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 a while.

His shirt was kind of shabby and his coat was worn and frayed.
The man knelt, bowed his head, then rose and walked away.

In the days that followed, each noontime, 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 asked him, "What are you doing here?"

The old man said he worked down the road, lunch was half an hour,
and lunchtime was his prayer time for finding strength and power.

Because the factory is so far away;
as I kneel here talking to the Lord, this is kinda what I say:

"I just came 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 every day.

So Jesus, this is Jim checking in."

The minister, feeling foolish, told Jim that was fine.
He told the man he was welcome to come and pray anytime.

Time to go Jim smiled, and 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 away my sin.

I don't know much of how to pray,
but I think about you every day,

so Jesus this is me checking in."

Past noon one day the minister 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 that he was ill.
The hospital staff was worried, but he'd given them a thrill.

The week that he was with them, brought changes to 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 minister stood 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.

I always love to hear you pray,
and I think about you twenty-four hours a day.

And so Jim, this is Jesus checking in."

Many people walk in and out of your life,
but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.

If this has blessed you, pass it on.