decided to pause by the alter 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, bowed his head, then arose and walked away.
In the days that followed each noontime came this chap
and each time he knelt just a moment, a lunch pail in his lap.
Well the minister's suspicions grew, and robbery was his main fear.
He decided to stop the man and ask him "Watcha' doing' here?"
The old man 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, Lord, This Is Jim 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 alter, he'd never done it before,
his cold heart melted, warmed with love, met with the Lord 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, Lord, This Is Me Checking' In."
It was past noon one day, the minister noticed that old Jim hadn't come.
As more days passed without Jim, he begin to worry some.
He went to the factory and asked about Jim and found 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.
He smiles, a joy contagious. Changed people, his reward.
The head nurse couldn't understand why Jim was 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 suprised, 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,
And I Think About You Each Day,
And So Jim, This Is The Lord Checking'In."
"Prayer is a conversation and like any conversation, doesn't have to be formal but it must allow both parties to speak."
~Ted Cashion~
