In the earlier part of this century T.S. Eliot wrote about the 'Hollow Men' of his day. Pursuing every possibility under the sun, they fail to find the peace of knowing God personally: "We are the hollow men We are the stuffed men... Shape without form, shade without color, Paralyzed force, gesture without motion."

We need to see 'hollow men' turned into 'men of heart'. The human quest for fulfillment often takes us down the cul-de-sacs of narcissism (self-absorption) hedonism (love of pleasure and leisure), materialism (the belief that who we are is equal to our material net worth), escapism (finding relief in distractions), utopianism (seeking with imperfect hearts a perfect world) or intellectualism (being satisfied with an unsatisfied mind, 'ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth' 2Timothy 3:7). Thousands of years ago Solomon had the time and money to try each of these avenues and consistently came up dry. He even documents in the Book of Ecclesiastes his attempts at religion which took him only as far as the knowledge of a Creator. But the mere knowledge of God's existence did not fill the hollowness of his heart nor will it ours.

Fulfillment does not necessarily come with theological knowledge. In the preface to Jonathan Edward's "Religious Affections" the editor notes that the more the Christian faith is propagated, organized and institutionalized the more it is reduced to a notional system of thought rather than a relational reality that results in transformed living.

The ultimate Truth is not merely propositional. It is relational. Jesus said, "I am the Truth." He that wants the truth, loves the truth, will hear Him, come to Him, follow Him, own Him as Lord and Savior, and know the Truth.

This is the satisfying reality. Hollow men become hearty saints. Solomon trades in his 'Vanities of vanities' for a 'song of songs'. He trades in viewing life in natural light alone for the light of the gospel. He trades in religion for a relationship. Jesus said, "This is eternal life, that you may KNOW (intimately by heart) the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent." (John 17:3). Someone said that "Christianity started as a relationship, the Greeks and Romans made it an idea, and the Americans made it a business."

Let's pull the plug on distractions and get down to the real business of knowing Him.

Yours in passionate pursuit of Truth,