"TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE
SHADOW OF DEATH, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:79
We might read an excerpt from Zacharias’ prophecy over the
infant who would grow up to become John the Baptist as a glimpse into the
realities faced by law enforcement officers, firemen, and paramedics. As we launch our Shield A Badge ministry, I
want to encourage you to make the commitment to pray for these who “sit in darkness
and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
I sat in my car one evening last week waiting at a stoplight
when a Weatherford Police Officer passed through the intersection in front of
me. He was driving a white Dodge
Charger. I was driving a black Dodge
Charger.
I was headed home. He
was driving his beat…the streets of our city.
I was dressed in my usual ministerial get-up: khaki slacks
and a golf shirt. He was wearing body
armor, a bulletproof vest, his uniform, two pair of handcuffs, a Taser, extra
ammo, a firearm, and a badge.
When I am at work, people who love me, who share a common
faith, in an environment where I feel safe and comfortable, surround me. When he is at work, his life is frequently in
danger. If surrounded, he places himself
between the assailant and the innocent.
In order to preserve the peace, he may have to initiate or endure
physical violence.
If I have a bad day, I may come home stressed. If he has a bad day, he may never see home
again.
Let Us Pray
Does it occur to me to pray for the men and women of law
enforcement? What about other First
Responders such as Fire Fighters, and EMT’s?
In the last few years, I’ve developed the habit of thanking first
responders when I see them in public…a firm handshake and a sincere expression
of gratitude. They are always very
gracious and seem to appreciate it.
Perhaps you share these sentiments. You may even have expressions of your
own. But do we pray?
What is the power, the influence, the effect, of prayer to
the daily walk of a law enforcement officer, a fire fighter, an ambulance
driver or paramedic? If our God really
is a protector…and He is, we should pray his protection for these brave men and
women. As our God really is the
Wonderful Counselor, then we should pray for the hearts and minds…for the
emotional health and inner peace of these persons who place themselves on the
line to protect us from the violence, anger, and trauma that we do not want to
encounter or endure. As our God is
Jehovah Rapha…our Healer, we should pray wisdom for them as they strive to
preserve and protect life…bringing healing to broken individuals and families.
My family must have some peace in knowing that I work in
ministry. While occasionally stressful,
and there is the periodic encounter with persons who are disturbed, very few
people would describe ministry as “Dangerous.”
The spouses and families of first responders however must carry with
them the knowledge of the risk that comes with the calling of being a cop, or a
fire fighter, or an EMT. So we will pray
for the families as well. For the
strength of marriages…for the safety of mothers and fathers who leave their
families every day, with a gun strapped to their side, or destined to enter
burning structures, or be exposed daily to the traumatic sight of people’s
broken bodies, or exposed to persons infected with deadly diseases…all in the
name of preserving life and reducing suffering.
We will pray for First Responders…Because.
Scripture to Claim:
“I will be strong and courageous. I will not be terrified, or discouraged; for the Lord my God is with me wherever I go.” Joshua 1:9
“I will be strong and courageous. I will not be terrified, or discouraged; for the Lord my God is with me wherever I go.” Joshua 1:9
