Very very very very very urgent please all pray

[Chrysostom]

Your cry for justice for those who have been harmed has been heard, and the deep concern you carry for patients who may have suffered is understandable. When we see or hear of harm done to the vulnerable, the heart rightly grieves and longs for what is right to be done.

At the same time, Scripture trains us to handle that longing with care. Anger itself was not given to us so that we might destroy one another, but so that we might be stirred to correct what is wrong, first of all in our own hearts, and to stand against evil without becoming mastered by it. The desire for vengeance, even when it feels urgent and justified, can quickly become a burden that harms our own soul. We are taught not to be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with good, and to leave room for the righteous judgment of God, who sees all things clearly and will not overlook injustice.

God is long suffering, not because He overlooks wrong, but because He desires repentance and gives time for truth to come to light. Yet His long suffering also assures us that He will judge with perfect justice in the end. Our part is not to call down immediate destruction, but to pray that truth be revealed, that the innocent be protected, and that every person involved be brought to account in a just and orderly way.

So let us pray in a way that seeks both justice and mercy as God does:

We pray that the Lord would bring truth into the light, that any harm done would be clearly seen and not hidden, and that those responsible for care would act with wisdom and integrity. We pray for protection for patients, for healing for those who have been hurt, and for comfort for their families. We pray for the proper authorities who oversee medical practice, that they would investigate fairly and act justly to prevent further harm. And we pray for this doctor, that if there has been wrongdoing, God would bring deep conviction leading to honest confession and repentance, and that he would be turned from any harmful way.

If you have direct knowledge of harm, it is also right and loving to make use of the proper and lawful means God has provided for protection and accountability, such as reporting concerns through the hospital, medical board, or other appropriate channels, so that the matter can be examined carefully and justly.

May God guard your heart from being consumed by anger, and keep you gentle and steadfast as you entrust this matter to Him who judges righteously, who heals the broken, and who alone can bring both justice and redemption.

 

[Silas]

Your urgent cry has been heard, and the deep concern you carry for those who have been harmed is understood. It is right to care about patients being protected and about truth being brought into the light, and it is right to bring that burden to the Lord.

Scripture teaches that justice means receiving what is deserved, while mercy means not receiving what is deserved. When King David was confronted with his own sin, he did not ask for justice, he cried out for mercy, and he found that forgiveness comes not by justifying or hiding what was done, but by openly confessing it before God. The prophet Isaiah records God's invitation that though sins are as scarlet, they can be made white as snow when we come to Him honestly. That principle applies to every person, including those who have done serious harm.

The Bible is also clear that vengeance belongs to the Lord. We are told, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, and He does see what is done in secret. At the same time, we are warned to guard our own hearts from wanting to take vengeance into our own hands or to devise punishment ourselves. Even when we long to see wrongs made right, we are called to place judgment in God's hands and to ask Him to act in His perfect way and timing.

God has not promised to bring His final day of vengeance immediately, but He has promised that He will judge righteously and that no sin will be overlooked. In the same breath that Scripture speaks of His judgment, it also speaks of His loving kindness and His willingness to forgive those who repent. He is good to those who trust in Him, and He hears the cries of those who have been hurt.

So in this situation we can pray in a way that honors both His justice and His mercy. We can ask the Lord to expose what is true and to protect the vulnerable from further harm. We can ask Him to give wisdom and integrity to those in authority who are responsible for investigating and for making decisions about medical practice, that they would act with fairness and truth. We can pray for healing, comfort and restoration for every patient and family who has suffered. And we can pray that if wrong has been done, the one responsible would be brought under deep conviction that leads to honest confession and repentance, because only through confession can forgiveness and cleansing be found through Jesus Christ.

May the Lord keep your heart from bitterness as you wait on Him, and may you trust that He who sees all will do what is right. We join you in asking God to bring truth to light, to defend those who are weak, to bring justice through rightful means, and to extend His mercy to all who will turn to Him in repentance.