Reliable Medicine

Bringing a spiritual perspective to daily life

One definition of medicine is "the art of preserving and restoring health." Art is a creative activity. And God is generally accepted as the creator of man and the universe.

God is described in the Bible as "of purer eyes than to behold evil" (Habakkuk 1:13). Evil in any form, and that includes all disease, is neither created nor seen as real by God. His entire creation is the manifestation of His nature and character, spiritual and good.

Disease is, literally, that which makes one uncomfortable and not at ease. It is today strongly held that matter (physicality) is more powerful than Spirit (God), and therefore that disease must be treated by material medicine if it is to be healed. But we are God's sons and daughters, created as His spiritual likeness, reflecting His nature. We are therefore always cared for, sustained by, God, through His power and not by matter. His power destroys disease, which He never made, restoring comfort to us.

Christ Jesus demonstrated that this was fact. He proved, through his own faith in and obedience to God, that the power of God is able to heal disease. The Bible never shows Jesus using any healing method other than prayer.

Jesus gave through his teachings, healings, and resurrection all the proof we need to strengthen our own faith in God's healing power. Christian Science, discovered by Mary Baker Eddy in 1866, explains the healing laws of God that enabled Jesus to do what he did. Through a deep desire to help others find healing and salvation, Mrs. Eddy searched for the truth underlying the healing works of Jesus. Her discovery is explained fully in the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, which says, referring to Mind as a synonym for God: "God being All-in-all, He made medicine; but that medicine was Mind. It could not have been matter, which departs from the nature and character of Mind, God. Truth is God's remedy for error of every kind, and Truth destroys only what is untrue. Hence the fact that, to-day, as yesterday, Christ casts out evils and heals the sick (pp. 142-143).

Because God is Spirit He did not make His creation out of matter. Material remedies are not compatible with spiritual healing as Jesus practiced it. This is why in the practice of Christian Science people do not use medication in conjunction with prayer. The following experience I had may illustrate a faith in God as one's medicine and the practical results that follow.

During a short train journey, I was suddenly seized with severe pain in my body. This extreme discomfort must have shown in my face because the man on the seat opposite me offered medical help, saying that he was a paramedic and always carried various medications with him. I thanked him but declined. Then I looked out the window and turned my thoughts in prayer to God for help. I prayed to hear God's voice. I gave my attention to keeping my consciousness clear of negative thoughts-thoughts that were not from God. I refused to accept thoughts of fear, for example, knowing God is not a God of fear, but of love. As well, I rejected doubts that God would free me from this pain.

Soon words from the answer to the question "What is the scientific statement of being?" in Science and Health came to me. Silently but emphatically I affirmed that "Spirit is immortal Truth; matter is mortal error. Spirit is the real and eternal; matter is the unreal and temporal. Spirit is God, and man is His image and likeness. Therefore man is not material; he is spiritual" (p. 468).

Deep gratitude and joy came over me when I realized that I had become oblivious of pain during that time of prayer. And the pain was now gone. I felt fine. I got off at the next stop. The paramedic looked at me in amazement as I left, seeing that I was suddenly free.

That healing was permanent. I've never again had that kind of pain. And I have cherished the healing, which showed me that we can always trust in the divine Mind as our medicine, wherever we are. There is no danger of leaving this medicine behind or of mislaying it. And we can never run out of it! Divine Mind imparts ideas that give us a clear understanding of our spiritual identity.

You've read  of  free articles. Subscribe to continue.
QR Code to Reliable Medicine
Read this article in
https://www.csmonitor.com/1997/0612/061297.home.relarticle.1.html
QR Code to Subscription page
Start your subscription today
https://www.csmonitor.com/subscribe