26th March 2023

Tearfund Lent Devotional Day 33

The best dancers

‘The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.’ (Psalm 34:18, NIV)

Live with your heart facing outwards.

Feed your senses upon the wild-light graces

that tread the banks of the rivers;

that wander amid the hallowing of the trees.

Release your spirit to its original attitude;

the one of blessing, and curiosity, and gift.

Do not run from the darkness –

hidden in the folds of the night

are the holiest of the secrets,

waiting for you to lower your guard.

Once you have felt how heavy life is

you might quit stomping around;

once you discover how serious life is

you might stop taking yours so seriously.

We stand in awe of the angels,

but do they know what it is

to haul themselves

from the cold ground of despair?

The broken-hearted make the best dancers.

Gideon Heugh

Gideon writes for Tearfund and is a poet and environmentalist