A minister passing through his church in the middle of the
day, Decided to pause by the altar and see who had come to pray. Just
then the back door opened, a man came down the aisle, The minister frowned
as he saw the man hadn't shaved in a while. His shirt was kinda shabby
and his coat was worn and frayed. The man knelt, he bowed his
head, then rose and walked away. In the days that followed, each noon
time came this chap, Each time he knelt just for a moment, a lunch pail in
his lap. Well, the minister's suspicions grew, with robbery a main
fear, He decided to stop the man and ask him, "What are you doing
here?" The old man said, he worked down the road. Lunch was half an
hour. Lunchtime was his prayer time, for finding strength and
power. "I stay only moments, see, because the factory is so far
away; As I kneel here talking to the Lord, this is kinda what I
say:
"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY THAT I'VE
BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY
SIN. DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU
EVERYDAY. SO, JESUS, THIS IS JIM, JUST CHECKING IN."
The
minister feeling foolish, told Jim, that was fine. He told the man he was
welcome to come and pray just anytime. Time to go, Jim smiled, said
"Thanks." He hurried to the door. The minister knelt at the
altar, he'd never done it before. His cold heart melted, warmed with
love, and met with Jesus there. As the tears flowed, in his heart, he
repeated old Jim's prayer:
"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU,
LORD, HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP AND
YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT
YOU EVERYDAY. SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKING IN."
Past noon one
day, the minister noticed that old Jim hadn't come. As more days passed
without Jim, he began to worry some. At the factory, he asked about
him, learning he was ill. The hospital staff was worried, but he'd
given them a thrill. The week that Jim was with them, brought changes in
the ward. His smiles, a joy contagious; changed people, were his
reward. The head nurse couldn't understand why Jim was so glad, When no
flowers, calls or cards came, not a visitor he had. The minister stayed by
his bed, he voiced the nurse's concern: No friends came to show they
cared; he had nowhere to turn. Looking surprised, old Jim spoke up and
with a winsome smile; "The nurse is wrong, she couldn't know, that in
here all the while Everyday at noon He's here, a dear friend of mine, you
see, He sits right down, takes my hand, leans over and says to
me:
"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, JIM, HOW HAPPY I HAVE
BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP, AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN. ALWAYS
LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY, I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY, > >
>>>> AND SO
JIM, THIS IS JESUS CHECKING IN."
