Psalm 34:18, 19 – The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. ¹⁹ Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

Do you want to know were God is working?  Look for the brokenhearted, the refuse of this world.  Find those who have been kicked in the gut, the shipwrecked, the wounded, the damaged.  And when you find them, do good.  Lift up their hands. Bind their sores. Look past their brokenness to see their hunger and their need for the Creator.

You can find them anywhere and everywhere.  They reside in shelters and churches, tenements and mansions.  Their brokenness may come from deep sorrow or deep sin or an accumulation of life circumstances, but it is real and it is painful.  Sometimes the scars are hidden; sometimes they are in plain sight of the world.  Whatever their appearance, there is a need for someone to reach out and come along side, to pray with lips and feet, and to hold, even if it means dirtying the hands.

God isn’t afraid of the broken.  He understands them, because His Son was broken.  God doesn’t avoid the inconvenience of a sad heart; He provides the grace to lift it.

Where is God?  He is near the brokenhearted.  If you are looking for Him today, find one of His broken children, and be His hands.

Broken, wounded, adrift from peace,
Struggling to find some relief
from the crushing of this life.
Damaged, weary, without soul rest,
crying the tears of those oppressed
by bundled burdens and chains of strife – 

Heartbroken.

I cried to Him Who longs to save,
Trusting this One Who freely gave
His Son to bear my shame.
I looked to the Creator Lord
Who called to me above the storm,
Offering a brand new name – 

Redeemed.