By Steve Ahearn

Recently I underwent reconstructive surgery on my knee to repair a torn ligament, cartilage, etc. Naturally, during my recovery, I required the use of crutches to help me get around for a cou-ple of weeks. If you've ever had to use crutches, I think you'll agree that you quickly come to rely on them and never want them to he too far out of reach. Without those crutches, it is quite painful to walk and you tend to fall down a lot.

Have you ever heard or used the derogato-ry phrase, “He's just using Jesus as a crutch?" If so, consider what Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." Speaking for myself, I know I've “fallen down" quite often in my lifetime, becoming wary and burdened while trying to take the whole world on my shoulders and making wrong choices (a.k.a. sinning) left and right. How comforting it is to know Jesus is right beside me. Yes, He is my crutch, the One I lean on for my sup-port. He is also the Solid Rock I stand on when the winds blow and the waves are crashing down all around me.

Throughout our lifetime, we struggle to succeed in many arenas. From administrators to dispatchers. From patrol officers to jailers. From investigators to supervisors to civilian personnel, we all strive to excel in our careers. We each perform a sometimes difficult, and often very stressful job. On top of this, we have our hectic private lives. We strive to build a satisfying and successful marriage. We worry about raising our children in today's atmosphere, keeping them safe from all potential dangers. We struggle to keep our heads above water with our finances. These are just a few examples of the adversity we all deal with.

Left to ourselves in our own strength, we may hold our own for awhile. Some of us can maintain this juggling act for a long time, even years, seemingly unaffected by the burdens we carry on our own shoul-ders. But eventually, inevitably, all of us fall! My question then is this. When you fall, who or what do you choose to fall back on?

I believe many who live in today's world would answer “'I don't need anyone but myself to make it. Only the strong survive!" And yet, if you think about it, our world offers many of its own versions of crutches - money, material possessions, alcohol, pornography, psychic hotlines, horoscopes, drugs, and a host of other things people choose to lean on to escape or to ease their burdens. How many of these crutches truly give the lasting rest and peace of mind that we all want? I can honestly say that those kinds of things never filled the void in my life, but Jesus Christ has, and He can do it for you, too.

When the lights go out and you're all alone with your thoughts, are you really happy and at peace with your life? Do you think about your future and/or where you will spend eternity? Are you still stubborn-ly, defiantly struggling to make it on your own? My prayer is that the Lord will soften your heart, open your eyes and ears, and allow you to hear His voice calling you, you whom He loves so much, to come home and permit Him to renew you phys-ically, spiritually, and emotionally. If this is your desire, there is no magical or ritualis-tic thing you need to do. Simply talk to Jesus. Ask Him to come into your life, allowing Him access to everything. Confess to Him whatever crutches you've tried, whatever wrongs or sins you have done while trying it on your own. Believe Him, that He is the Son of the living God who already paid the price for everything you've ever done or will do by dying for you on a wooden cross. Finally, turn from traveling the road you were on and follow Him, learning about Him from His word, the Bible.

I'm no longer on crutches, but I still lean on Jesus, relying on His eternal word. “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall soar on wings, like eagles. They shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

Steve Ahearn is a police officer with the Santa Ana (California) Police Department and is a regular contributor to the Peacemakers' Journal.