Law of God | April 15
Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake.
For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing.
Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Romans 13:5-10
Father, Paul again reminds us to pay taxes, and to honor and respect those You have allowed to be in authority. Here he also reminds us to support those who minister unto us.
Help us Father to not compromise in this responsibility. Paul says not to covet. You have taught us, repeatedly, that the assets You give us are intended to enhance our ability to serve You and others. Lead us, we pray, in wisdom as we seek to glorify You and serve others.
Father, You are love and we who say we love You must love others as well. It is not easy Father to love the person who would and does do us harm, yet, that is the command. We know that when we, in Your strength, extend compassion or concern to someone that clearly does not “deserve” it, that it confounds them. We pray that circumstance leads to sorrow and that their disgust with their own actions, leads to repentance.
Help us, this day, to see the bigger picture and to know that our witness is empty if we do not love others. We will need Your strength, Your presence, in the daily events of our lives to do so. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project