December 2025 – December post A Place for Us
November 2025 – Feeling Adrift?
October 2025
Confidence gained.
Psalm 23v1 ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want’.
As a watcher of world cycling events, where sometimes the difference between first and second place is the length of a wheel, I was surprised when my husband told me about how races were won in years past. In particular, a cyclist named Fausto Coppi came so far in front in a race that he stopped at a bar for a coffee before finishing the race!
He won the race by 14 minutes! I don’t know why but confidence like that is joyful yet can be elusive in our experience. It’s a feeling that can erode when we face times of isolation. Our confidence can also be knocked by a personal crisis that affects our social and working lives. Confidence lost is a great loss.
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Aristotle wrote ‘give me a place to stand and I can move the world’. The weakness of this view is that it depends on us having unfailing personal strength that never wavers through natural course of ageing and turn of events outside our control.
King David testifies to a better confidence, he writes in the Bible of a position to stand in life which draws on the unfailing strength of God. To be able to truly say and live the words ‘the Lord is my Shepherd’ is the best confidence in any season of life.
There are at least two aspects to this confidence.
First it is the confidence that comes from having a loving guide through life. To share this confidence we need only follow the same Shepherd.
This psalm is not a request, it is a reasoned declaration of faith, The Lord is my shepherd, (therefore) I shall not want.
It is good to know that in any situation we can seek the Lord’s way forward and the attitude of His Spirit. So when we feel worn down, we remember He invites the burdened to come to Him for rest, (Matthew 11v28-30, NIV). We don’t have to hide any part of our life from Him. Sometimes we feel we can only present the parts of our lives that are going well, especially on social media. What gain to have a Friend who cheers at our victories and feels for our disappointments and losses, as the old carol says ‘and he feeleth for our sadness and he shareth in our gladness’.
He walks close with us when we go through the valley of the shadow of death. I remember my brother Richard making a video in the covid pandemic to help fellow NHS workers. He shared that with the Lord we are not alone in the darkest times and that this helped him through the most tragic time at work where many lost their lives.
Throughout Psalm 23 King David testifies he looks to and finds the Shepherd through all his life’s journey.
Second, ‘The Lord is my shepherd’ is also a confident statement of our life’s purpose and direction.
The Lord moves; He prompts us towards good action, He leads us to wise choices. For example He leads us to meet others on the road whom we will help. Jesus said ‘Where I am my servant will also be’ (John 12:26 NIV).. He also guides us when we simply need to rest. Practically this means we have One whose ways and direction we trust above our own way. We are not beating our own path ‘I did it my way’, rather ‘I did it His way’. He knows when we need rest and refreshment. He knows the right choices that deepen our experience of sharing the love of God with others.
The way ahead for today
So today, Lord you are my shepherd, Lord help me sense your leading.
Has anyone been in your mind today, perhaps ring them or send a card? Which place or people come to mind, perhaps people in financial need? If any particular person comes to mind think what good action you can take for them.
If nothing comes to mind, then do something that would refresh you today. It may be a good read, a pleasant walk, phoning a trusted friend.
Be confident because when the Lord is your Shepherd you are not walking alone but are being led into life.
**For those who may be new to the Christian faith.
To share the confidence, we need only share the Shepherd.
This means to turn towards the Lord Jesus asking Him for a new life in this world and the next. Jesus said he was the good Shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep. Christians believe that he gave his life so that we can be forgiven our wrong doing and self interest and be given a new life, trusting in His guidance.
He promises those who trust Him a new life where His presence, the Holy Spirit comes to live our hearts and where we may be welcomed into his eternal kingdom after this lifetime. It’s never too late. The man next to Jesus on the cross, said ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom’, (Luke 23v42). Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise’, (Luke 23v43).
If you would like to renew your faith or come to faith for the first time.
You can use this prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus,
I’m sorry for living my own way up to now, for where-ever I have wronged You or other people please forgive me. I am sorry for missing opportunities to love others in the way you would have wanted.
Thank you for dying on the cross, taking my place so that my sins might be forgiven. I ask that You might forgive me my sins.
I turn to you now and ask that I may receive the eternal life that You gave up on the cross for me. May I receive your eternal life, that begins now on earth, with the promise of your presence (your Spirit) with me in my heart. May I receive the eternal life that also goes beyond this lifetime, so that I may be welcomed in Your eternal kingdom.
Please help me now to follow You in the time I have left, that I may do the good things You have planned for me to do in my lifetime. In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.
Lamp105 