Douglas Maurer, 15, of Creve Coeur, Missouri, had been feeling badly for several days. His temperature was ranging between 103 and 105 degrees, and he was suffering from severe flu-like symptoms. Finally, his mother took him to the hospital in St. Louis. Douglas was diagnosed as having leukemia. The doctors told him in frank terms about his disease. They said that for the next three years, he would have to undergo chemotherapy. They didn't sugarcoat the side effects. They told Douglas he would go bald and that his body would most likely bloat. Upon learning this, he went into a deep depression.

Douglas’ aunt called a floral shop to send him an arrangement of flowers. She told the clerk that it was for her teenage nephew who has leukemia. When the flowers arrived at the hospital, they were beautiful. Douglas read the card from his aunt. Then he saw a second card. It said: "Douglas, I took your order. I work at Brix florist. I had leukemia when I was 7 years old. I'm 22 years old now. Good luck. My heart goes out to you. Sincerely, Laura Bradley." His face lit up. He said, "Oh!" 

Reflecting on this account, Bob Greene wrote: “It's funny: Douglas Maurer was in a hospital filled with millions of dollars of the most sophisticated medical equipment. He was being treated by expert doctors and nurses with medical training totaling in the hundreds of years. But it was a salesclerk in a flower shop, a woman making $170 a week, who – by taking the time to care – gave Douglas hope and the will to carry on.” *

When facing challenges and difficulties in this life, where do we find hope and the will to carry on?

The answer: in Jesus.  We find hope in Jesus.

Jesus, the Son of God, lived as a man on this earth.  He “knows all about our struggles” because He endured life with all its joys and its heartaches.  Because Jesus can identify with us in this way, the Hebrew writer issues this counsel: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Jesus did more than just identify with us; He died for us.  He died on the cross to pay the price for our redemption from sin (1 Peter 1:18-19).  Herein is our ultimate hope: He died for us so that we might be saved from our sins and live eternally with Him in heaven when this life is over.

The Apostle Peter reminded suffering saints of their blessed hope in Jesus: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4 NASB).

YOU can share in this hope if you will accept Jesus’ offer of salvation and eternal life by trusting and obeying Him.

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

Then we can sing with glorious hope the song written by Bill Gaither:

“Because He lives
I can face tomorrow
Because He lives
All fear is gone
Because I know
He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives.”

-- David A. Sargent

* Bob Greene, "From One Sufferer To Another", Chicago Tribune, August, 1987, as shared in www.sermonillustrations.com, illustrations concerning “Comfort.”

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

Archived issues of Living Water can be viewed and accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org