人的一生其实蛮辛苦的，古语所说的“人生不如意十之八九”，是对人生的残酷写照。虽然接受了耶稣为自己的救主使我们对于人生的态度发生了改变，对人生再次充满了盼望和信心，但是耶稣从来没有应许我们说在跟随他的路上将会是花香常漫，相反耶稣警告那些要跟随他的人说：“狐狸有洞，天空的飞鸟有窝，人子却没有枕头的地方”（马太福音8：20）。当我们刚刚信主的时候，整个人都沉浸在喜悦当中，觉得跟随主耶稣是一件非常令人兴奋的事情。然而，日子久了，发现原先的那种热情渐渐冷淡了，跟随耶稣以及敬拜上帝慢慢地成了例行公事，与耶稣的关系好像变得虚无缥缈，无法触及。
可是，当我听到下面这则故事的时候，我明白了：耶稣不需要我借着华丽的祷告词与他交流，他所要的是简单和真诚。每天能与主耶稣倾心交流是我们喜乐的秘诀，是生命得到更新的良药，是保持火热的心的唯一途径。
愿这则故事带给你激励，正如它带给我一样。如果你觉得有帮助，请转给你的朋友，也许他们正在跟随主耶稣的路上彷徨与困惑。
Jesus, I’m checking in
A minister passing through his church
in the middle of the day,
Decided to pause by the altar
and see who had come to pray.
Just then the back door opened,
a man came down the aisle,
The minister frowned as he saw
the man hadn’t shaved in a while.
His shirt was kinda shabby
and his coat was worn and frayed,
the man knelt, he bowed his head,
then rose and walked away.
In the days that followed,
each noon time came this chap,
each time he knelt just for a moment,
a lunch pail in his lap.
Well, the minister’s suspicions grew,
with robbery a main fear,
He decided to stop the man and ask him,
“What are you doing here?”
The old man said, he worked down the road.
Lunch was half an hour.
Lunchtime was his prayer time,
for finding strength and power.
“I stay only moments, see,
because the factory is so far away;
as I kneel here talking to the Lord,
this is kinda what I say:
“I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,
HOW HAPPY I’VE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER’S FRIENDSHIP
AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.
DON’T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I
THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
SO, JESUS, THIS IS JIM CHECKING IN TODAY.”
The minister feeling foolish,
told Jim, that was fine.
He told the man he was welcome
to come and pray just anytime.
Time to go, Jim smiled, said
“Thanks.” He hurried to the door.
The minister knelt at the altar,
he’d never done it before.
His cold heart melted, warmed with love,
and met with Jesus there.
As the tears flowed, in his heart,
he repeated old Jim’s prayer:
“I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,
HOW HAPPY I’VE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER’S FRIENDSHIP
AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.
I DON’T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I
THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKING IN TODAY.”
Past noon one day, the minister noticed
that old Jim hadn’t come.
As more days passed without Jim,
he began to worry some.
At the factory, he asked about him,
learning he was ill.
The hospital staff was worried,
but he’d given them a thrill.
The week that Jim was with them,
brought changes in the ward.
His smiles, a joy contagious.
Changed people, were his reward.
The head nurse couldn’t understand
why Jim was so glad,
when no flowers, calls or cards came,
not a visitor he had.
The minister stayed by his bed,
he voiced the nurse’s concern:
No friends came to show they cared.
He had nowhere to turn.
Looking surprised, old Jim spoke up
and with a winsome smile;
“the nurse is wrong, she couldn’t know,
that in here all the while
everyday at noon He’s here,
a dear friend of mine, you see,
He sits right down, takes my hand,
leans over and says to me:
“I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, JIM,
HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP,
AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN.
ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY,
I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY,
AND SO JIM, THIS IS JESUS
CHECKING IN TODAY.”
If this blesses you, pass it on… Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.
May God hold you in the palm of His hand and Angels watch over you.
~Author Unknown~