Some years ago a lady went to consult a famous physician about her health. She was a woman of nervous temperament, whose troubles and she really had many—worried and upset her to such an extent that her physical strength and even her mental health suffered. She gave the doctor a list of her symptoms, and answered all his questions, fearing a serious diagnosis. To her astonishment he gave a brief verbal prescription. "Madam, what you need is to read the Bible more."
"But doctor," began the bewildered patient.
"Go home and read your Bible an hour a day," the great man reiterated with kindly authority. "Then come back to me a month from today." And he bowed her out without a possibility of further protest.
At first his patient was inclined to be angry. Then she reflected that at least the prescription was not an expensive one. Besides, it certainly had been a long time since she had read the Bible regularly, she reflected with a pang of conscience. Worldly cares had crowded out her prayer and Bible study for years, and though she would have resented being called an irreligious woman, she had undoubtedly become a most careless Christian. She went home and set herself conscientiously to try the physician's remedy. In one month she went back to his office.
"Well," he said smiling as he looked at her face, "I see you are an obedient patient, and have taken my prescription faithfully. Do you feel the need of any other treatment or medication now?"
"No, doctor; I feel like a different person. But how did you know this was just what I needed?"
For answer, the famous physician turned to his desk. There, worn and marked, lay an open Bible. "Madam," he said with deep earnestness, "if I were to omit my daily reading of this Book, I should lose my greatest source of strength and skill. I never go to an operation without reading my Bible. I never attend a distressing case without finding help in its pages. Your case called not for medicine, but for a source of peace and strength outside yourself. I presented you with my own prescription. I knew it would work."
"Yet I confess, doctor," said the patient, "that I came very near not taking it."
"Very few are willing to try it, I find," said the physician smiling again. "But there are many, many cases in my practice where, if tried, it would work wonders."
This is a true story. The physician has since died, but his prescription lives on. It will do no one any harm to try it, and oh, what blessing lies within those sacred pages!
To another such patient the increased diligent reading of the Holy Scriptures were prescribed. "But," said the 'sick man,' "though I do read the Bible regularly, it is too deep for me. I can't remember nor quote it."
How encouraging to many others was the reply: "Perhaps not; but see this woven basket? Placed in water ever so deep, the basket empties immediately on being lifted out. Yes, the water rushes out, and as it goes it cleanses the basket. Such is the purifying action in the 'washing of water by the Word' " (Eph. 5:2626That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (Ephesians 5:26).)
"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple: the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes: the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is Thy servant warned; and in keeping them there is great reward." Psa. 19:7-117The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 8The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 10More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. (Psalm 19:7‑11).