Informed Consent

Then He said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me (Lk. 9:23).

A few weeks back, I received one of those email messages from a medical advocacy website talking about a class action lawsuit being levied against the drug company that manufactures a drug called Levaquin. There is now evidence that the drug can cause tendon ruptures. This is the drug that my Dad was given that we now believe caused the final downturn that led to his death. His doctor never mentioned anything about possible side effects; as far as we knew, it was one of those wide-ranging antibiotics administered to treat developing pneumonia.

I had my own experience with a new prescription drug a couple of years ago. I had been prescribed one of those PPIs to treat acid reflux, but within a week I had to stop taking it because every joint in my body was screaming in pain and I couldn’t function. I went on the Internet and did a Google search on the side effects of that drug and sure enough, it was listed. As happened with my Dad, the doctor never said a word about possible side effects.

As a result, I’m now very wary about prescription medications. I was recently prescribed a new medication to control my asthma and you can bet I went over the accompanying insert with a fine tooth comb. I know exactly the possible side effects to look out for (so far, so good – thank God!). I’ve learned that “informed consent,” when it comes to medical matters, is not about one’s doctor providing details; it’s about doing the research on our own and informing ourselves.

Fortunately, our Savior doesn’t treat us that way. He didn’t mince words when He told us the cost of discipleship, and our consent to His call to be His followers is an informed one. Jesus said: Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you (Jn. 15:20). Nothing vague in that! But He doesn’t leave us to walk alone; He has given us the Holy Spirit and one another to support us in our journey back to our heavenly home.

In these days, we have to take an even firmer hold on that promise. The latest rumblings out of Washington tell us that it will become increasingly harder to openly live our Christian faith. Even some faith communities are falling by the wayside, openly supporting behavior that the Bible clearly condemns. It won’t be long before upholding the teachings of Scripture will be viewed as a hate crime. Yet, Jesus said that if we deny Him, He will deny us when the day of judgment comes.

So let us stand firm with our Lord and in solidarity with one another. Let us hold fast to His promises and run the race together. In that vein, I’d like to ask all of you to please pray for me as I join hundreds of other Christians in the fall 40 Days for Life campaign that begins on the 23rd. You can read about the program here: http://40daysforlife.com/about.cfm. It’s a small way to help protect the most vulnerable members of our society, but just like the loaves and fishes, even the smallest acts done in faith can be multiplied in the abundance of God’s grace.

Prayer Request: For the most vulnerable in society, especially the unborn and the disabled.

Prayer: O Lord our God, throughout all time, You have raised up a faithful remnant of followers to answer your call to serve the least of our brethren. Help us to go forth courageously, in the power of Your Spirit, unabashed and unafraid of the forces that conspire against us, for we know that in You is the ultimate victory. Lead us and guide us in these dark days, that we might make known the truth of Your Word, and be the voices in the desert preparing Your way. We make this prayer in the mighty Name of Jesus, our Savior and Lord. Amen.