Praying for Malaysia

I was informed half a day before last night's prayer meeting that the person charged to lead prayers could not make it due to an emergency. I thought of assigning it to another elder/deacon but with the hot news of the Malaysian opposition leader's conviction and sentence for 5 years' imprisonment, I wanted to address the church and lead prayers for the nation. I spoke from Matt 23,23 about the three important things of the Law, justice, mercy and faithfulness/faith. The word, justice comes from the Greek, "krisis", judgment could be another translation. In Hebrew, it is "mishpat", true or right judgment based on God's law where judges are told to give justice or judgment without fear or favour and regards to the status of the person but in truth and in the fear of God. That was what we prayed for Malaysia's political leaders and those in authority including judges of the High Court, Court of Appeal and Federal Court. If Anwar Ibrahim did commit the act of which he was charged, then he ought to be punished for breaking the laws of the country in committing sodomy.
Whether justice was served in this case, only God knows and often times in situations such as these, we leave it to God for his verdict, and it will surely come in the day of judgement. Who warns you to flee from the wrath of God? John the Baptist thundered against the religious leaders and experts in the Law. While we wait for God's vindication, we must also remember that mercy is also of the chief things of the Law as James says in his letter that mercy exalts over judgment. Knowing God's heart, it is always better to show mercy than to judge, even though it is only right in terms of justice because if the Lord should count iniquity, who shall stand?