Daily Encouragement For March 06:

A pastor 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, an old man came down the aisle, the pastor frowned as he saw the man, he hadn't shaved in a while, his shirt was kind of shabby, and his coat was worn and frayed. The man knelt at the altar, bowed his head, then arose, and walked away.

In the days that followed, the pastor continued to stop by, every day around noon the man arrived, each time he knelt just for a moment, with a lunch pail in his lap.

The pastor decided to stop the man and ask him, "What are you doing here? Every day you come here, kneel down just for a moment then get up and leave?”

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; but as I kneel here talking to the Lord, this is kind of what I say:

"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP , SINCE YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERY DAY. SO, JESUS, HERE I AM CHECKING IN TODAY."

The pastor feeling foolish, told the man, that was fine and that he was welcome anytime to just come and pray. 

“Time to go” He smiled, "Thanks." He hurried to the door. 

Immediately, the pastor knelt at the altar, his cold heart melted, warmed with love, and met with Jesus there. As the tears flowed, in his heart, he repeated the old man's prayer:

"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP , SINCE YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERY DAY. SO, JESUS, HERE I AM CHECKING IN TODAY."

It was past noon one day and the pastor noticed that the old man hadn't come. As more days passed, he began to worry some. He found the factory and asked about him, learning he was ill and in the hospital. 

Immediately, he went to the hospital, the hospital staff was worried, but he'd given them a thrill. In one week he, brought changes in the ward. His smiles, a joy contagious. Changed people, were his reward. The head nurse couldn't understand why he was so joyful and glad when no flowers, calls or cards came, 
not one visitor he had.

The pastor stood by his bed, he voiced the nurse's concern, looking surprised, he spoke up and with a winsome smile; he said, "The nurse is wrong, she couldn't know, that in here all the while everyday at noon He's here, my dear friend, you see, He sits right down, takes my hand, Leans over and says to me:

"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP, SINCE I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN. ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY, I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERY DAY, AND SO, THIS IS JESUS CHECKING IN TODAY."

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” - John 14:27.