Today I received a forwarded article from one of my friend in Jakarta. I have read this article long time back, but today when I read this article again it really touched my heart.

The articles goes like this:

A priest 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 priest frowned as he saw the man hadn’t shaved in a while.

His shirt was kind of 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 priest’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.
Lunchtime 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 kind a 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 JIM
CHECKING IN TODAY.”

The priest 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 priest 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 AWAY MY SIN.
I DON’T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT
I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKING IN TODAY”

Past noon one day, the priest noticed that old Jim hadn’t come.
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.

The week that Jim was with them, brought changes in the ward.
His smiles, a joy contagious.
Changed people, were 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 priest stayed by his bed,
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;
“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 AWAY YOUR SIN.
ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY,
I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY,
AND SO JIM, THIS IS JESUS
CHECKING IN TODAY.”

May God hold you in the palm of His hand and Angels watch over you.

But for those of us who are already His, He not only holds us in the palm of His hand, but has engraved our names there, and we are continually in His sight (Isaiah 49:16)

This is too good not to share - So this is me … Just Checking In

In the last few days, I have been thinking about the story about Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42).

Martha has received Jesus in her house and the whole time she was busy with all the servings and works. I think I could understand the situation, if somebody come to my home, I would be busy serving the foods and drinks also, trying to give the comfort to my guest. Martha has a sister and her name was Mary. Unlike Martha, Mary has chosen to sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His words. When Martha inquired Jesus so Mary will help her with all the works, Jesus replied her “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

This story has been really stuck in head and just follow me wherever I go for few days, I knew that God is reminding me to be like Mary. If I want to look back in the last few months, I know that I have been too busy. Busy with my works in the office, busy with my works at home, busy with the works in the church, but I have forgotten one thing… to take a quite time with Jesus, this is all He wants from me, to give a little time to Him… to be alone with Him…

When I read the article today, it really touched my heart, I don’t remember when was the last time I spent my time alone with him. But today, I finally said to Him, “So Jesus, this is me checking in today.” Thank you Jesus.