A Continual Feast

April 15

If you’re a citizen of the United States, or you live here and earn money here, you presumably have already filed your income tax form because today is the last day to do so. If you haven’t, consider this a gentle reminder—the IRS won’t be kindly disposed toward you if they have to remind you themselves.

We know that this country had not yet been discovered, let alone settled and a government formed in Jesus day, but taxes aren’t a new thing. The Romans exacted taxes of the nations they had conquered and that included the land of the Hebrews where Jesus dwelt. His country was in bondage to Rome through His temporal life.

When the people complained of the heavy taxes they had to pay, He simply said, “Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” Luke 20:25. In other words, give to the government what it requires of you and give to God what He desires you to give. The government may tax you to the ‘enth’ degree, but what God wants from you is for your own good.

He expects first that you give your life to Jesus, so HE may give eternal life to you. He then expects you to, “…love one another as I have loved you” John 15:12. If we can receive His salvation and be obedient to His commandment to love as Jesus loves, we can reap the fruit of the promise found in Proverbs 15:15, “The cheerful heart has a continual feast.” Come dine with Jesus.