Briefing: Being alone and isolated is never a good thing. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

Dispatch (Assignment): Read Psalm 12.

On the Street: David starts this psalm sounding very much like Elijah when he cried out to the Lord that he was the only one left who honored God. In verse 1 David cries, “Help, LORD, for the Godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.” We see this often in the Bible. Micah also felt like he was all alone. How many Christian peace officers have felt this way? I talk to law enforcement officers all across the country and have found that at some point we have all experienced loneliness in ministry.

This is not how God intended it to be. We were made for community and fellowship. Jesus sent His disciples out two by two. When God gathered the animals in Noah’s ark it was by twos. God said of Adam that it was not good for man to be alone. It is nearly impossible to maintain a ministry alone.

I have been involved in Christian law enforcement ministry for many years. I have seen many Christian peace officer groups fail because of lack of participation. It is very hard to maintain a committed group of law enforcement believers. We work in an atmosphere where people promote, get transferred, change shifts and days off on a regular basis. It is hard to maintain a group when you can’t all get together and meet on the same day or time. When groups get whittled down and there is no support or encouragement, we begin to think like David in this Psalm. We start thinking we are the only one left, we are all alone, and there is no one left who is committed to the ministry.

David is clearly having issues with the people who surround him. Have you been let down by other Christians? People you thought you could count on wind up letting you down. Unfortunately, this is part of the human nature. Although we see this in others we need to be aware that we too can be the person who lets other Christians down. Knowing this, we should reset our priorities, get involved, support and encourage those who lead. We do not want to be the cause of a fellow believer praying a similar prayer to what David prays here.

Having a Christian ministry in your agency in today’s climate is rare. If you are blessed to have people around you who love and minister to law enforcement, get involved. God has called us to meet together sharing life and love with other believers.

Investigational Resources: Micah 7:1-7, 1 Kings 18:22.

Officer Safety Principle: Ministry in law enforcement is hard but God does not call us to what is easy. God calls us to what is worthy.

from Psalms Through the Eyes of a Cop, Volume 1
©by Charles Gilliland. Used by permission.
Click here to check out the entire Through the Eyes of a Cop series!