With my voice I cry out to the Lord; 
with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord, 
I pour out my complaint before him; 
I tell my trouble before him. 

Bring me out of prison, 
that I may give thanks to your name! 
The righteous will surround me, 
for you will deal bountifully with me. 

Psalm 142:1-2, 7 

In 1 Kings we read of the adventures of the prophet Elijah, including the defeat of the prophets of Baal, Elijah’s flight from Jezebel, then the Lord speaking to Elijah whilst he was hiding in a cave.   

'What are you doing here, Elijah?' (1 Kings 19:9 ESV)   

The question could easily be understood as God asking Elijah why he might be hiding out in a cave, instead of doing the work for which he has been called. 

In these weeks following the decision of the Lutheran Church of Australia to remove the barriers to ordaining women, we might be tempted to run from the challenges that are before us. Despite being told constantly that the changes to the LCANZ aren’t church divisive, many pastors, lay people, and congregations are feeling very unsure about the future, and how and where they might worship or serve.  Like Elijah, many of us might feel like looking for a cave in which to hide.