Police Devotion 8/19/2015
“And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.” Job 1:14-15
Job was a servant of God. He was also wealthy and had ten children. God had put a hedge of protection around him. One day Satan challenged God. He said that Job only served God because He protected him, but if God let Job’s possessions be harmed, Job would curse God to His face. Satan asked God for permission to trouble Job in this way. God gave it, and the devil went to work. If you look at our opening passage, you’ll see the first thing that happened. A group known as the Sabeans attacked Job’s property. The servants were farming and caring for the livestock, and these Sabeans came without provocation and stole Job’s livestock and murdered his servants in cold blood.
The Bible doesn’t say much about the Sabeans. This passage tells us that they—at least some of them—were a gang of bloodthirsty criminals. Imagine what a horrific scene it was after they left: dead bodies lying contorted all over the ground with gushing wounds and throats cut. Did you ever have to handle a gruesome homicide scene? If you did, you can probably still remember some of the sickening details.
What does this passage tell us? For one thing, it tells us that the devil uses people who are willing to do wrong. This probably wasn’t the first time that these Sabean thugs had done something like this. Why did they choose Job’s property this time? Because Satan enticed them to do it. They probably learned of Job’s property, thought it was a good idea to do what they did, and went ahead with their plan to massacre the servants and steal the livestock. Little did they know that Satan had led them. Whether they knew or even cared, they were acting as his servants, doing his dirty work.
What can you do with this passage? One thing you can do is share it with someone you arrest. The next time you arrest someone, especially for a violent crime and especially if he’s in a gang, you might want to ask him at the booking window, “How does it feel to serve Satan?” Ask in a serious way, not joking. If he looks at you funny, tell him the story of the Sabeans. He may be shocked that a cop knows anything about the Bible, but maybe—just maybe—he’ll listen. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” God’s word is powerful. He uses it to deal with people’s hearts about their wrongdoing like no man can.
Why would you say that to a suspect? You would do it because you’re the police. You’re the good guy, no matter what the media or anyone else says otherwise. You risk your life fighting criminals, and unlike most of them, you care about people, even people who do wrong. You don’t want people’s lives destroyed if you can help avoid it. Your young suspect may go on in his criminal career and end up being shot to death by a home owner, or the police, or even by another thug. People might make a memorial with flowers and teddy bears tied to a pole for him, but that wouldn’t help him, because if he died without Christ as Saviour, he’d spend eternity in hell with the devil that he had chosen to serve. You wouldn’t want that, would you?
By sharing the story of the Sabeans, you’re really showing him love, “tough love”; certainly more love than his thug buddies do. Wouldn’t it be great to learn later that he went straight and even accepted Christ because some cop told him about the Sabeans? God can do amazing things in people’s lives with His word.
Please click “How do I go to Heaven?” on the sidebar to the right to see how to receive Jesus as your personal Saviour and to be sure of going to heaven.
Brian Miller 8/19/2015
Cleveland Baptist Church | 4431 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144 | 216-671-2822