Guardian

We are approaching the National Day of Prayer, and one of the seven centers of influence about which ministry leaders will be praying on Faith Radio this Thursday is government. 1st Timothy 2 instructs us to pray for our leaders. Under their authority and under God's authority, we have so many individuals who serve in carrying out the role of government. Romans 13 states:
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.
4 For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake.

We are people under authority - we are ultimately accountable to Almighty God, who has established earthly authorities to whom we submit.  We also have what verse 5 alludes to, that is, our conscience.  The conscience within us, if it has been programmed correctly and is submissive to the Holy Spirit, gives us a sense of right and wrong, and we can train ourselves to pay attention to it.  The conscience keeps us obedient to earthly and heavenly authorities and you could say that it ensures that we obey even when no one's around to check up on us. 

+++++

God is our ultimate defender, and we find that He places human beings in the position to love and serve one another, and He has established earthly authorities to carry out His justice. Psalm 82 states:
2 How long will you judge unjustly, And show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3 Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy.
4 Deliver the poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked.

The nation was intently watching the trial of a Minneapolis police officer who was found guilty in the death of George Floyd.  There have been other police-involved incidents in our land, as well, in which the justification of the use of force has been questioned.

These types of encounters throughout the years have sadly been used to paint a negative picture of those whom God has placed in authority to keep us safe.  We could certainly use some more positive portrayals of these individuals in our communities who put their lives on the line in their occupation.  There are very few lines of work in which the employee may run the risk of not coming home to his or her family. Police work is one of them.  

So here's a story I came across.  It's actually from a few months ago but the principles here ring true. 

Last summer, there was a Philadelphia woman who was walking to her home and was hit by a truck, according to The Epoch Times. The story says:

On July 21, 80-year-old Maryalice McGrath was crossing an intersection in Port Richmond, Philadelphia, when she was hit by an oncoming truck. Maryalice, a lifelong resident of Port Richmond, was on her way home, reports WPVI.

Officer Frank Lynch was driving behind the truck that hit Maryalice and attested that neither the elderly pedestrian nor the truck driver saw the other one coming.

What he did next was remarkable:

Lynch called for an ambulance but quickly determined that Maryalice was not going to survive. He braved the burning asphalt and lay down in the street next to the elderly woman, offering her what company and comfort he could in her final moments.

The selfless police officer was later treated for burns at the local hospital.

McGrath's niece, Molly Quinn, said: “I think he was there for a reason and he was her guardian angel,” adding, “and he went above and beyond the call of duty by just lying in the street next to this poor woman when she needed him.”  

Lynch posted on Facebook: “I’ve been reading everyone’s comments and trying to keep my composure during this ordeal...It was a horrible thing to happen to such a loving sweet woman.” He went on to say, “Many of the comments used to describe me was the word hero...I was nothing but a compassionate human being who stayed with Maryalice in her remaining time on this Earth … I’d like to take this time and thank ALL of the officers that helped that day … I couldn’t have done what I did without all of their help.”  He also asked for people to keep the driver of the truck in their prayers.

Lynch doesn't want to be known as a hero, and, realistically, he's not an "angel," either.  But, the term, "guardian angel," in our cultural vernacular has come to be a complimentary expression.  We do know that God has provided angels for us, supernatural beings, who are called in Scripture, "ministering spirits," who are assigned for purposes of protection and even direction.  We can be encouraged that these beings are sent by God to engage in spiritual warfare on our behalf.

And, we do have human protectors, who are in essence doing the work of God, as outlined in Romans chapter 13.  An overwhelming amount do their job seriously; we know that some have erred, and unfortunately in the real world of split-second decision-making, mistakes are bound to happen. 

We also recognize that even though it appeared the 80-year-old woman in this story who had been hit by a truck would not make it, the officer did not leave her side - he comforted her.  Thank God for those who walk with those who are living in their final days, and those that come along side of them and their families!