I remember as a kid going to the cemetery every Memorial Day to put flowers and flags on my father’s grave, a World War II veteran, and on other soldier’s graves. There was always a ceremony. I don’t know how much that tradition continues today. It should. Our small town has a memorial wall at the park where people can purchase and place a brick in memory and honor of a local Gold Star family’s fallen soldier. There’s also a ceremony in their remembrance.
Memorial Day is often “celebrated” as the beginning of summer, with a day off, BBQ’s and parties. But it’s actually a very solemn day to pay tribute to and mourn members of the military who died in service to their country. It’s a deeply personal day for many Gold Star families who lost loved ones in military service. It’s a day to honor those who sacrificed their lives for the country they loved.
If you’re a Gold Star family, Memorial Day is truly a personal day of remembrance of your loved one and an ache in your heart that never completely goes away but may soften with time . . . or not.
As we honor the life of brave men and women who paid the ultimate price for our freedom, instead of saying “Happy Memorial Day,” can I suggest it’s more appropriate to say, “I wish you a Meaningful Memorial Day.”
National Law Enforcement Appreciation Month and Memorial!
May is also the month to honor those who lost their lives protecting us from harm domestically. The entire month of May is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Month. May 15th is National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which May 15 falls is National Police Week.
Far too often, we hear Police Chiefs tearfully making statements like, “We’re heartbroken to make this announcement of the shooting of three of our officers. We ask for your support and prayers for our fellow officers and their families as we try to cope with yet another tragic event in our police family.”
I understand the toll this job can take on the officers and their families. I was so proud of my handsome father when he put on his California Highway Patrolman uniform and badge. Until the morning I woke up to wails and sobs coming from our living room filled with people. Even as a ten-year-old, I knew intuitively my father was gone. When he kissed me goodbye as he left for work that evening, it would be the last time I ever saw him alive. A reality our family lived with every day, but one we never thought would happen to us, until it did.
The job of a peace officer is to run toward danger, at the risk of his or her own life, to save and protect strangers. It once was a noble respected profession, but today’s culture has come to expect that many will die senselessly. Their death barely makes the local news.
President Trump is changing that when last week he awarded the new “Medal of Sacrifice” to the families of three fallen Florida police officers. “Congressman Brian Mast has introduced a bill to ensure this new medal will be awarded to any law enforcement officer or first responder who gives his or her life in the line of duty,” President Trump said.
“For the first time in our nation’s history — all of our first responders, all of our law enforcement, all of our firefighters — we’re going to recognize that sacrifice from the office of the presidency,” said Congressman Mast. “And that has never taken place before.”
We can also honor all police officers by using respectful words when talking about and to them. Pray when you see police officers patrolling or a police car on the road. Don’t pray for yourself that they don’t pull you over, but pray because you don’t know what awaits them the next time they make a traffic stop. When you hear a siren, pray. We never know when we, or our loved ones, might be the life they’re rushing to save.
Four Prayers for Police Officers and Their Families
Prayer for Protection
Lord, we don’t know why You implant in the hearts of brave men and women to choose a profession that requires walking into danger and putting their life on the line to stop lawlessness and crime. You’ve given them a willingness to enforce the law to protect the communities where they serve. Are they fearless? Unintimidated? Thrill seekers? Or do they truly love their neighbor more than themselves and want to do their part in justice for all?
Only You know for sure, Lord, what motivates them, but we do know they need a band of angels surrounding them with a hedge of protection. Lord, they face evil and the dark side of life every day. They see the worst of people and people at their worst. Their work tools are weapons. We pray Lord for their safety as they walk up to a car or house or unknown situation never knowing what danger awaits them. If they know You Lord, remind them to say their own prayer of protection and ask You to intervene against any foe. Perhaps something like David prayed, “I come to you for protection, O Lord my God. Save me from my persecutors—rescue me!” (Psalm 1:7 NLT).
When they emerge safe and victorious, Father, as David did when he was rescued from Saul, give them a heart to give You the glory. If they don’t know You as their Savior, become real to these officers. Let them know You took the bullet for them. Amen
“God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.” (2 Samuel 22:31 NLT)
Prayer for Wisdom and Guidance
Lord, police officers’ days are filled with uncertainties and unknowns as they make quick and often life-changing or life-threatening decisions. Help them to be wise and invoke all their training and experience before moving or speaking. When they have the opportunity to investigate a situation before taking action and engaging, give them patience not to rush to judgement or anger. If they discern a quick decision or movement is required, direct them to move swiftly but safely. If they need to wait for back up or ask for help, don’t let them be prideful or rash but consider the best outcome for everyone involved.
