Prayers

[Guest guest]

A man's daughter had asked the local minister to come and pray with herfather.

 

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 oldfellow 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 andthen remarked, "I saw the empty chair and I figured you knew I was goingto show up."

 

"Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man. "Would you mind closingthe 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 wentrightover my head." I abandoned any attempt at prayer," the old mancontinued, " until one day four years ago, my best friend said to me,"Johnny, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation withJesus. Here is what I suggest."Sit down in a chair; place an empty chair in front of you, and infaith 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 rightnow."

 

"So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple ofhours every day. I'm careful though . If my daughter saw me talking toan empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off tothe funny farm."

 

The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old manto continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him, anointed him withoil, and returned to the church.

 

Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that herdaddyhad 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 hisbedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek.When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him .But there was something strange about his death. Apparently, justbefore Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on the chairbeside the bed. What do you make of that?"

 

The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said, "I wish we could allgo like that."

 

Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive.

 

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...If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

 

Happy moments, praise God.Difficult moments, seek God.Quiet moments, worship GodPainful moments, trust God.Every moment, thank God.

 

 

"Life isn't about surviving the storm,It's all about learning how to dance in the rain!"