Nothing New

by E.V. Sparrow @evSparrow

Are we ever uneasy there’s “nothing new under the sun” to write about, like Scripture tells us?

• Ecclesiastes 1:9,“The thing that has been–it is what will be again, and that which has been done is that which will be done again; and there is nothing new under the sun.” (AMPC)

If we believe this wisdom from King Solomon, why should we write with diligence about our ministries or in a fiction genre? Can we be certain our calling is worth something in God’s economy? It’s a defeating thought that our huge National Library already holds every idea, plot, and topic we’d write about. As authors, we probably want to impact our readers and the world with God’s message of truth, love, and grace.

Being members of humanity make us the same, but God’s Holy Spirit wrote powerful Scriptural messages to us for reassurance of our uniqueness. As Christian authors, we possess a spiritual desire to write about repetitive “there’s-nothing-new-under-the-sun” topics and mold them into “a-timely-reminder-of-God’s-marvelous-grace” message for readers of all genres.

Review this list of our God-given, Holy Spirit-empowered advantages from Scripture with the reasons we should write anyway without concern for finding something “new under the sun.”

• Uniqueness-God created us with a unique design. Our fingerprints and ears are the physical embodiment of this. We are the new creation under the sun. Psalm 139:15-16, “My frame was not hidden from You when I was being formed in secret [and] intricately and curiously wrought [as if embroidered with various colors] in the depths of the earth [a region of darkness and mystery]. Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them.” (AMPC)
• Gifting, or equipment-The Holy Spirit oversees this. We do not choose the gifts He gives us. We can ask, but it’s His providence. Gifts are your tools. There is much written in Scripture about our gifts and calling but consider this verse. 1 Cor. 1:5-7, “Now there are distinctive varieties and distributions of endowments (gifts, extraordinary powers distinguishing certain Christians, due to the power of divine grace operating in their souls by the Holy Spirit) and they vary, but the [Holy] Spirit remains the same. And there are distinctive varieties of service and ministration, but it is the same Lord [Who is served]. And there are distinctive varieties of operation [of working to accomplish things], but it is the same God Who inspires and energizes them all in all. But to each one is given the manifestation of the [Holy] Spirit [the evidence, the spiritual illumination of the Spirit] for good and (vs. 11) All these [gifts, achievements, abilities] are inspired and brought to pass by one and the same [Holy] Spirit, Who apportions to each person individually [exactly] as He chooses.” (AMPC)
• Experiences, or fodder for stories-God’s call to write implies using our authentic experiences, our deepest emotions, and our epiphanies from the Spirit. He weaves all the details into a masterpiece for us to write about in our unique way and voice. Always remember there is one reader who desperately needs to hear the message He imparted to us. Write for that one. God highly values each human.

It was God’s idea to lead us into the writing industry. He created our unique essence to write His message, so diligently transcribe those “nothing new under the sun” topics into “timely reminders of His grace” for the one reader who opens our books.

E.V. Sparrow signed a three-book, historical fiction contract with Celebrate Lit Publishing. She has fourteen anthologized stories and placed second in the Inspire Writers Flash Fiction contest.

Sparrow has ministered on prayer, worship, and mission teams, traveled in nineteen countries, lived on an Israeli kibbutz, and hopped a freight train. Visit E.V. on her website and Twitter @evSparrow.