Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5

To be quite honest, it didn't look good for Teri Roberts. Actually, Roberts' future looked terrible.

At first, Roberts and her family thought she had the flu, but the flu didn't go away. That's why, after a number of weeks, 56-year-old Roberts entered the hospital. The doctors ran various tests and eventually they came up with a diagnosis for the Nebraskan mom. They said she had group A streptococcus. Now group A streptococcus sounds like a pretty dangerous illness, for most people it only shows up in the form of things like a strep throat or impetigo.

But, as I said, things weren't going good for Teri Roberts. She developed toxic shock syndrome and ended up in a coma. Weeks passed and things didn't get better. Roberts was put on a ventilator; her liver shut down, as did her kidneys. Gangrene set in and the doctors had to amputate Roberts' hands and feet.

Everyone agreed there was no hope, and the family decided to have Roberts moved to hospice, where she would be taken off the ventilator.

Plans were made for the move, and time was set aside for everyone to say their own special farewells. Then, a few hours before the ventilator was unplugged, Roberts woke up. She woke up talking and asking questions and making plans. In a short time her kidneys and liver kicked back in, and now she is determined to walk and eventually drive a car.

Now there are all kinds of lessons and morals that could be taken from the story of Teri Roberts.

What I would like you to consider is this: most of us know someone who is having a tough time -- a tough time spiritually.

Maybe they read a book which shook up their faith; maybe they had an experience which turned them against the Lord; maybe they have heard someone who put questions into their minds and hearts. No matter what their "maybe" is, they are spiritually comatose. After numerous attempts at helping them, you probably feel like giving up.

If so, don't.

No, don't give up. As long as the Holy Spirit is able to reach out and point a lost soul toward the Savior, there is hope. The Lord Jesus gave Himself to offer forgiveness and a new and abundant life in Him. It is an offer that has been given to countless folks and received by many whom everyone had thought hopeless and helpless. No, don't give up; instead, let's pray for them.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks the Holy Spirit has called me to faith in the crucified and risen Savior. Now may those who are spiritually lost and whose hearts are comatose be revived so they may be granted a new life in their Redeemer. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Exodus 23-24    Matthew 28

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