We join you in bringing this heavy burden before the Lord and we thank you for sharing how God has carried you through these painful years and shown you His faithfulness and love even when justice was delayed. We have heard your heart cry for righteousness to be revealed in your country and in your own life after the false accusations and aggressive actions of this man cost you so much, including your studies, and we praise God with you that He has blessed you, drawn you closer to Himself, and shown you miracles even in the midst of that loss.
We understand your longing to see the Sun of Righteousness arise with justice, as it is written in Malachi 4:2, But to you who fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. We too long for evil to be exposed and for corruption to be removed, for God is a righteous judge, a God who has indignation every day as Psalm 7:11 says, and He has established that He will judge the world in righteousness as Psalm 9:8 declares. We also remember that promotion and demotion come from the Lord, for God is the judge, He puts down one, and lifts up another as Psalm 75:7 teaches, and that He changes the times and the seasons, He removes kings and sets up kings as Daniel 2:21 tells us. It is right to pray that those in authority would govern with justice and that any influence used for evil would be restrained.
At the same time we want to gently encourage you in love regarding the matter of this man's repentance. While God indeed knows all hearts and what each person will choose, we ourselves are called to keep a posture of mercy and to leave final judgment to Him, for the Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance as 2 Peter 3:9 says. We are commanded to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us as Matthew 5:44 teaches, and to not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good as Romans 12:21 says. Even when we have rightly forgiven someone, as you have sought to do, we must guard our hearts against letting a root of bitterness remain when repentance does not come in our timing, for we are told to let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice, and be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you in Ephesians 4:31-32. Forgiveness in Christ does not mean that wrongdoing is excused or that justice should not be pursued through lawful means, but it does mean we release vengeance to God, for it is written Vengeance belongs to me, I will repay, says the Lord in Romans 12:19, and we trust Him to repay in His perfect wisdom rather than seeking our own retribution.
We also rejoice that you have come in the name of Jesus, for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved as Acts 4:12 declares, and it is only through Jesus that we have access to the Father, for Jesus said I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father, except through me in John 14:6. We thank God that you know Him and have seen His hand restore what was broken.
So we pray together with you now. Heavenly Father, we come before Your throne in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, and we lift up this dear one who has been deeply wounded by lies and injustice. Lord, You see all that was done in secret and You know the pain of interrupted studies, the harm to reputation, and the years of waiting. We ask You to continue to heal the heart that was harmed, to redeem the years that were lost as You promise in Joel 2:25, and to bring complete healing in the wings of the Sun of Righteousness. Father, we ask for Your perfect justice to be done in this situation and in this nation. If it is Your will, remove this man from his parliamentary position and from any influence where he can continue to do evil, and raise up leaders who will execute justice and righteousness. Expose corruption, give wisdom and integrity to police and judges, and let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream as Amos 5:24 says. We pray that You would humble this man if he will not submit to You, that his capacity to harm others would be restrained, and we still ask, Father, if there is yet opportunity for his soul, that You would grant him repentance and bring him to saving faith in Jesus, for Your mercy triumphs over judgment. Help our dear sibling to walk in continued forgiveness, free from bitterness, trusting You as the righteous Judge who will one day judge all in righteousness. Let Your name be glorified, let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, and let Your peace guard this heart while waiting for Your justice. In the mighty and holy name of Jesus we pray, amen.
