And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
(Luke 2:1-5 KJV)
It's that time of the year again. My email has been bombarded with advertisements from TurboTax. Yes, the Christmas season will soon be upon us; but, so will the dreaded tax season.
Although my grandchildren do because they usually get every penny that the government took back, I don't know a lot of people who enjoy doing their taxes. Those who have to pay in after those taxes are done usually are not too excited about it. Nor are we too excited about where our tax money sometimes goes. But, taxes are a part of life. Some form of taxation has been a part of life for just about forever.
Because of the Caesar Augustus' taxation decree Mary and Joseph ended up just where they were supposed to be, according to the prophecies, when Jesus was born. I imagine very few people appreciated having to travel to their home towns to pay this tax. Of course a few may have appreciated the opportunity to see family members they hadn't seen in a long time just as a funeral often brings people who haven't seen each other in a long time together.
Benjamin Franklin wrote: "In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." This is true. The world will face both. Whether this Caesar's taxation edict was a good thing or a bad thing probably depended on the individual. Today, it depends on whether we trust God and His plan for us or not.
There was a time when I felt something close to fear of doing my taxes and of the IRS. But, there came a point in my life when I realized that even if I messed up the taxes nothing that I should fear would actually occur. After all, what can be done that could extinguish the promise of eternal life in the Kingdom of God?
St. Paul wrote to the Romans: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom 8:35:39)
In Joseph's and Mary's day the journey was probably a hardship for many. But, for all who believe in Jesus Christ it turned out to be a good thing for that journey to pay their taxes was necessary in order for the prophecy to be fulfilled.
When things don't seem to be going the way we desire; when such things as taxes and death interfere in our lives we can still rejoice for as St. Paul wrote: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Rom 8:28)
God's Peace - Pr. J.
