“Our nature is such that we have within ourselves an unquenchable thirst for God." These are words from Ronald Rolheiser in his book, THE RESTLESS HEART. This book has been a great read for me in my devotional time. Scripture, especially the Psalms, often talk about our thirst for God. Unfortunately, I think we are often like a Rolls-Royce or Porsche with gas tanks filled with sand. Our engines are thirsty for fuel, but we have filled them with destructive things. Consequently, rather than running smoothly, we are breaking down.

Rolheiser writes that popular music typically reflects the soul of the audience. In my day, we often heard loud guitars and booming drums reflecting the confusion, torment, pain, and loneliness of our generation. Rob Bell says that the rap music today is the ghetto form of lament, akin to the laments of Lamentations or the Psalms.

We yearn for a deep, close relationship with God, and with others. We yearn for union with God, and with others. And, no matter how much of that we experience in this life, we intuitively sense there is still something out there that is deeper-- and we may never fully experienced it in this lifetime.

A hundred years ago, people typically had to work from before daylight until after dark, if they were lucky, six days a week. And this, was simply to survive. They had less time and energy to spare to pursue fulfillment. The curse of the 40 hour work week is the luxury of time it offers for reflection upon what is lacking.

Society has never been more fragmented. People today long for privacy; upon attainment, their loneliness is accentuated.

Our culture has encouraged people to assuage the pain of loneliness through sexual encounters. Unfortunately, this typically strips away their humanity. Instead of removing the loneliness, it leads people farther into it.

Ultimately, what I hear Rolheiser say is while loneliness will never be eliminated in this world, its power can be harnessed. Like a powerful horse that can destroy its rider, the dangerous energy of loneliness can be channeled into a healthy process. Loneliness can lead us to God and, as a byproduct, help us find contentment and wholeness. Loneliness can fine-tune us to be properly sensitive to the needs of others.

In Christ, the best we will find in this world is still less than what we will find in the world to come. However, a life in Christ will find meaning, and in Christ, each moment will matter.

Five things I think I think (a tip of the hat to Peter King for this idea)

1. I’m normally not a big reader of fiction, but a friend loaned me the book, IF I NEVER GET BACK by Darryl Brock. Written twenty years ago, it tells the story of a divorced father and newspaperman, who is transported back in time to the year 1869.

Events occur in such a way that he is invited to join the famous Cincinnati Red Stockings baseball team on their nationwide tour. The Stockings were an actual team who went undefeated that year and became a national sensation.

Brock weaves historical figures from that team, as well as others such as Samuel Clemens (whom we know as Mark Twain) in a story that, at times, is profane or graphic. (Don’t loan this out to a junior high kid.) Brock was a teacher of history and English when he wrote this novel. If you like imaginative works, or if you like fiction with historical detail, you will enjoy this book.

I, like many, enjoy fiction that addresses time travel. I’m sure there are lots of reasons why. I was reminded of one in reading this novel. We yearn to relate to all human beings, not just those who live in our present. We humans are bound by time; we yearn to dwell in timelessness.

2. I am a sucker for good baseball books. Every summer, I pull out my copy of SANDY KOUFAX A LEFTY’S LEGACY, by Jane Leavy, and listen to it again. I bought an unabridged copy on audio cassette four years ago for something like a couple of bucks. This is one of the great baseball biographies. It is short, yet offers a fascinating portrayal of Sandy Koufax and what it meant to be a Jewish icon in 20th-century America. She includes plenty of the cultural details of the times that makes her work even more interesting. A great read -- this has become a yearly summer ritual.

3. Okay, I admit it. I'm starting to get excited about the new Harry Potter movie, HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE, coming out on July 15.

4. I found on Amazon six Jimmy Stewart movies on DVD for $24. One of them was one of my favorites from childhood—“The FBI Story.” I watched it with Judy and Abby this week for the third time. I still remember the first time -- the night school let out when I was in second grade. Steve Bird and I stayed up late and watched it on WFAA channel 8 late movies. Great every time I see it.

5. Remember the days when you did not know the number one song of the week in the U. S. until Casey Kasem told you on AMERICAN TOP FORTY? This weekend, Casey Kasem retires. The AMERICAN TOP FORTY era ended long ago, but I will miss the man who represented that era.

Have a great weekend!