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
old man. The minister told him his name and then remarked, "I saw the
empty chair and I figured you knew I was coming by."

"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 with his prayers. 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
father had passed away 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.

I went to the store and was only gone for an hour when I got back, I
found he had passed away with his head resting on the empty chair beside
his bed.

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

Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive.

Author Unknown