CHECKIN IN
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 awhile. 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, "Watcha' doin' here?"
The old man, 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, 'cause 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. I DON'T
KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY. SO,
JESUS, THIS IS JIM CHECKIN' 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 and said "Thanks." He hurried to the door. The minister
knelt at the alter, he'd never done it before. His cold heart melted, warmed with love, 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 CHECKIN' IN."
Past noon one day, the minister noticed that old Jim hadn't come. As more days passed with out
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, 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 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. I ALWAYS LOVE TO
HEAR YOU PRAY, I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY, AND SO JIM, THIS IS JESUS
CHECKIN' IN."
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