Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Larry Burns: Here Am I, Send Me




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.


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