Pray For Our Police
Much ink and paper and much airtime both radio and TV has already been devoted to the hostage crisis last Monday, August 23, 2010. So, instead of giving unsolicited advice or even attacking the Philippine National Police or the PNP (though I have of course expressed my angst over my Facebook posts), I want now to look at this issue from another angle and from a vantage point.
Our PNP is getting a lot of flak lately. They are already under fire for the torture video that was shown over national TV. That video of a police officer torturing a suspect inside a precinct was so sickening that I could not even bear to post its link on Facebook. Knowing that I have a lot of international friends in my social network, I really restrained myself so as not to put our country (not only the police) in bad light. However, the hostage tragedy was broadcast all over the world literally through international news organizations such as CNN and BBC. The images of the failed assault were played over and over again. Sadly, we are back on the map again.
I was actually praying that Miss Philippines Venus Raj would win as Miss Universe last Tuesday, August 24, 2010, so that it could somehow water down the dismal press we are getting nowadays and give us a breath of fresh air for a change. But she landed fourth runner-up instead (which is, by the way, an honor for us). Yet, of course, the carnage was and still is the focus of the daily news.
Thus, I believe this is the time that we need to pray even more for our police. The fact remains that “they are God’s servants working for your own good. But if you do evil, then be afraid of them, because their power to punish is real. They are God’s servants and carry out God’s punishment on those who do evil.” (Romans 13:4, GNB) No matter how corrupt or incompetent some of the police may be, they are still God’s servants no matter what. They are ultimately accountable to Him. Our part is to recognize that truth. One way of affirming it is to pray for them. We are commanded in 1 Timothy 2:1-5, “First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, requests, and thanksgivings be offered to God for all people; for kings and all others who are in authority, that we may live a quiet and peaceful life with all reverence toward God and with proper conduct.” It is easy to point a finger at the police. But, though at times difficult, it is more Christian to pray for them.
Brethren, our PNP need our prayers more than ever.
Our PNP is getting a lot of flak lately. They are already under fire for the torture video that was shown over national TV. That video of a police officer torturing a suspect inside a precinct was so sickening that I could not even bear to post its link on Facebook. Knowing that I have a lot of international friends in my social network, I really restrained myself so as not to put our country (not only the police) in bad light. However, the hostage tragedy was broadcast all over the world literally through international news organizations such as CNN and BBC. The images of the failed assault were played over and over again. Sadly, we are back on the map again.
I was actually praying that Miss Philippines Venus Raj would win as Miss Universe last Tuesday, August 24, 2010, so that it could somehow water down the dismal press we are getting nowadays and give us a breath of fresh air for a change. But she landed fourth runner-up instead (which is, by the way, an honor for us). Yet, of course, the carnage was and still is the focus of the daily news.
Thus, I believe this is the time that we need to pray even more for our police. The fact remains that “they are God’s servants working for your own good. But if you do evil, then be afraid of them, because their power to punish is real. They are God’s servants and carry out God’s punishment on those who do evil.” (Romans 13:4, GNB) No matter how corrupt or incompetent some of the police may be, they are still God’s servants no matter what. They are ultimately accountable to Him. Our part is to recognize that truth. One way of affirming it is to pray for them. We are commanded in 1 Timothy 2:1-5, “First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, requests, and thanksgivings be offered to God for all people; for kings and all others who are in authority, that we may live a quiet and peaceful life with all reverence toward God and with proper conduct.” It is easy to point a finger at the police. But, though at times difficult, it is more Christian to pray for them.
Brethren, our PNP need our prayers more than ever.
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