Death and Taxes

 

“Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O LORD, for your name’s sake; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you. O you hope of Israel, its savior in time of trouble, why should you be like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who turns aside to tarry for a night? Why should you be like a man confused, like a mighty warrior who cannot save? Yet you, O LORD, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name; do not leave us.” (Jeremiah 14:7-9 ESV).

 

Some years ago, while in Philadelphia, Mary and I visited Christ Church Burial Ground. It is an important early-American cemetery. Perhaps one of the most distinguished people interred on these grounds is Benjamin Franklin. He is buried next to his wife, Deborah, along with four other signers of the Declaration of Independence (Benjamin Rush, Francis Hopkinson, Joseph Hewes and George Ross). The grave is relatively inauspicious, though it receives thousands of visitors every year.

 

Benjamin Franklin is known for many of his quips and modern proverbs. One of those is often repeated: “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” While that may seem like a pessimistic way of looking at the world, it often feels true. Sometimes the people we trust betray us. Sometimes we lose things we rely on, like a job or good housing. Sometimes we even fail ourselves.

 

In the verses of our reading today, Jeremiah recognizes that we cannot rely on our own goodness. Our sins make us unreliable too, just like many other things in our lives. We let others down, and we let ourselves down. But in the midst of all this uncertainty, as Jeremiah reminds us, God has a reputation of being reliably loving and faithful. Christmas proves that truth.

 

God has made a name for himself that is a source of hope to us. God’s name is not just a name. God’s name is about his identity and character. God is reliable, forgiving, and steadfast in his love. God’s identity is the one thing we can count on in this uncertain world. God’s promises are sure, and that gives us hope. Death and taxes might still be certain, but God’s faithfulness is the most certain thing of all. Let this absolute truth fuel your hope regardless of what you may be facing this season.