I've Got a Guy for That!

Happy (Day-After) Tax Day!  You know what they say? “There are only two certainties in life—taxes and death.”  How true that is, and fortunately neither one of those things need cause us great concern or worry.  In that vein, I’m recycling this devotional thought from several years ago.  Easter reminds us, we’ve got a guy for that! 😊
 
Hopefully, you got all your taxes taken care of for yesterday's deadline. No doubt you are now anxiously awaiting your bountiful refund check from our beloved national treasury.  We’ve all seen the H&R Block commercials suggesting that we can “get our billions back!”   Needless to say, I’m still looking for mine! For many people, tax season is stressful and burdensome. Not at all for me. During the months of January and February, I gathered up all my necessary documents and financial information so that I could send it off to my tax guy.  It is so nice to have someone else take care of it.  There are nuances of self-employment and clergy allowance that I don’t pretend to understand. Every year, laws and requirements change a bit. It is an immense relief to not have to worry about any of it. No headaches crunching numbers. No anxiety trying to reconcile the final amounts. No need for me to invest in the newest TurboTax software.  It is a wonderful, burdenless feeling to put the papers in the mail and then not have to fuss about it. No stress at all. My tax guy will work through the mess, comb over the details, and make sure all my files are in order.  He’ll make sure the government gets its due.  He’ll make sure I don’t land in jail or get flagged by the IRS.  To be sure, I do have to pay for the services of my tax guy. But it is worth it. It is a tolerable investment to have a capable, reliable guy take care of things that I can’t do myself.
 
Can you sense where I’m going with this?  Today, as we stand in the afterglow of Easter.  The energy and excitement of Easter Sunday may have dissipated a bit as we quickly had to get back into a normal work week routine. Our “He is risen indeed!” choruses have faded somewhat as we find ourselves in between Sundays.  Now we gear up for the home stretch of the school year, spring planting, and other outdoor activities. We start thinking about summer vacations, fishing trips, and full days at home with the kids or grandkids.  Yet we dare not so quickly or easily close the book on Easter; Easter has a lasting impact.  The joy and celebration, the good news and victory of Easter still rings loud in our worship and in our lives.  Like taxes, we are all forced to face the reality of death.  We’ve dealt with it personally and we see it constantly on the news.  Easter reminds us that death does not win, because we have “a guy” that takes care of it for us!
 
That’s the Easter message—because Jesus conquers death, so do we!  Sin, death, evil—it is so nice to have someone else take care of it. No need to worry.  No further work or effort needed from us.  We don’t even have to pay for His services.  Our guy, our Lord Jesus, makes sure all our spiritual affairs are in order—free of charge!  He has covered the bill Himself, written in His own blood. We no longer need to fret over what may happen to us; Jesus assures us that He is always with us.  He offers us a hope that can stare death in the eye and proclaim, “Oh death where is your sting!”  Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 15:57)  Throughout our time upon this earth, we have “a guy” who takes care of us.  1 Peter 5:6-7 says, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”  Thank you, Jesus, for taking care of us. 
 
We stand secure knowing that the inevitable and guaranteed certainties of life are already dealt with.  They are handled. No need to worry. Nothing more to do on our part.

My tax guy has my taxes done.  

My death & sin Guy has the rest under control. 

Time to relax and enjoy the spring weather.  He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!
 
“A dead Christ I must do everything for; a living Christ does everything for me."  (Andrew Murray)