Written by Amy Knorr

Someone Hit Pause!

Over the Rhine has this great song called “The world can wait.” Just the simple notion that the world should or could wait for someone or something stirs a longing in my very soul. How wonderful it would be for everything to stop for a moment. How relieving to be able to just shut the door on the world and collect my thoughts before plunging back out into the swells of life.

Wishful thinking, I know. In reality, the world can’t wait, and I am asked to ride the waves with the bow of my boat pointed ever toward the upward call of Christ Jesus. I know this, but how do I put it into practice? How can I choose among the many demands on my time and resources? How can I make sure that every decision is measured, that I say “yes” and deliver and “no” with peace, that I put every dollar in its proper place, that I provide for my family while being generous to others, and that in everything I am bringing glory to God and benefit to His people?

Can you identify? Surely I am not alone in the struggle to try to cram work, play, service, rest all into a calendar with ever shrinking boundaries? Please tell me you too wrestle with each dollar in times of abundance and scarcity in an attempt to put every penny where it will be most effective. Oh, the roles we fill…calendar keeper, accountant, activity director, financial planner, philanthropist. Um, does anyone else feel unqualified? But lest we forget… God’s divine power has granted us “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). Time and money definitely pertain to life (and hopefully to godliness). Praise God that He has given us the ability to deal with them!

Every night, I sing “Amazing Grace” to my daughter before laying her sleepy little head down in her crib. And every time I sing it, I am struck by something new. Like last night… “When we’ve been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun/ We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we’ve first begun.” Oh, for that day when with unobstructed view, we will sit in His presence and sing His praises uninterrupted! But until then, may I learn the discipline of stewarding my time and money so that despite the waves tossing my little life boat around, every minute and every penny sing praises to the God who is and was and ever will be. Amen?

If you are anything like me, a chance to take a breath is always welcome. So, push the stop button (or at least the pause button) and join us in refocusing our eyes on Jesus, the giver of time and treasure, energy and purpose. Feel free to bring your friends, believers and unbelievers. I can’t wait to see you there on October 10th, from 8:30AM to 12PM.