So lonely

Well someone told me yesterday

that when you throw your love away

You act as if you don't care

You look as if you are going somewhere

But I just can't convince myself

I couldn't live with no one else

I can only play my part

And sit and nurse my broken heart

So lonely

So lonely

So lonely

So lonely

The Police

Apparently, according to the Telegraph, loneliness is the most pressing problem for both middle class and deprived folk in today's culture. As it happens, this morning I have been reading a book called 'A Leaders Guide to Effective Preaching:' and in it Billy Graham writes this:

'I have a friend who is a psychiatrist and a theologian at an American university. I asked him on one occasion, 'What is the greatest problem of the patients that come to you for help?' He thought for a moment and said 'Loneliness'. He went on, 'When you get right down to it, it is a loneliness for God.' [page 13]

Graham then goes on to list what he calls 'Some safe assumptions':

a. Life's needs are not totally met by social improvement or material affluence
b. There is an essential emptiness in every life
c. We can assume in our hearers a loneliness
d. We are speaking to people who have a sense of guilt
e. There is a universal fear of death

Early this morning, I also listened to a Piper sermon that he gave recently to the DG conference entitled 'Make war: The Pastor and his People in the Battle against Sin'. One phrase in the hour long talk hit my heart and has lingered with me:

.....at the root-at the bottom- -sin is a preference for anything above God. Sin is treasuring anything or anyone more than it treasures God'

So, I have much food for thought and prayer as I plan what to preach on during the next season in the life of our church over the next couple of days.

An aside- Ida is my new favourite person!

Do pray for me this week.