It was said once that nothing is a sure thing except death and taxes. Speaking of taxes, I just filed my return. It looks like I could be getting some back this year. I'm pretty happy about that.

As a rule, I hate taxes. I don't mind paying them, which surprises a lot of people. I'm not terribly attached to my money. I DO hate filling out the paperwork associated with taxes though. I have to take the main form and fill out a billion different numbers associated with my income and the amount of tax I paid as well as CPP payments and all that rubbish. All those numbers are thrown through a million different calculations that I'm not sure actually do anything other than try to confuse people so much that they accidentally send the government more money. As soon as I start making progress, there's another form I need to attach or another deduction that I forgot to include. I write stuff, add stuff, erase stuff, write more and finally finish. Then, I find out that I forgot something else and the whole thing starts over again. Futility, that's what it's called. Maybe I'll have enough money one day to hire a book keeper. Maybe I'll marry one. That might work.

I didn't just sign in and post this mess just to let you all know of my disdain for government-related paperwork. I think there's some comparisons that can be made and perhaps we can learn something.

Taxes are inevitable if you have money. Similar to the way that sin is inevitable if you are born. Our money's place is in the bank and our soul's place is in heaven. Taxes remove our money from the bank and so does sin remove our soul from the possibility of heaven. See how things are relating?

God, the one in charge of the eternal bank knows that we are unable to avoid these taxes. He did get Moses to do up the paperwork to get some of those taxes back, but it doesn't really get rid of the taxes, does it? It only reminds us, through a whole ton of details, how much we have lost in the whole transaction. Then, just when we think we're going to drown in all the paperwork, God empties the bank and offers to pay all our taxes. What an incredible thing to do! All we need to do is let him take control of our finances so he can get everything in shape.

Yes, that's right. I can find a lesson even in taxes. I hope that every year as you wade through all that paperwork, you'll remember what God did for you.

May God bless you.