Sunday Writings...4/17/26

Good morning...
Yesterday was a gorgeous day in sunny Cali. The yards are filled with flowers and it is so beautiful. However, yesterday there was a prediction of doom about the drought which recently alleviated by the strong El Nino. Apparently his "sister" La Nina is close at his heels and, if she gains strength, will result in a dry winter. We all need to pray against that.



Sunday's devotional is called "What We Owe."  Jan Andersen writes about what we owe and to whom.  It begins with taxes, since it is the deadline for filing our tax paperwork tomorrow, and it moves on from there.  

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  Today's Devotional   

"WHAT WE OWE"

written by

Jan Andersen

Sunday devotional for April 17th, 2016

Romans 13:6-8 (NIV)  This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing.  Give to everyone what you owe them: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.  Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 

Tax Day in the US is usually on April 15th, unless that date is on a weekend, in which case it falls on the following Monday... OR if the 16th falls on a weekend...  But why the 16th you ask? Because that is Emancipation Day, a Washington, D.C. holiday.  It celebrates the day Abraham Lincoln signed an act that freed slaves in D.C.  So if that holiday falls on a Saturday, then Washington, D.C. celebrates it on Friday, the 15th.  In that case tax day moves to the following Monday, the 18th, as it does this year.  Next year the 16th is on Sunday, so the D.C. holiday falls on Monday the 17th, and tax day again will be on the 18th which will be a Tuesday.  So if you procrastinate, you get several extra days to file your tax papers!

For some people Tax Day is dreaded, perhaps due to all of the paperwork involved, or due to the debt that is owed. For other people Tax Day brings up feelings of resentment that the government takes so much of what is earned by the people and then spends it on things they don't necessarily support. The way the government handles this money may be seen as irresponsible and wasteful at times, leading some to feel hopeless or frustrated. But in spite of all this we are told in the verses above that we are to pay what we owe to all, including taxes and revenue. This is commanded even if we disagree with those in charge, because the governing authorities are established by God, even if they are not Christian or are not doing what we believe is right. God can still work through corrupt governments, just as he continues to work through us, his sinful and corrupt human beings.

We also owe those in authority respect and honor, just as we owe them to God, the greatest Authority.  He emancipated us from our bondage to sin, death and the devil by sending his son, Jesus, to die in our place.  He arose from death to life so that we would have eternal life with him in heaven.  We could never have paid the debt we owed to God on our own, so He paid it for us.  He forgives us no matter what we have done or not done - all of it!  Out of thanks for what He has done, we give him all respect and honor.  Though we can never repay God for what he has done for us, we can show love to others as He first loved us.  And that is a debt that can never be fully paid - we continually owe love to one another.

Dear Father God, we ask that you give us the understanding and ability to give what we owe to all, taxes and revenue, respect and honor, and especially love.  Help us to remember all you have done for us, most importantly giving us forgiveness of sins and everlasting life through faith in your son, Jesus.  We give you thanks and praise for all your gifts, in particular our freedom from slavery to sin.  May we forever give you all honor and respect, praise and glory, and our love to others as well.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

written by Jan Andersen

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   Famous Christains and Quotes   

Elizabeth Fry (1780-1845)

British Quaker who campaigned for better conditions in prisons, also set up charities for the homeless and poor. She was a leading social reformer of the Victorian period and helped women to become more accepted in social                                         campaigns.

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   God's Beautiful Creation   

Heavenly Father, 

       I thank you for the beauty of your creation which brings me joy every day. I bask in the colors of the sky throughout the day, although sunrise and sunset are the most spectacular. I love your creation which includes so many growing things flowers, trees, and things to eat. The geese pictured her on a dusk swim are only a small part of the animal kingdom. My other favorites of animals include turtles, humming birds, cats and dogs. I must not forget the ocean and mountains that are so pleasing to the eye. The many different races of men and women that pepper out world with delightful colors of skin and features.

       Lord, You have blessed us in uncountable ways. All you have created is so beautiful, and I joy to see it all when I am out. It comes to my mind that if the creation we see here on earth is so amazing then what dazzling vistas and colors are in store for us in heaven. Thank you God for always loving us in-spite of failings and choices that are not Your will. As the song says You are a good, good God. 

   AMEN

     Bucks Lake in California, East of Oroville

      

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Do you have any friends like this?
Are you this kind of friend?

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Prayers are lifted up daily for 

you by the Devotional Writers 

and the Monthly Writing Staff

of Women's Focus Ministries.

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