Romans 13:1–7 (ESV)
Submission to the Authorities
13 Let every person be subject to the governing
authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to
good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain.
For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities
are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
Today’s reading says that we need to be subject to the governing authorities. We may be so bold to think that we elect the President of the United States. Some will say, No... we don’t. It is the Electoral College that
elects the President. I will say No... it is God! Read and ponder verse 1 and 2: “For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has
appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” We are to submit to our governing authorities as long as they do not go against God’s Word. Sometimes I question what God is doing when we have certain leaders, but I need to trust
and not lean on my own understandings. God is in control. Sometimes I think it is controlled chaos! But I must trust in the Lord that He is in control.
I pray: O Lord, help me to trust
in your ways, even when I don’t understand. Help me to be a good citizen, even to being honest on my taxes. Let my life be a living testimony to Christ. Amen.