JIM

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 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
CHECKING IN TODAY."
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
TODAY." 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
TODAY." If this
blesses you,
pass it on ...
Many people
will walk in
and out of your life,
but only true
friends will
leave
footprints in
your heart. May God
hold you in
the palm of
His hand
and Angels
watch over you.
So this is
me ... Just
Checking In