Last Sunday at Bear Creek Church, we belatedly recognized the many veterans of the armed forces of the United States in our congregation.  Little did I know that as we did so, authorities a few hours north of us were just beginning to sort out the details of the massacre of four police officers in Parkland, Washington.

Nine children were left without a parent after a madman - who thankfully was finally found and killed by a Seattle police officer early yesterday - allegedly walked into a restaurant and shot Sgt. Mark Renninger, 39, and Officers Tina Griswold, 40, Ronald Owens, 37, and Greg Richards, 42, of the Lakewood, Washington Police Department.   Just as I expect the Lord to deal justly with the gunman, I pray earnestly that these officers had trusted their lives to Christ and are today with him -with joy- because they took the words of Romans 10:9-13 to heart:

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

I have been sick about this tragedy since hearing the news Sunday afternoon.  Just as I have a very high regard for the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, I was raised with a built-in respect for law enforcement officers. Over the years, this respect has grown as my love for the Lord has heightened my appreciation for the Jesus-like self-sacrifice of those first responders on whom we depend to hold that thin line between peace and order, and chaos and anarchy. 

There are many important people doing many important things out there, but when someone is threatening your life or property you don’t call a rocket scientist or CPA.  Your children’s lives are touched by many valuable people, as well, but the first phone number you teach them is 911.  While everyone else shies away from trouble, our police officers and sheriff’s deputies come racing to it, with little regard for their own safety or welfare.  Often, they may be called on to single-handedly face situations that require a judge, martial-arts expert, family therapist or marksman. Whatever they earn, it can’t be enough, given the trouble they are routinely called to face and the risk they assume simply for wearing a badge – as the Washington shooting has reminded us, painfully.

I write humbly, and not as one who arrogantly thinks peace officers protect “me” from “them.”   I know that I too, am a lawbreaker.  Whether exceeding the speed limit, or looking at someone with disdain, I often run afoul of the Oregon Revised Statutes, or the precious law of the Lord. So I know I am a sinner and lawbreaker, and am thankful for the restraint imposed upon me by law enforcement.  Likewise, I am even more thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the good news that the perfect law-keeping righteousness that an absolutely holy God demands he also supplies to the one who trusts in Jesus (as Paul wrote in Romans, above).

I said Sunday that we Christians, of all people, must take Romans 13:1-7 seriously by submitting to and revering authority:

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.  So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.  For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you.  The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong.  So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.

One way to “keep a clear conscience” is to appreciate the service of our veterans, and another important way to do that is to be grateful for the law enforcement and probation and parole officers who work together to keep our community safe. They walk a tightrope of regulations bounded by the law and our constitutional freedoms, on the one hand, and the evil of those who constantly skirt the former and flaunt the latter.  These public servants in law enforcement have a very difficult, often thankless job.

But not today.  The tragedy near Tacoma reminds me to stop and thank the men and women of Bear Creek Church who serve with our outstanding Medford Police Department and with Jackson County Community Justice.  We are deeply grateful for your service in working to protect our families.

Lord, thank you for the selflessness of those public servants at Bear Creek Church whose high calling it is to hold the line against evil in our community.  Protect their bodies from harm, and their hearts from discouragement, fear, and cynicism.  We pray for the families, co-workers and friends of those Officers slain near Tacoma - especially those nine children - trusting that you will bring good from what appears now to be only evil.  We commend their souls to your justice, love, mercy and grace, according to your sovereign purposes in election to salvation. We pray further that you will deal justly with the gunman, and pray your mercy on his family. We pray that your servants of that area will work to bring harmony to the city among people of all races, according to the life-changing power of your Holy Spirit, who alone can turn the hearts of men from self to your son Jesus.  Amen.

-Pastor Dale Meador, Bear Creek Church

Find the City of Lakewood Police Department’s website, along with tributes to the slain officers, at http://www.cityoflakewood.us/.