For those who have a relationship with You, remind them that You’re always there for them, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking” (James 1:5 NLT).
Guide them with their conscience and their code of conduct. Help them remember the protocol and give them the courage to do the next right thing for the best outcome. When they need to take orders from their chain of command, give them humble but steady hearts and guard their words.
Give them compassion when they determine there is no ill intent but also a keen awareness for deception. Remind them that they may not have all the evidence to make a final decision. Help them to see the good in people, and don’t let their hearts become hardened and calloused by the deceit and dark-side of life they encounter daily. Amen
“I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes.” (Psalm 119:125)
Prayer for Their Families
Father, You’ve graciously given two families to every police officer: their personal family and their professional family. To their personal families, please give strength to endure the demanding schedule of a police officer. Provide understanding and flexibility for the times when their officer isn’t available for special occasions.
Instill the family with compassion when he or she doesn’t want to talk about their work and give the family intuition to know when their officer needs the space to decompress when returning home. May the family never minimize the significance of a police officer’s work. Let home be a place of solace when he or she returns safely but perhaps scarred by what they’ve seen and experienced.
Lord, it takes a special kind of love and patience to live with police officers. Remind the family members to pray for their officer daily and to let him or her know they’re prayed over, appreciated, and loved. Help family members to be alert and responsive when their officer is showing signs of stress, overwork, and trauma and encourage them to seek help. Likewise, Father surround the family with those who will notice the tenuous relationships that can develop within the family members.
Father, these precious and brave families make sacrifices few understand. Fill their homes with love, peace, joy, grace, and closeness because they support a police officer even at their own sacrifice.
Lord, every officer also has a close work family bond. They’re a team who have each other’s back and depend on one another for support, encouragement, skill, and camaraderie in facing the challenges of the job. Lord, bring unity and synergy to these men and women as they guard each other’s lives while working together to keep the streets of their communities safe and free of crime.
“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” (Romans 12:10)
Prayer for Mourners of Those Lost in the Line of Duty
Father, there are no more heart wrenching screams than, “Officer down.” Except perhaps the torment of a family opening the door to see two fellow officers of their officer standing with grim faces and tears welling in their eyes as the family falls to its knees with guttural shrieks, “No God, please no!” Or maybe You hear them wailing, “Why God, how could You do this when they were only trying to protect our community?” “Lord, where were You when they were dying?”
Lord, how does anyone comfort this family? Like Jeremiah they wail, “My grief is beyond healing; my heart is broken” (Jeremiah 18:18 NLT). There are no human answers to satisfy or soothe their agonizing wounds of grief, anger, and sorrow. Only You can Lord. Psalm 147:3 assures, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 34:18 NLT confirms, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”
We beg of You to surround them with love. Bring others to their side who’ve experienced their pain and understand the deep ache in their heart to pray with and for them. Keep away those who patronizingly tell them everything will be all right, because for this family, it will never be all right again.
Father, You know the fellow officers who mourn with the family, especially those who were with the fallen officer. Remove the repeated nightmares of asking themselves what they could’ve done differently or why wasn’t it them in the coffin. Lord, You know that the death of their fellow officer will always haunt them and the memory will never fade. Father guide them to the help they need to recover from what they’ve seen and don’t let it cause division among the unit or place any in danger with fear and hesitancy. Guide them in keeping their focus on work when they’re on duty and help guard their minds from the “what-ifs” when they try to sleep at night. Help them rest and renew their resolve to do their job to the best of their ability.
Father, we know You mourn with these families. Give them whatever they need. Walk beside them Father. If they know You as their Lord and Savior, draw them into Your embrace and fill them with a peace that passes all understanding. For those who don’t know You, open their eyes to seek You, the only source of relief from their anguish. Let them feel Your presence grieving with them. Your tears. Your hugs. Your love. Amen
Note: I want to thank all of you who prayed for my husband and me while Dave went through another major spine surgery six weeks ago. I’ve been busy caretaking for him so you may have noticed there were no Monday Morning Blogs. Hopefully, I can get back to writing, but I will be discontinuing my About His Work Ministries Newsletter that appeared on the last Monday of the month.
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