANZ pastor. He enjoys spending time with family, connecting with neighbours and gardening. This is the season of flowers: beautiful irises, anemones, proteas, leucodendrons and leucospermums – and roses! They all give witness to God’s glory and grace.