[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during September 2025]
Just as in the murky emptiness of pre-creation, there was nothing there, no concept, no discernable form, a vacant void. A blank screen waited in vain for some signal from the keyboard that would trigger a message to be shared. Then, in the silence of the night, God spoke:
‘Nothing!’
A single word of inspiration changed everything. Then the problem moved from having nothing to write to an over-abundance of material. The ideas came tumbling one after another, too fast to record.
The word ‘nothing’ can actually have a depth of meaning ranging from describing the state of a bank account to the excuse beloved of miscreant children – “What are you doing?” “Nothing!”
In the spiritual context, ‘nothing’ often has a significance beyond that of a simple negative. In this extract from Jeremiah’s prayer the word is used to emphasise the extent of God’s power:
Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.
Jeremiah 32 v17 [NIVUK]
In a similar way, ‘nothing’ serves to highlight the one and only means whereby our sins can be cleansed:
What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Robert Lowry (1876)
Those of us who are familiar with these passages are often tempted to under-estimate the full implication of ‘nothing’. God had a plan for dealing with sin but it cost him the life of his son. How should we respond?
Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to thy cross I cling
These words, written by Augustus Toplady in 1776, were once familiar to many congregations of church-goers. Despite the passage of time the words still have a message for us. As we have read, nothing else can buy salvation but what about the evidence of our gratitude? Are we withholding our thanks, our time, our talents? Should we revisit our response?
Discipline me, Lord, but only in due measure – not in your anger, or you will reduce me to nothing.
Jeremiah 10 v24 [NIVUK]
And finally, something positive:
Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.
Psalm 34 v9 [NIVUK]
Lord, thank you for working with nothing!
References:
[1]
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Last week’s reflection: Give Us This Day
Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © Steve Humphreys
I enjoyed reading this as well as being challenged. Oh yes, those good old hymns. Occasionally we can have a good sing at HBC but so often they are altered in some way and they are not the same.