GENTLE JIM

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A minister passing through his church in the middle of the day decided to pass 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 kind of 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 noontime came this chap each time he knelt for just 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 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," and 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 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 had given them a thrill. The week that Jim was with them brought changes in the ward his smiles and 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 said "the nurse is wrong, she couldn't know that in here all the while that everyday at noon He's here, a dear friend 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 EVERY DAY AND SO, JIM, THIS IS JESUS, CHECKING IN TODAY."