'The Empty Chair'....(insp)

[Guest guest]

Sai Ram All,

 

Today, being thursday.........when most of us joined together in prayers, a

beautiful story on 'Prayer'!

Bless you all!

 

With love & light,Madhvi Duty is God, Work is Worship

 

 

 

THE EMPTY CHAIR

 

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 and I

figured you knew I was going to show up,"

"Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden 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.

I always used to hear everyone talk about prayers, but it all used to go right

over my head." I therefore abandoned any attempt at prayer."

The old man continued, "Until one day four years ago, my best friend said to me,

"Johnny, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with God.Here

is what I suggest." he said.

 

"Sit down in a chair and place an empty chair in front of you. In faith see Baba

sitting in that chair ...and then just speak to him in the same way you are

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, he would 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 the minister prayed with him, anointed him with

oil, and returned to the church.

Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her father had

died that afternoon.Did he die in peace?" he asked.

 

"Yes", said the daughter. "When I left the house about two o'clock, he

called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek.

Sadly, when I got back from the store an hour later, I found he had gone.

However, 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."

 

- Author Anonymous

 

PRAYER my dear brothers and sisters, is one of the best free gifts we receive

and give.I asked God for water, He gave me an ocean.I asked God for a flower,

He gave me a garden.I asked God for a friend, He gave me ALL of YOU...May our

Beloved Baba bless you All as you journey on…in Faith!

[Guest guest]

Swaminathan Ganesh <sairamganesh04

Cc: MadhviSai

Thu Jun 30, 2005 0:15pm

Re: [saibabanews] 'The Empty Chair'....(insp)

 

Madhvi Sairam

 

The story is simple and nice and emphasized the importance about the

prayer.

 

I asked God for a friend, He gave me ALL of YOU...

 

thanks for this line. we feel encouraged and proud to have such a

friend like you. thank you to swami.

ganesh loka samastha sukhino bhavanthu

 

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Soumendra Bhattacharjee <soumendra_toronto

Thu Jun 30, 2005 0:52pm

Re: [saibabanews] 'The Empty Chair'....(insp)

 

Sai Ram Sister Madhvi ,

 

This is simply beautiful.

 

Wonderful story.

 

Swamis Blessings to you always.

 

Sai Ram

 

Soumendra

 

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sangeeta sharma <sangeeta65

Thu Jun 30, 2005 1:08pm

Re: [saibabanews] 'The Empty Chair'....(insp)

 

om sai ram

only the lap of our beloved swami can give us

peace,happiness and keep our mind full of love for the

entire humanity.

with love and light

sai ram

 

 

 

 

 

 

saibabanews, MadhviSai@a... wrote:

> THE EMPTY CHAIR