A man’s daughter had asked the local minister to come
and pray with her father. When the minister arrived, he
found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on
two pillows. An empty chair sat beside his bed.The minister
assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit.
I guess you were expecting me, he said. ’No, who are you?"
said the father. The minister told him his name and then
remarked, I saw the empty chair an! d I figured you knew I> was going to show up," Oh yeah, the chair,"said the bed
ridden man.
Would you mind closing the door?" Puzzled, the minister
shut the door. I have never told anyone this, not even my
daughter," said the man. But all of my life I have never
known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor
talk about prayer, But it went right over my head." I
abandoned any attempt at prayer, "the old man continued,
until one day four years ago, A friend of mine said to me,
Johnny, prayer is just a simple matterof having a conversation
with Jesus. Here is what I suggest." Sit down in a chair;
place an empty chair in front of you,and in faith see Jesus
on the chair. It’s not spooky because he promised, I will be
with you always’.
Then just speak to him in the same way you’re doing with me
right now." So, I tried ! it and I’ve liked it so much that I do it
a couple of hours every day. I’m careful though. If my daughter
saw me talking to an empty chair, she’d either have a nervous
breakdown or send me off to the funny farm."
The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged
the old man to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with
him, anointed him with oil, and returned to the church.
Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her
daddy had died that afternoon. "Did he die in peace?" he asked.
Yes, when I left the house about two o’clock, he called me over
to his bedside, told me how much he loved me and kissed me
on the cheek.
When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him dead.
But there was something strange about his death. Apparently, just
before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on ! the chair
beside the bed.What do you make of that? The minister wiped a tear
from his eye and said, "I wish we could all go like that."
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