Duty

This morning, in my capacity as a Force Chaplain, I had the privilege of attending the Annual Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving for Officers and civilian Staff of Strathclyde Police Force, who had died in service during the previous twelve months.  It was, as usual, a time to reflect on all of those who serve within the Police Forces, and other Emergency Services - not only within Strathclyde Region, but throughout the country.  As a general public, we owe much more to dedicated officers, and others, who faithfully do their duty day in and day out, than we sometimes realise.  As I remarked to one Inspector with whom I was chatting afterwards, I sometimes hear of so-called 'rogue' police officers, but I have yet to meet one!

Duty, of course, is a very strong source of motivation - even if the concept appears to have all but disappeared in the culture in which I live.  This past week has seen HM Queen Elizabeth, the British and Commonwealth Head of State, pass an important milestone in becoming the second-longest reigning monarch in recorded history.  One of the things that makes her the recipient of a great measure of respect - even from those of us who are not particularly monarchist in our leanings - is her generally recognised sense of duty.  At her coronation, she made solemn vows, and accepted great responsibility and, while so much around her has changed, and while she must have shed many a tear, in private, as she watched the shenanigans of many in her family, she has steadfastly remained true to her calling - basically from a sense of duty.

In Luke's account of the Gospel record, we find these words concerning the Lord Jesus: "Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, ..." (Luke 9:51; NKJV).  The crucifixion of Jesus, that was especially remembered just a few weeks ago, was not an accident; it was not a victory for evil; it was the result of One Who knew that it was His duty to fulfil the eternal purposes of the Father, and Who advanced to meet the enemy at Calvary.  Of course, we know that Good Friday led to Easter Day or, as Tony Campolo memorably put it "It's Friday - but Sunday's coming!"  What is sometimes forgotten is that, in His Humanity, Jesus suffered the same physical pain and agony as any other victim of crucifixion; that He knew exactly what He was being called upon to experience - hence His anguished cry in the Garden of Gethsemane: "Father, if Thou art willing, remove this cup from Me; nevertheless not My will , but Thine, be done." (Luke 22:42; RSV); that the spiritual suffering that He experienced ("My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me ?" [Matt 27:46]) was over and above the physical torture.

And even that is not the whole story.  Because it was not only duty that took Jesus to the cross; it was love - love for you, and love for me.  That's why I find it difficult to understand the ingratitude of so many.  If a police officer, doing no more than his/her duty, were to die in the act of saving my physical life, I would be more grateful than I could ever express in words.  Jesus died, not just out of a sense of duty, but because of an eternal love, in order that might have spiritual life.  My debt of gratitude to this One - Who is King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who is "... the same yesterday , today, and forever." (Heb 13:8)  - must, surely, be overwhelming.  I trust that yours is, too!