BY WHOSE AUTHORITY

 Todays' date held great significance in my life for decades.  The final day (unless it fell on a weekend) for filing your individual income tax.  I worked long hard hours from January 1-April 15 every year.  Once the date was past, I had done all I could and filed extensions for the procrastinators.  The federal government has the authority to enforce tax laws passed by our legislators.  This authority requires for us to file an annual income tax return.  There are stiff penalties for failure to file.  That authority was not to be ignored without consequence.

We all are subjected to the authority of others at different times in our lives.  It all begins with our parents and includes a variety of sources and sometimes several authorities simultaneously. We have laws to govern our society.  There are officials who are charged with keeping us in compliance with these laws.  We would live in chaos and anarchy if we did not have this authority over us.   Someone has authority over certain aspect of our lives.  I looked up authority--Mr. Webster tells us

1.  the power or right to give orders, make decisions,

and enforce obedience.

2.  a person or organization having power or control in a particular sphere

I recently asked in Small Group WHO has authority over you?  One answer was God, husband, and church elders.  As I began to think this over I realized there is authority which comes from our governments and there is authority which is personal.  For various reasons I find myself with God in authority in my personal life, but I am having a difficult time deciding who would have any authority (beyond governmental)  in my personal life beyond Him.  

This subject first came up a couple of weeks ago in small group.  Yesterday (two weeks ago) all I could read in the news was the fall out from the Academy Awards.  Will Smith flaunted his disobedience to the Authority of the group who holds this awards ceremony.  He is now paying the consequences.   This stirred within me the question of why we allow entertainers any power in our lives.  Why would we look to another for input with our decisions about what to wear, where to live, how to act, what is cool and what is not?  Who do I look to and give the power of input in my decisions about my day to day life?  With age and wisdom, I can truthfully say I stopped trying to emulate anyone else years ago.  Those who are icons of righteousness are not seeking to laud authority over me.  They are sharing their wisdom, but not power hungry.  Power and control are two things I am stingy with relinquishing beyond the  spiritual realm.

SO---God is my authority.  There is no other to compare and why would I want anything less than the ultimate authority?  His Word rules supreme with all control and power.  I am His.

"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."

Romans 13:1