Steve Beverly

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 a 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.


>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 minister 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 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