Standing together to pray for law enforcement

Nationally, police officers are being prayed for and honored this week for making the ultimate sacrifice. Joining in that celebration, Houston County has hosted several events throughout the week in support of local law enforcement, including the third annual Pray for Police event that was held Thursday afternoon at the Warner Robins Law Enforcement Center.

A crowd of community and church leaders gathered in front of the building as Johnny Ellison, senior pastor at Green Acres Baptist Church in Warner Robins, welcomed everyone to the event. Green Acres Baptist Associate Pastor Micah Emery then kicked off the event by singing the national anthem.

Ellison quoted Ecclesiastes 4:12, stating, “When an individual stands up, he’s not very strong. Two people are stronger, but a cord of three strands cannot be easily broken.”

“The point of that is not that only three should stand together, but that the more who are together in an individual situation, they are standing together, the stronger they are,” he said.

He said he’s convinced that with law enforcement, the strength is in the officers and leadership and the work they do every day.

“The strongest law enforcement is when the law enforcement leaders, policemen on the road, communities and neighbors are all working together. Then they become a very, very strong protective force in a community,” Ellison said. “I believe that about law enforcement and I believe that about prayer.”

He said one or two people each day praying is good, but thousands of people daily praying is fantastic.

Ellison added, “I believe this crowd represents what I hope to be a community collectively being involved in praying for its law enforcement, not only the police but our sheriff’s department and all other first responders as well. But we’re here today to take a few moments for our policemen.”

Warner Robins Police Chief Brett Evans and Assistant Chief John Wagner stood in front as representatives of the police force as church pastors and leaders gathered around them to pray, which was led by Warner Robins Mayor Randy Toms.

“These law enforcement people need to know that we’re with them all the time in our prayers, in our encouragement and in the way that we hold them up, lift them up and represent them every day,” Toms said.

He prayed, “Father, I thank you for this community…I thank you for our law enforcement and I pray that we will never take them for granted, but we will always lift them up for the strength, for the courage and the wisdom to do the job that they do every day, putting their lives on the line for us.”

Two other church representatives from local churches First Baptist and Abundant Grace also spoke about having appreciation for law enforcement, community unity and the power of prayer. Those attending were challenged to step up and step into what they’re supposed to be doing.

In closing, each person was given a list of officers’ names from the Warner Robins Police Department to pray for, as well as for their families.

HHJ News