“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”  John 15:13

“Protect and Serve” are the words seen on the sides of many police cars, and the motto for many police forces in our nation.  The words define the mission of the police who are to “protect” citizens and “serve” the public.  This week a police officer was gunned down by a man he was sent to protect.  He was a 26 year old husband, and father of two young boys.  Our city mourned his passing.  Hundreds of police officers and firefighters from across our state and neighboring states attended the funeral.  Thousands of people lined the 7 mile route to the cemetery, holding flags and saluting as the hearse passed by.  His final words were, “Tell my family I love them!”  Earlier in the month, he wrote in a letter to be read in the event of his passing, “I have thought a lot about death this month, and being prepared for the end of this journey……”  I only hope he turned to the One who was able and willing to save him.

We had a member of our family who gave the ultimate sacrifice in Baghdad in 2006.  Sgt. First Class James Priestap was killed by sniper fire when he was 39 years old.  He left behind a wife and two children.  Jim was a hero because he gave the greatest sacrifice anyone can give: his life!  He wanted to go to Iraq, into harm’s way, not for personal glory or for personal advancement, but to serve his country.  Jim was motivated by something higher, something rare in the history of the world.  He went to set other men free.  He was a humble man, a servant leader who could never do enough for others.  We remember his smile, his “can do” attitude, his open, loving and courageous manner.  Before he left for Iraq, he told his family something extraordinary, something he knew would give them peace if the worst should happen and he didn’t come home.  He shared with them that while serving in the first Gulf War one of his buddies, a Christian, shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with him.  Jim told them that he had opened his heart to Jesus, that he was “born-again.”  If anything should happen to him, he knew where he was going!  His sister shared how he talked about it often in the days before he left.

In Iraq, Jim emailed his mother and told her he felt safe because he was “covered by the blood of Jesus.”  He knew when his time came, “God would take him home.”  He told them in Iraq, soldiers were praying.  They had each been given Psalm 91 to read.  “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”  Interestingly, both the policeman and Sgt. Jim were killed in the same manner.  Their body armor didn’t cover an area under their arms, and that was where the bullet found its’ mark!

There is another Person who chose to go into harm’s way, a Man who by choice took our place that we might live.  His Name is Jesus!  He could have stayed in heaven.  He didn’t have to come.  He didn’t have to die.  He took our place that we might live and never to separated from Him.  “But God commended his love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:8. 

 It’s been said, “Heroes are made, not born.”  On the day of Jim’s death, this poem was published in the “Streams in the Desert”  devotional.

“Heroes are forged on anvils hot with pain

And splendid courage comes but with the test

Some natures ripen and some natures bloom

Only on blood-wet soil, some souls prove great

Only in moments dark with death or doom

God finds His best soldiers on the mountain of affliction.”

“Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord!”  “Absent from the body, present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8

Your friend, Jean