god's medicine

Words are building blocks but can also be weapons. Words can build and tear down. The pen is mightier than the sword but spoken words can be mightier than both. The words “I do” start a sacramental union. We even remember the first words gurgled by a baby. In a spiritual sense, the word, “Word,” has many meanings – it is the Word that became flesh (Jesus); it is Scripture; it is the power of God through which all things were made. “In the beginning God said, ‘Let there be light.’” All creation was spoken into being. Words are mas importante.
What we read matters.
What we say matters.
What we pray, matters, a lot.
Words of prayer + Word of the Lord + Faith = mountains moved.
As your spiritual doctor, this past Sunday I gave out a prescription that detailed God’s Word for health and wholeness – fourteen prayers that can be said in less than five minutes. The prescription is to be spoken by mouth, three times a day until faith comes, then once a day to maintain faith. There are no harmful side effects but it is habit forming. After the sermon, some said the prescription is free of charge, like God’s grace, but there is a co-pay. The patient has to “pay” attention to praying.
The first prayer shows the relationship between prayer and the Word of God. It reads,
“Jesus is the Lord of my life. Sickness and disease have no power over me.
I am forgiven and free from sin and guilt. I am dead to sin and alive in righteousness.”
It is a prayerful response based upon what Paul wrote to the Colossians,
“You used to be far from God. Your thoughts made you his enemies, and you did evil things. But his Son became a human and died. So God made peace with you, and now he lets you stand in his presence as people who are holy and faultless and innocent.” (1:21-22) 
The Word of God declares we are “holy, faultless and innocent” and the prayer responds that we are “forgiven and free.” Scripture says because of Jesus we are dead to sin. The prayer says because of Jesus we are alive in righteousness.
Western scientific thinking in the 21st century has turned the Bible into a specimen to be studied. If you want to understand it, study it more. God’s Word as medicine helps us see the relationship between the Word, our bodies, and our faith. Because Scripture says we are free from guilt, our prayer is to remind our body and mind that we are forgiven and free. There is a place for the study of Scripture, but when it comes to health, a daily read-reflect-pray model is paramount.
Another one of the prayers is this,
“As God was with Moses, so is God with me. My eyes are not dim; neither are my natural forces abated. Blessed are my eyes for the see and my ears for they hear.”
It is based on Deuteronomy 34:7, “Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired and his vigor had not abated.” As a reaction to this passage we pray that “As God was with Moses, so is God with me…”
This is the power of the Word through which all things were created. Taken like medicine, daily and repeated, it has the power to move mountains. Words matter. They can build, give life and create sacramental relationships. And, bear in mind, praying the Word is habit forming.

-Fr. Dave

The prescription for God's medicine can be found here:
gods_medicine.pdf