Daddy's empty chair

[SkyIsFalling42]

DADDY'S 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.
>>>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,
>>>my best friend said to me,
>>>"Johnny, prayer is just a simple matter
>>>of 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 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."
>>>
>>>Just send this to four people or more,
>>>and do not break this, please.
>>>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...
>>

[mik577]

Amen & amen! mik577