Tax Day. Again. 

 I keep reminding myself of this passage from Matthew:

 ¹⁷Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?’ ¹⁸But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, ‘Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? ¹⁹Show me the coin used for the tax.’ And they brought him a denarius. ²⁰Then he said to them, ‘Whose head is this, and whose title?’ ²¹They answered, ‘The emperor’s.’ Then he said to them, ‘Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ ²²When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away. (Matthew 22:17-22)

We of course are not living within the Roman Empire and we do have the ability to vote, question the priorities of our government, and write letters to our local and national officials.  We can seek to make changes and speak for those whose voices are not heard.  It is right that we work and pray to remember all of God’s children.

 … and it is right to remember to whom we belong.  UCC pastor/author Anthony Robinson writes:  “Although we are perhaps unlikely to really think we belong to the government or the IRS, it is much more likely in our world today to imagine that we don’t belong to anyone or anything, except ourselves.”

 Loving God, help us, on this day and every day to remember and give thanks that we belong to you.  Help us to listen to your Still Speaking voice and to work each day to put You first in our thoughts, first in our prayers, first in our hearts.  Amen.