Briefing: Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line. It is part of their commitment to serve and protect their communities.

Dispatch (Assignment): Take some time to visit the Officer Down Memorial Page or the ODMP app. It is a site dedicated to the officers who are killed in the line of duty here in the United States.

On the Street: Getting killed in the line of duty is not something we like to think about but we know it is a reality. I get alerts on my phone every time a law enforcement officer is killed in the U.S. I do this for a couple of reasons. It keeps me alert to the dangers of the job and it allows me to join with communities and law enforcement officers all over the country in prayer for the families of fallen officers.

I have been asked, as many of you have, “would you really take a bullet for someone else?” The answer for me, and probably every law enforcement officer, is: Every time I put on the uniform, the badge and strap on a gun, it screams YES! Do I want to take a bullet? NO, my goal and desire is to come home safe at the end of my shift and I pray that God protects me and every officer.

Jesus stepped in front of that bullet for us. He pushed us out of the way of the car that just ran through our accident scene and was about to plow into us. He died for you and me. Verse six says, “at just the right time”. Jesus is our partner at work who has our back. It was personal; He died specifically for you.

Before we gave our life to Christ, we were covered in our own sin. We marched under the banner of sin, we were part of Satan’s camp. Sin is the enemy of God and although you may have never declared war on God, you were His enemy. Fortunately for us, Jesus wanted to bring us back into relationship with God but the only way to accomplish this was for Him to die for us, washing us clean of sin and covering us with His blood. Wearing Jesus’ blood is the armor that God recognizes as His. He will no longer see our sin but sees us as His children. All this was accomplished because Jesus took the bullet for us.

Yes, Jesus took the bullet and died for us but, He rose from the grave after three days. This resurrection was the act that defeated sin and death.

Investigational Resources: John 15:12-17.

Officer Safety Principle: Jesus has your back. He will watch over you. Trust Him.

from The Book of Romans Through the Eyes of a Cop
©by Charles Gilliland. Used by permission.
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