With all of the negativity and malice toward those who bravely serve and protect our families, it is important to support those who wear the badge as local police department and sheriff’s department peace officers. 

Every day, thousands of law enforcement officers across the country leave their homes and families while they faithfully protect the communities they serve.  They say goodbye to their families as they go off to duty not knowing if, when or in what condition they will arrive home after work. Yet every day, these heroes and first responders continue to uphold and defend the oath they took to protect their community.

The American Family Association had designated one Sunday, June 13, 2021, as a Day of Prayer and Appreciation for Law Enforcement personnel. All of us need to join in millions of Americans in showing these law enforcement officers our respect and appreciation as well as offering daily prayers for their safety, health and for all of their families. It is important to select one day a year to honor these heroes but actually every day we need to honor them in our hearts and minds.

There are many ways we can demonstrate our support for the law enforcement in our community. They need encouragement every day. For example, invite the police chief, local sheriff and their law enforcement officers to your church and recognize them during the worship service and pray as a congregation for them; even thank them in person. Write a personal hand-written note of appreciation and encouragement for an individual officer – man or woman. When you see them in public, simply hand them the note and say that you are thankful for their service to your community. There are many creative ideas and resources for planning actions that show appreciation by going to www.afa.net. You can give them gift cards for a meal while on duty. Bring them food items such as desserts or casseroles with a note of thanks. Pray daily – and tell them so – for them in general and in specific if you have a law enforcement person in your neighborhood.

Here is a sample prayer you can pray for them and it can be read in a church service at which they are recognized.

“Heavenly Father,

“We come before you today grieved in heart and soul because our land is divided and lacking unity. We grieve for every life lost due to violence, regardless of color, gender, creed, and loss of life of those who serve our community as law enforcement personnel. Families grieve the loss of life whether it is one of their family members when involved in a police confrontation. We especially grieve over deaths of law enforcement officers whose daily duty assignments  puts them in harm’s way. We ask You to bring comfort and hope, Help from Above, to fellow officers injured or killed in the line of duty.  We know from Romans 13 that they have a sacred task, i.e. to enforce laws that protect the innocent and punish the guilty. We pray that You will protect them as they serve us. Give them Your wisdom, discernment and a sense of Your presence there with them. Surround every officer in our land with hosts of angels ready to protect them from harm of every kind.

“We stand together in the powerful and mighty Name of Jesus against every work of Satan intended to inflict injury ad death on those  our sworn protectors. May his power be thwarted in Your mighty Name and expose his plans of destruction.

“Lord and our heavenly Father, we know that Your Word teaches us that in You there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female but that all distinctions are superficial because of Your sacrificial effort for us on the cross. You abolished Satan’s power and works because of the cross. By Your grace and power lead us into a new day of unity and racial harmony in our community and across our land. May the day come when Your name is lifted high over our nation and the rule of law as you determined it is obeyed by all. Grant us spiritual, political and cultural leaders who will speak truth boldly and courageously as they go about their daily tasks. May they see their need for Your wisdom and Your truth as foundational to success of our lives. Renew us all in spirit, mind and heart so we may once again be known as “One Nation Under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

In the mighty Name of Jesus, Amen.”