Of myself, I am nothing… Nothing at all…
Charles Dickens was an English writer and social critic, who famously wrote such social satires as Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities and others.
Working as an editor, Dickens pioneered the way that his novels were published, publishing them as periodicals where a chapter was released each month and the poor and illiterate would pay a half-penny to have someone read the monthly instalment to them because they were unable to read those for themselves.
Dickens very cleverly crafted his narratives so that each chapter would end with a cliff-hanger and his readers would wait in suspense for the next instalment of his novel, released the next month.
In this way, the writing of Charles Dickens not only changed to mode of publication of the novel to the serial publication method, which was used as the predominant publication method of the Victorian era, but he also inspired a new generation of socially and economically disadvantaged illiterate people to seek an education.
But, it is not Charles Dicken’s literary genius that I have been reflecting on today, it is his limitations. You see, Charles Dickens experienced very severe epilepsy throughout his life. And one of the most inconvenient side-effects of his numerous epileptic seizures was his complete loss of short term memory.
Now, this loss of memory was a terrible thing for a writer in those days. Just remember that there was no computer or internet. There was no automated filing system. And so, if Dickens had an epileptic seizure in the middle of his work, he would quite easily lose all of his very clever and original ideas.
So, Dickens kept very copious notes of all his work. In this way, he was able to ensure that when he did have an epileptic seizure he was able to look back on his notes and use those to re-create his ideas for his stories.
And I have been thinking about this adaptation of this great writer today because it reminds me to the adaptations that I must make for my own fallen nature.
You see, just as Dickens’ epileptic seizures were a hurdle for his writing, so too is my sinful and weak nature a hurdle for my salvation. And just as Dickens used physical notes of his ideas as a way to keep track of where he was with his writing so that he could continue to work despite his limitations, so too must I use prayer to help me.
For I am as weak as my God is strong. And once I realise that, it becomes very easy for me to know what I need to do to attain salvation. For of myself I am nothing. But with God – through Him and in Him – all things are possible.
And knowing this, I can hold my head a little bit higher, for I have the confidence I trust in my Beloved. For of myself, I am nothing… Nothing at all…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.