“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we
might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds
you have been healed”.
I Peter 2:24

When my doctor told me earlier this year that I had Prostate Cancer, I knew I was in the battle of my life. Prostate Cancer is the 2nd leading cause of Cancer deaths in African American men and we have the highest rate of Prostate Cancer in America and the world. My doctor and my brother suggested that one of my prescriptions, in addition to the medicine, would be going to The Word for scriptures of healing, both physical and spiritual. These scriptures should be taken daily, they said, just like my other medicine and vitamins, with a generous dosage of prayer. I knew I would need great faith and much prayer to bring me through this life-threatening encounter.

“She said to herself, “If I only could touch the hem of his cloak, I will be healed. Jesus turned and saw her. ‘ Take heart, my daughter’, he said, ‘ your faith has healed you’. And the woman was healed from that moment on”.
Matthew 9: 21-22

“When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” Yes, Lord, they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you”, and their sight was restored”.
Matthew 9:28-29

“I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there, and it will move. Nothing is impossible to you”.
Matthew 17:20

These are my healing scriptures and they are working physically and spiritually. “God done done what he said we would do”. This battle for my life has sharpened and focused my faith, deepened my convictions, enhanced my trust, broadened my belief in His Word. It has solidified my relationship to My God. Clarified who He is and who I am. “ I am that I am”, he told Moses. Jesus, in John 8:12 says: “I am the Light of the World, whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of light”.
He is the potter; I am the clay. I am a work in progress. He’s continually molding and shaping me, and He’s not through with me yet.

“God created us so we would seek him, perhaps even reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each of us”.
Acts 17:27
So each morning, I reach out to Him and say:

“Lord, I am your work in progress, give me the indomitable courage of David that I might slay the Goliaths in my life: sin, disbelief, disease, distress, depression, anything that separates me from you.”

“Lord, invest me with the obedience of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, though thrown in a fiery furnace, obeyed your word and defied the orders of the King.”

“Lord, I’m a work in progress, so destroy my doubts and restore in me the trust of Daniel in the Lion’s Den, and deliver me from the sins that imprison me.”

“Lord, give the faith of Joshua and the people of Jericho, who heeded direction and walked seven days, and on the last day seven times around the walls of Jericho, and walls came tumbling down. Lord give me that faith so that the walls of sin that separates me from you will come tumbling down, so that I will die to sin and live for righteousness.

Finally, Lord, I’m a work in progress so fill me with the boldness of your disciples on this Christmas eve morning. Give me the heart of a missionary to “GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN, OVER THE HILLS AND EVERYWHERE, THE GOOD NEWS THAT CHRIST, THE SAVIOR IS BORN, not only that, but he took upon himself the sins of the world, died on the cross, and on the third day rose in triumph over death. He did this so that we might have eternal life and spend eternity with Him.

Let us pray:

O Heavenly Father we thank you for your love that surpassing all understanding. This is love: not that we loved you, but that you loved us and sent your son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Let His love, His sacrifice, spur us, your disciples, on to action:
Disciples, let us proclaim:
“Today is ours; Let’s live it.
And love is strong; Let’s give it.
A song can help; Let’s sing it.
And peace is dear; Let’s bring it.

The past is gone; don’t rue it.
Our work is here; Let’s do it.
The world is wrong; Let’s right it.
The battle is hard; Let’s fight it.
The road is rough; Let’s clear it.
The future vast; Don’t fear it.
Is faith asleep? Let’s wake it.
Today is ours; Let’s take it.”*

And now as we take this bread that is Your body and this fruit of the vine that is the blood You shed for us, let’s remember that you, Lord, bore our sins in Your body on that tree that we might DIE to sins and LIVE for righteousness, for by Your wounds we have been healed. For this we thank You, in Your precious name, Amen, Amen.

* From a poem that the actress Beah Richards spoke to actress Ruby Dee (wife of the late actor Ossie Davis). Ruby Dee recited this poem at the July 4, 2005 celebration in Washington, D.C. televised on PBS.

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