One of the great tragedies in America over the past few years has been the mischaracterization of the entire law enforcement community based on the actions of a few. Every profession has those who do not represent it well. But I am thankful that when we call 911, there is a group of people who come.
Law enforcement officers see the worst of a community…and go on serving. Firefighters and emergency personnel encounter extreme tragedy…and continue to serve. These men and women literally endanger their own lives to protect ours, and they are often left unthanked and mischaracterized. These are difficult days in America to serve as first responders.
For the past thirty years, including this past Sunday, Lancaster Baptist Church has hosted a First Responders Appreciation Day to recognize and thank these first responders in our community. Our local Antelope Valley Press wrote a great article about the day. (You need a subscription to read it, but you can see the first few front-page paragraphs in the photo above.)
It is our honor to host first responders and their families for the day, to thank them as a church, and to recognize some of the outstanding officers in our community.
And it is our greatest honor to introduce these people who serve us to Jesus who laid down His life for our sin. This past Sunday I preached from Matthew 27 about the Roman centurion who oversaw Jesus’ crucifixion and, based on what he witnessed there, trusted Christ as his Saviour.
If you know a first responder, if you see one in your community this week, pause to thank him or her. And ask the Lord for an opportunity to introduce them to Jesus.
