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“This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.” (Romans 13:6-7)

This is a day in which millions of Americans will be sending in their tax forms.  There will also be a lot of groaning, muttering and complaining.  There will also be a lot of preaching on how it’s our “Loyal duty” to pay the taxes.  Few people I know would claim that we should pay NO tax.  MANY people I know believe we are over taxed – and for wasteful purposes. To be forced, via taxation, to participate in that which one considers abhorrent (federally funded abortion, for example) is unjust at the very best.  To be shouted down and called a racist for demurring from the call to foist upon our children’s children a bill for wasteful spending goes against the grain.

As I was meditating on the verse above today, other verses came to mind.  First, Samuel’s warning to the Children of Israel when they decided they’d rather have a human king “like everyone else” rather than allowing Jehovah to reign in their hearts and minds.  Here is what Samuel told the people.

¹¹ He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. ¹² Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. ¹³ He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. ¹⁴ He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. ¹⁵ He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. ¹⁶ Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. ¹⁷ He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. ¹⁸ When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day.” (I Samuel 8:11-18)

Interesting, the king would take TEN PERCENT of their wealth and income. How much more does our government take from us today?

Another passage that came to mind follows:

They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval.  With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction.  (Hosea 8:4)

So here’s what I’ve been cogitating on.  Do you suppose that setting up a “king” or choosing a “prince” without asking for God Almighty to guide us would entail an even heavier penalty than that given to the Children of Israel?  Do you suppose that by ignoring God’s leading in our daily lives as a nation and turning our backs on Him has lead us to the point where these words have come true, “When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day.”? Indeed, be careful what you wish for – it may come true.  In 2008 many people wished for “Hope and Change” – never asking what the foundation for such would be nor what “change” entailed.  Chopping off your leg is change – but not necessarily a good one.

But there is another verse that says a lot to us today.

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Are there enough of God’s people left who are willing and able to both humble themselves and seek God’s face?  Will we?  Or will we continue to seek our own paths as a nation and dive deeper into the pit?