Dad’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…

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

In your Happy moments, praise God.

Difficult moments, seek God.

Quiet moments, worship God.

Painful moments, trust God.

Every moment, thank God.

Pass this on, Please don’t break the chain.

~ by bambzbeybe on August 16, 2009.