Here am I, Send Me…
In the doctrine and canonized scripture of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there is a belief and understanding that
before this Earth was created a Great Council was held. This Council was led by God, our Heavenly
Father. The goal of the Council was to
present to us, His spirit children, a plan that would allow us to progress and
to become more like Him. This plan
involved us leaving His presence, to pass through a veil of forgetfulness and
to have our spirits enter mortal bodies.
With these mortal, physical bodies, and with no clear memory of our
pre-existence, each of us would be tested and tried to see if we would be
faithful to return to our Heavenly Father and receive eternal life with Him.
Key to this plan was the fact that all of us would fall
short of what was required to return to dwell with our Heavenly Father. All of us would make mistakes and sin. All of us would struggle with the appetites
and weaknesses of a physical body. In
order for us to be cleansed, a Savior was required. This Savior also would be required to receive
a body, to face and experience all of the temptations, sufferings, and sorrows
common to humanity…and to be perfect, to be clean. This Atoning sacrifice would bring pain that
we cannot comprehend.
The great Father of us all asked: “Whom shall I send?”
One of His Sons, who sought to glorify his Father and save and
exalt the others, said: “Here am I, send me.”
The Father accepted the offering. Jesus Christ came to Earth to save mankind. In the Garden of Gethsemane, prior to His
death, the pains and sorrows of humanity began to settle upon Him. Twice He asked the Father if the “cup might
not pass away from me.” Both times He accepted
the Father’s will and drank the bitter cup.
For the past week, as I thought of Larry Burns, I can’t help
but think of how he emulates our Savior Jesus Christ. Larry made the choice to be a law enforcement
officer, to serve and protect the people of his community. During that time Larry chose some of the most
dangerous assignments by serving in and commanding the SWAT team. Each day that he, and every other law
enforcement officers, put on his or her uniform, they are offering up their
lives on behalf of others.
In the New Testament, Gospel of Matthew chapter 10 verse 39, we read:
“He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth
his life for my sake shall find it.”
Each day, Larry willingly offered up his life, and because
of that he found it in a life of service and influence. His wife and children made the same sacrifice
throughout his career. Each day they
walked out the door not knowing when or if he would come back home.
We also read in the New Testament, Gospel of John chapter 15 verse 13:
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his
life for his friends.”
With each action and door entry as a member of SWAT, with
each traffic stop, with each welfare check, or community engagement, Larry laid
his life upon the altar for his friends, those he knew and those he didn’t. Just because the Lord didn’t take the offered
sacrifice, doesn’t diminish the value or sincerity of the offering. Larry loved his friends. His friends were his community. His friends were everyone.
With retirement, Larry didn’t pick up his offering and walk
away. His time, his talents, his
resources, and his life remained upon the altar available to any who were in need.
Last week, God leaned over and picked up his sacrifice, taking Larry
home to him.
For some reason, a few decades ago, Larry stood when he
heard the call and said, “Here am I, send me.”
Then he said the same thing every day for the rest of his life.
Godspeed, Larry Burns.
God bless his family and loved ones.
