Week 42—Thursday Psalm 38:3-8
Psalm 38:3-8
A PRESCRIPTION FOR HEALTH: THE NINE BEATITUDES
We are emphasizing the will to be well. Tommy Kano was an asthmatic boy and became the champion weight lifter of the world. Secret? He asks himself the question before he lifts: “Do I want to lift this?” When he says he does, he does lift it!
But the will to health must not be the willing of the will only—it must be the willing of the total person. There are two extremes in regard to finding of health—one to depend on science alone; the other to depend on miracle alone. Both of these bring disappointment. There is a third way: the way that obeys the laws of health on the one hand and depends on the resources of God on the other. These are the alternate beats of the healthy Christian heart.
A psychologist went throughout the world looking for the positive qualities that make for health. He came back and found them in the New Testament. More specifically, Dr. Frank Sladen, of the Ford Hospital, Detroit, found these positive qualities in the Beatitudes. “Sister Mary” reminds us that the Beatitudes are Be-attitudes not do-attitudes. The doing comes out of the being.
We will take these nine beatitudes as the Christian prescription for health. First, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The word for “poor” is anav, literally, a chosen poverty, so chosenly poor, that they are poor enough to receive. It could be translated then: “the receptive in spirit.” This means that you are willing to change, willing to break up old thought patterns, old habits, old ways. And be willing to take new thought patterns, new habits, new ways. This means surrender. And complete surrender. No yes and no—it must be yes to change. You must empty your hands of old ways and be ready to have them filled with new ways—God’s ways.
O Lord Jesus, we come again as little children—open and receptive. Our hearts and our hands are empty and open to receive your health, your healing, your self. We do not do this tomorrow—we do it now. For we want your healing now. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: I will take this first prescription: I will be humble enough to acknowledge my need and receive.