Nothing by Sharon Heagy

 

Satellite train over our farm

            Nothing. I am going to regale my writing community with nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero. Bupkis. So many words to describe nothing. Huh, isn’t that something.

            Many a Mom and Dad know all about nothing. It is the answer to every question. What did you do at school today? Nothing. What are you kids doing in there?! Nothing. Yes, I know so and so did that to you but what did you do? Nothing.

            Sometimes when we need a day to decompress and unwind we say we are going to do ‘nothing.’ But isn’t resting doing something?

            There is a place in space called the Boötes Void which it is more commonly known as the Great Nothing. It is a spherical region of space found in the vicinity of the constellation Boötes and contains very few galaxies. But since it contains some, is it really nothing?

            Early Greek philosophers and modern Physicists have debated and explored the concept of nothingness with most agreeing that it is impossible for nothing to exist. Before the creation of the universe and the world as we know it, there was God. He has always existed. Has there ever been nothing?

            For the writer the word nothing is exceptional in its versatility. It can be used as a pronoun, noun, plural noun, adjective and adverb. Wow! Nothing really packs a punch.

            But for the writer called by God it becomes a goal that comes with emptying. It is what we are to become and what we are to have. Nothing in ourselves so that He might flow through us. His words flowing through our minds, down our arms, through our hands to the paper.

            When we strive without Him we are like the four fishing disciples who fished all night and caught nothing. But when we surrender our writing nets to Him they become full to overflowing. Divine inspiration floods our being and there is a stirring that cannot be denied or satisfied until it becomes written word. 

            John the Baptist is quoted in John 3 as saying, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven……. He must become greater; I must become less.” What wisdom for us as writers of faith. This means the words we write are sacred as we are receiving them from heaven. When I read that passage as I researched for this post, it took my breath away and filled me with humble and heartfelt thanksgiving. Indeed, He must become greater, we must become less. 

            The chorus to the song Nobody by Casting Crowns has these words:

 

“I’m just a nobody

Trying to tell everybody

All about somebody who saved my soul

Ever since you rescued me

You gave my heart a song to sing.

I’m living for the world to see

Nobody but Jesus.”

 

            Maybe we could tweak those last couple of lines a bit and sing “I’m writing for the world to see nobody but Jesus.” 

            It’s a process and a journey but day by day He’ll get us there as we get out of our way and into His way. 

            Hope your day is blessed and thanks for sharing a few minutes with me.