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The Ministry of Healing
practitioner. Talented Christian physicians, having superior profes-
sional ability, should be sought out and encouraged to engage in the
service of God in places where they can educate and train others to
become medical missionaries.
The Physician should gather to his soul the light of the word
of God. He should make continual growth in grace. With him,
religion is not to be merely one influence among others. It is to
be an influence dominating all others. He is to act from high, holy
motives—motives that are powerful because they proceed from the
One who gave His life to furnish us with power to overcome evil.
If the physician faithfully and diligently strives to make himself
efficient in his profession, if he consecrates himself to the service of
Christ, and takes time to search his own heart, he will understand
how to grasp the mysteries of his sacred calling. He may so discipline
and educate himself that all within the sphere of his influence will
see the excellence of the education and wisdom gained by the one
who is connected with the God of wisdom and power.
In no place is a closer fellowship with Christ needed than in the
work of the physician. He who would rightly perform the physician’s
duties must daily and hourly live a Christian life. The life of the
patient is in the hands of the physician. One careless diagnosis, one
wrong prescription, in a critical case, or one unskillful movement of
the hand in an operation, even by so much as a hair’s breadth, and
a life may be sacrificed, a soul launched into eternity. How solemn
the thought! How important that the physician shall be ever under
the control of the divine Physician!
The Saviour is willing to help all who call upon Him for wisdom
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and clearness of thought. And who needs wisdom and clearness
of thought more than does the physician, upon whose decisions so
much depends? Let the one who is trying to prolong life look in
faith to Christ to direct his every movement. The Saviour will give
him tact and skill in dealing with difficult cases.
Wonderful are the opportunities given to the guardians of the
sick. In all that is done for the restoration of the sick, let them
understand that the physician is seeking to help them co-operate
with God in combating disease. Lead them to feel that at every step
taken in harmony with the laws of God, they may expect the aid of
divine power.