I learned a new word today, iatrogenic. Iatrogenic is a disease or illness that originates in the process of being healed. Iatrogenic disease prevention is a huge concern for doctors, hospitals and rehab clinics all over the world because the body is particularly vulnerable to outside diseases when engaged in the process of being healed. The health care profession has established rules, procedures and even internal advertising campaigns for care givers which attempt to eliminate iatrogenic diseases.
This new work got me to thinking...about the iatrogenic diseases in the church. As we walk on the pathway following Jesus as healed persons, our soul can pick up some spiritual diseases. It seems that Jesus is talking about this in Luke 15 with his three parables, but especially in the parable of the prodigal son. Both the younger son and the older son are dealing with fatal iatrogenic diseases. The younger son driven by wanderlust by the disease of thinking that life is better on the outside of faith and the older son driven by a good case of self-righteousness.
I have found a type of cure for this type of iatrogenic malady which we all pick up if we hang out in the church very long. The cure is a simple, it is found in prayer, but a specific prayer know as the Jesus Prayer.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
This prayer originate with the desert fathers and mothers, is a combination of pleas made to Jesus by blind men (Mt 9.27, 20.30, Mark 10.47, Luke 18.38) the Canaanite women (Matthew 15.22) and some lepers (Luke 17.13). It is prayer at is simplest form, intended to allow the prayer to connect with God simply throughout the day.
I have notice that if I do not pray this prayer for a while, as soon as I start praying I offend myself. "Hey I am not that bad, I am saved by grace into a new life, a sinner, why can't I change that last phrase?" That is the point, I do sin, I do pick up iatrogenic diseases (spiritually speaking) and I need to be healed from them, saved from them. As far as I know, Jesus is the only one who as done much of anything to relieve my sin sickness so this simple prayer makes a lot of sense.
I was out running early this morning and with the rhythm of my strides prayed this prayer. I have used this prayer as I walk, sometimes I go sit in our sanctuary for 20 minutes in quiet and pray the Jesus prayer. Often when I am entering a hospital room to visit and pray with a church member, I whisper the Jesus prayer. It is a good prayer and a wonderful anti-biotic for the iatrogenic diseases we pick up from time to time.
How you deal with the iatrogenic maladies your soul picks up along the way?
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