Today is National Nothing Day.

Happy Nothing Day!

Seems like a strange idea for a holiday, doesn’t it? How exactly do you celebrate nothing? Then again, consider the possibilities. For example, today you are in keeping with the spirit of the holiday if you spend it doing absolutely nothing! No presents, no festivities, no decorations, no big meal. Nothing.

Actually, there was a man in Bible times who was really big into nothing. Solomon was one of the wisest, richest, and most powerful kings around. He had everything—money, gold, treasures, cattle, palaces. He did everything—lead a nation, built cities and roads, constructed the Temple for God. But when it came right down to it, Solomon decided that it all meant nothing. It was all meaningless, futile, insignificant, and unimportant. He wrote about his views of life in the book Ecclesiastes. Here are just a few of King Solomon’s statements: “But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless. It was like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere,” (2:11) and, “As people come into this world, so they depart. All their hard work is for nothing. They have been working for the wind, and everything will be swept away” (5:16). Not exactly a cheery guy!

By the end of the book, however, Solomon comes to an important conclusion. The only way to find true meaning and satisfaction in this world is through God. Nothing else can fill our lives like knowing, worshipping, and obeying the Lord.

So maybe a better way to celebrate Nothing Day is to spend some time with God and thank him for all the “something” that he has given to you.

Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

To Do

Make a list of all the reasons you have to worship God today.

Also on this day . . .

1547—Ivan the Terrible was crowned Czar of Russia.

1896—The first five-player college basketball game was played at Iowa City, Iowa.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.