Daily Devotions
Rendering to God What Is God's
Title: Rendering to God What Is God's
Reading for April 22: 2 Kings 11-13
Weekly reading for April 15-21: Luke 20-24
So they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?" But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, "Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?" They said, "Caesar's." He said to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
Luke 20:21-25
Our taxes were due this past week. Some of you were happy on tax day because you received a refund, while others were not so happy. Let's all remember when paying taxes, that we do it to the Lord and not to men. It is the "will of God" (1 Peter 2:13-15). The authorities are there because God put them there (Romans 13:1-7). It should not bother our consciences at all to pay our taxes.
There is, however, another subtle yet important point Jesus may be making here (and I think I'm stealing this from Ben Hall). The reason Jesus asks whose image is on the denarius is because it implies ownership: "Render to Caesar the things that have his image on them." The unspoken question might then be, "What does God own? What bears the image of God?"
Father, help us to joyfully and reverently give what is due unto Caesar, while also giving every part of our lives to you!
