A couple of months ago I was on duty and unusually for me I found myself really tired and yawning around 3 am, so I was quite pleased when the streets seemed to be quietening down around 3.40 am.

At 10 to 4 we decided to point ourselves in the direction of base. However, as we walked, we were stopped by the Naval Provost who told us they were trying to help a guy who was in a bad way and could we help?

I have to confess my first thought was not “Oh good, how can we help this poor man?”; rather I was more concerned with the disruption to my finishing on time at 4 and getting home.

I was glad to see he opened up to the ladies in our team – the poor guy had quite a story. Between ourselves, the Naval Provost, a very helpful doorman and an ambulance crew, we managed to get him safe and we were back to base about 4.35 am.

As we were putting the equipment away, I found myself remembering that as the bible says, ”If I do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” and asking the Lord to forgive me for my lack of compassion for this poor man and to help me to never go on duty just because it’s my turn, but always out of His love for people.

My prayer was soon answered – as we came out and locked up, there was a girl sat on the kerb. She was drunk, alone and vulnerable and had been sick over herself so we went to help. By the time we’d seen her sobered up and safely into a taxi it was gone 20 past 5, but now the time didn’t seem to matter; I was genuinely grateful that she was safe. God had answered my prayer as it says in Ezekiel 36:26 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh”

My prayer: Dear Lord, please help me to always go on patrol with your heart for the people you love so much and wanting only to be motivated by your love; to be your ears, heart and hands on the street.