A minister passing through his church,

in the middle of the day.

Decided to pause by the altar

and see who came to pray.

Just then the back door opened.

A man came down the aisle.

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,

"What are you doing here?"

The old man said he 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,

because 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.

Don't know much of how to pray,

but I think about you everyday,

so Jesus, this is old Jim checking in today."

The minister feeling foolish,

told Jim, that was fine.

He told the man he was welcome 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,

and 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 my sin away.

I don't know much of how to pray,

but I think of you everyday,

so Jesus

this is me checking in.

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'd given them a thrill.

His smiles, a joy contagious and

changing people were his rewards.

The head nurse couldn't understand

why Jim was so glad.

When no flowers, calls or cards came,

not a visitor did he have.

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

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 your sin away.

Always love to hear you pray,

I think about you each day.

and so Jim,

this is Jesus checking in with you today.

May God hold you in his hands

and the angels watch over you;

until the end.

Author Unknown

This is my kind of church friends. Just think, Jim could come and go and never once did he find a locked door!