Checking In Decided to look in to see who had come to pray.
When he heard the back door open and a man came down the aisle;
The pastor frowned--the old visitor had not shaved in a while.
His shirt was kinda shabby and his coat was worn and frayed.
The old man knelt and bowed his head, then rose and walked away.
Each noon that followed the pastor found him, that old ragged chap
Kneeling there at the altar, lunch pail in his lap.
The pastor grew suspicious with robbery a fear;
He decided to stop the man and ask, "Whatcha' doin' here?"
The old man worked down the road, lunch was half an hour--
His lunchtime was prayer time, for finding strength and power.
"I stay only minutes see, the factory's far away;
I just kneel, talk to the Lord, and this what I say:
'I just came to tell you Lord, how happy I have been
Since we found each other and You took away my sin.
I don't know much how to pray, but You're in my thoughts each day;
So Jesus, this is Jim checking in'."
The pastor felt so foolish and told Jim it was fine--
He told him he was welcome to "Come pray here any time."
When time to go, Jim smiled his thanks and hurried to the door.
The pastor knelt where Jim had been; he'd not been there before.
His cold heart melted; warmed with love, he met Jesus there;
As the tears flowed from his heart, he said Ole' Jim's prayer:
"I just came to tell you Lord, how happy I have been
Since we found each other and You took away my sin.
I don't know much how to pray, but You're in my thoughts each day--
So Jesus, this is me, checking in."
Past noon one day the pastor saw that Ole' Jim hadn't come;
Still more days passed without Ole' Jim, the pastor worried some.
He went to where Ole' Jim had worked and learned that he was ill.
The nursing staff's report was grim, but Jim was smiling still.
The week that Jim was with them brought changes to the ward;
His smiles a joy contagious; changed people, his reward.
The head nurse could not understand how Jim could be so glad
When not one card or visitor or phone call Jim e'er had.
The pastor stayed close by his side, he voiced the staff's concern
Didn't Jim have any friends? No one to whom to turn?
Ole' Jim spoke up and smiled his smile, "The nurse she couldn't see
That every day, promptly at noon, a dear friend visits me.
He sits right down and takes my hand, His friendship makes me glad."
"'I just came to tell you, Jim, how happy I have been
Since we found each other and I took away your sin.
I always love to hear you pray, I love to hear from you each day;
So Jim, this is Jesus, checking in.'"
Re-metered, Author Unknown. 1998.
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