A minister passing through his church in the middle of the day,
\nDecided to pause by the altar and see who had come to pray.
\nJust then the back door opened, a man came down the aisle,
\nThe minister frowned as he saw the man hadn’t shaved in awhile.<\/p>\n
His shirt was kinda’ shabby and his coat was worn and frayed.
\nThe man knelt, he bowed his head, then rose and walked away.
\nIn the days that followed, each noon time came this chap,
\nEach time he knelt just for a moment, a lunch pail in his lap.<\/p>\n
Well, the minister’s suspicions grew, with robbery a main fear,
\nHe decided to stop the man and ask him, “Watcha’ doin’ here?”<\/p>\n
The old man, he worked down the road. Lunch was half an hour.
\nLunchtime was his prayer time, for finding strength and power.
\n“I stay only moments, see, ’cause the factory is so far away;
\nAs I kneel here talking’ to the Lord, this is kinda’ what I say:
\n“I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I’VE BEEN,
\nSINCE\u00a0WE\u00a0FOUND EACH OTHER’S FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.
\nI DON’T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
\nSO, JESUS, THIS IS JIM CHECKIN’ IN.”<\/p>\n
The minister feeling foolish, told Jim, that was fine.
\nHe told the man he was welcome to come and pray just anytime.
\nTime to go, Jim smiled, said “Thanks.” He hurried to the door.
\nThe minister knelt at the alter, he’d never done it before.
\nHis cold heart melted, warmed with love, met with Jesus there.
\nAs the tears flowed, in his heart, he repeated old Jim’s prayer:
\n“I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I’VE BEEN,
\nSINCE\u00a0WE\u00a0FOUND EACH OTHER’S FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.
\nI DON’T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
\nSO, JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKIN’ IN.”<\/p>\n
Past noon one day, the minister noticed that old Jim hadn’t come.
\nAs more days passed with out Jim, he began to worry some.
\nAt the factory, he asked about him, learning he was ill.
\nThe hospital staff was worried, but he’d given them a thrill.
\nThe week that Jim was with them, brought changes in the ward.
\nHis smiles, a joy contagious. Changed people, his reward.
\nThe head nurse couldn’t understand why Jim was so glad,
\nWhen no flowers, calls or cards came, not a visitor he had.<\/p>\n
The minister stayed by his bed, he voiced the nurse’s concern:
\nNo friends came to show they cared. He had nowhere to turn.
\nLooking surprised, old Jim spoke up and with a winsome smile;
\n“The nurse is wrong, she couldn’t know, that all the while
\nEveryday at noon He’s here, a dear friend of mine, you see,
\nHe sits right down, takes my hand, leans over and says to me:
\n“I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, JIM, HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN,
\nSINCE\u00a0WE\u00a0FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP, AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN.
\nI ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY, I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY,
\nAND SO\u00a0JIM,\u00a0THIS IS JESUS CHECKIN’ IN.”<\/p>\n
[Circulating on the Internet]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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 … Continue reading Jim Checkin’ In<\/span>