READ: MARK 8: 1-11
“I feel sorry for these people. They have been here three days, and they have nothing to eat. And if I send them home without feeding them, they will faint along the road. For some of them have come a long distance.” (V. 2)
Each year like clockwork, retired officers gather for our yearly reunion. This is due to the initial efforts of a former Sergeant who directed the Office of Media Affairs. Handshakes, smiles, embraces and strained efforts to read name-tags of former brothers and sisters are characteristic of the evening as we gather to share a meal and fellowship. The event has become a tradition for those whose fabric of life was woven into a law enforcement career.
Star Wars, a highly popular movie, gave rise to the phrase, “May the Force be with You.” Gathering for the reunion it is evident “The Force” has remained active in all of our lives. We share our joys, sorrows, and rekindle memories that are now part of the departments living history. Elation when joys and accomplishments are shared; compassion and heartfelt sympathy when sorrows are shared; and exuberant passion in story telling fills the room. Yes, we are still united, one police family assembling to celebrate the past during one wonderful night each year as we proudly state— “WE WERE COPS!”
Observing the interactions taking place, it dawned on me that the true force responsible for this night, and everything we had accomplished individually and collectively, was God. Many of us realized that Jesus was our active-duty partner at each stage of our careers. Yet it was a rarely stated fact in an environment that required the projection of mental toughness and cool self-determination. Now that we have grown older and wiser, and witnessed the fragility of life unfold before our eyes, it has become easier to acknowledge the role Christ. We realize that our gatherings to revive our law enforcement spirits and fellowship are the direct result of His love, mercy and grace.
Reding today’s passage from Mark, I could not help but wonder if any of the 4,000, fed by Jesus, ever had a reunion by the Sea of Gailee. They would have much to celebrate after spending three days in the presence of the greatest “living force” of all—Jesus Christ. Their lives were changed as Jesus reached out and touched their inner spirits through his teachings filled with compassion, mercy and grace. Returning to the place they first came to know and accept Jesus, what a super reunion it would have made in a seaside setting. Oh, Lord, could it be that we need a daily, not a yearly, reunion with you in our lives?
PAUSE FOR REFLECTION AND RAYER
What is the date of your next reunion with Christ?
Dear Jesus, give me the desire to reunite my heart with yours this very day.