Just Checking In
This devotional was written by Jim Burns
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. — Psalms 16:11
A friend of mine sent me this powerful story. I can’t get it out of my mind, and so I’m passing it along to you.
JUST CHECKIN' IN
—Author Unknown
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, bowed his head, then arose and walked away.
In the days that followed each noon time brought this chap
And each time he knelt just for 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.
Lunch time 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 talkin' to the Lord, this is kinda' what I say:
"I just came again to tell You, Lord, how happy I have 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 every day.
So, Jesus, this is Jim just checkin' in."
The minister feeling foolish, told Jim, that this 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, he 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 have 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 every day.
So, Jesus, this is me just checkin' in."
It was past noon one day, the minister noticed that old Jim hadn't come.
As more days passed without Jim, he began to worry some.
He went to the factory and asked about Jim and found out 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 Jim's bed, he voiced the nurse's concern:
No friends came to show they cared; Jim had nowhere to turn.
Looking surprised, old Jim spoke up and with a winsome smile;
"The nurse is wrong, she couldn't know, that 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 my dear Jim, this Is Jesus checking in."
GOING DEEPER:
1. What can you learn from this story?
2. How has having a relationship with Jesus made a difference in your life?
FURTHER READING:
Psalms 89:15; Psalms 139:1-12; Deuteronomy 31:8
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