Has the Die Been Cast For You as Yet?

The following statement was e-mailed to me by a man that God used to uplift and encourge me after what seemed like a very difficult week on the job. I came home and opened this e-mail and could sense God's message to me, saying; "good job, well done my good and faithful servant, keep it up". I have printed this out and have placed it where I can read it whenever I start feeling sorry for my self. Thanks to Ron Leonard for sending this e-mail, and to Andrew Cowan for helping me put this into real words that all officers can understand.

Mike Dye
03/02/08

"I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed! I have the Holy Spirit's power! The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made-I'm a disciple of His!

I won't look back,let up,slow down,back away,or be still. My past is redeemed,my present makes sense,and my future is secure. I'm finished with low living,sight walking,smooth knees,colorless dreams,tamed visions,worldly talking,cheap giving,and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence,position,promotions,plaudits,or popularity. I don't have to be right,first,tops,recognized,praised,regarded,or rewarded. I now live by faith,depend on His presence,walk by patience,am uplifted by prayer,and labor with power.

That's what it means to be a disciple of Jesus"!!

(A national pastor who was later martyred in Zimbabwe Africa)

It is always interesting to look at our respective careers both while in the midst or at others who have retired. When we are on the job we too often focus on the rank, the position and the resources under our control. It seems that we also attribute (as do the public) our rank as decidedly marked to our abilities. How many of us and the public have looked at the 50 year old front desk guy as a performer or wonder why they don’t just retire and how did they even get hired? In reality some of the best cops I know are the lifelong Constables who never strove for promotion, never wanted glory and day in/day out performed their duties simply to make a difference.

We all started out this career wanting to make a difference, to change lives or to help someone but somewhere, somehow along the way may have lost sight of the bigger picture. Rank, honours, accolades don’t matter at all in the scope of eternity yet we all at some point strive for it. What matters is that where you are and what you are doing is where He wants you to be and intends to use you.

If you are feeling down, wondering why that promotion passed you by or what is in store for you wonder no more; God has something bigger and better in store as He is in control of it all. Two years ago I wondered why a job which seemed perfect didn’t come through. Now I know the answer: a promotion this fall was named only weeks after the passing of my wife which also meant that I didn’t have to move the kids, had staffing off my back for at least 2 years, didn’t have to move offices and amazingly enough, it was better that “that perfect job” two years ago. Funny how it all works out even when we wonder at the time why He didn’t give it to us then….

I am always amazed how God can speak when we just take time to listen and remember that He is in charge.

God Bless
Andrew Cowan
FCPO Canada, National President