URC Daily Devotion Wednesday 26th August 2026

Psalm 123:1-3

To you I lift up my eyes,
    O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
As the eyes of servants
    look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maid
    to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
    until he has mercy upon us.

Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us…

Reflection

This is one of my favourite psalms.  The psalmist offers a great strategy – look to the Lord for help! We need to rely on God and have faith in Him, in every situation.  As the eyes of a servant are on the hands of their master, we, too, must keep our focus on God. In moments of pain, failure, or disappointment, I remind myself to lift my gaze above my circumstances. Situations may seem impossible, but when we uphold our faith and focus on God, miracles can happen.  God bestows blessings that exceed our expectations.  All we need is to look to God patiently and wait for His mercy.

The Lord, in His love, responds to those who seek Him earnestly with faith. This assurance uplifts my spirit and empowers me.

These verses remind me of the importance of looking to the Lord – especially during times of challenge and uncertainty.  I write as the first Pakistani woman to serve the URC as a church minister.  I am grateful to God, because I recognise that my ministry is a great privilege, not accessible to all women, particularly in male-dominated cultures.  My journey has not been without its struggles, but I have learned to keep my eyes fixed on God, who is my source of strength, courage and hope.

As I reflect on my experiences, I encourage anyone facing challenges, feeling hopeless or helpless, immediately turn their eyes toward the Lord, and lean on His mercy. May God give us all wisdom to do so.  

Prayer

Heavenly Father, 
we lift our eyes to You, 
trusting in Your love and mercy. 
In times of challenge and uncertainty, 
remind us to keep our focus on You, 
our source of strength. 
Help us to find hope in every situation 
and the courage to persevere. 
May we always seek Your guidance and comfort. 
Thank You for Your faithfulness, compassion and love.
In Jesus precious name we ask, 
Amen