Imagine going to sleep and waking up nineteen years later. That's exactly what happened to 19 year old Terry Wallis after a terrible car crash in 1984 left him paralyzed and in a coma. At first he was in a persistent vegetative state that improved a little before plateauing as a “minimally conscious state”. Consider his surprise to learn how much time had passed, and imagine the shock and excitement his family had to feel when he greeted his mother with “mom” on June 12, 2003. Consider the sorrow and frustration as reality set in about what he had missed. In his mind it was still 1984, and he was a 19 year old kid with his whole life ahead of him. Suddenly he was 38 years old with serious health problems, physical and mental limitations, and family issues. Much work lay ahead as he tried to catch up. Losing two decades of life leaves an empty space with lots of problem.

Now take the average human being and consider how many of us are in a spiritual coma, including those who consider themselves “Christians.” Even though we look wide awake, and think we're sharp, reality often presents a completely different picture. Many of us are so out of touch with the truth of God's word that we might as well be in a coma - despite thinking of ourselves as spiritual. Instead of dwelling in Christ and being filled with his word, most pursue a life filled with the things of this world. They live in a “minimally spiritual state.” Oh they walk and talk, and even talk spiritual talk, but are completely unaware of spiritual reality.

What happens when the light of God's truth breaks through the fog and we believe the truth and, after being baptized into Christ, awake to a whole new world? Well it's the same as Mr. Wallis: surprise, shock, excitement at being alive and aware; saved. But that's soon followed by sorrow, frustration, and perhaps despair at the wasted years, especially if they were decades of a “minimally spiritual state”. The mind thinks of all that could have been.

We have a great example of that very thing in the bible as Israel went through the process twenty years after the movement of the ark and destruction of Shiloh. For twenty years they lived in a minimally spiritual state (1 Samuel 7:2). Finally, Israel began to wake up from their spiritual coma and felt genuine sorrow for their wasted time not serving God.

The Wallis family was waiting but unprepared. They had settled into a routine and suddenly had to arrange physical therapy because it caught them completely by surprise. But not God! He was waiting and ready and had a doctor named Samuel ready to help rebuild their spiritual muscles (1 Samuel 7:3).

God is waiting and ready for you to wake up from your spiritual slumber. Jesus, the great physician, is the only one who can wake us from our “minimally spiritual state.” He's gently calling you, whispering softly “Now is the time to wake up.” Wake up my friends. And don't despair about the wasted years, be excited about the Lord's love and mercy and spread the message.