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 until one day four years ago, my friend told me that prayer was just like having a conversation with Jesus.

“He told me to sit down and place an empty chair in front of you. 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.

“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 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, at 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 he had passed away. 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.”

24 Responses to Daddy’s Empty Chair

  1. Douglas M Ikerd says:

    our lord is so awesome and great

  2. Tom ( aka ) RAMBO-911 MINISTRY says:

    Amen! Thank You for this short story, I Hope & Pray Many get to Read it Because, This story Demonstrates that, Praying is simply talking to GOD, it’s not as complicated as most People tend to Perceive, Religion has nothing to do with it, RELIGION is Man Made, What is important is, Our Personal Relationship with JESUS CHRIST, JESUS is the Only way to Our Father GOD, Just Look around at what is happening these days! ” They Tell You, Don’t Offend Someone by Saying His Name, Don’t Say GOD Bless You, or Don’t Say Merry CHRISTmas, Prayer is NOT Allowed in Schools etc, etc, When are People going to Realize ? That without GOD, JESUS CHRIST, YES! That Without HIM in Our Lives, Our Homes, Our Country, There will continue to be Violence, Turmoil and Destruction! I Thank GOD My Heart, My Eyes are Open, I Pray for Others to have Theirs Open, Just STOP and THINK, ETERNITY is a Very Long Time, One really has to ask Themself, Where do They want to Spend that amount of Time, Because it Really is That SIMPLE, Without JESUS CHRIST, One Will NOT be Spending Eternity in HEAVEN. May GOD Bless All who Visit this Site. Respectfully, In HIS Service, Tom

  3. joel says:

    it remind me the love of jesus.And I wish the day I m called home, will just like this father dying on the lap of my beloved jesus. amen

  4. Busola says:

    Oh Yes, my Redeemer liveth!

  5. Gladys says:

    What a great testimony, O Lord,help me to be always connected to You

  6. Jennifer says:

    Touching…

  7. Nombeko Gqiza says:

    Wooow ! Im touched, God’s presence is always with us.

  8. Michael says:

    Let us all give time to talk to God with faith.

  9. sue says:

    Faith can be that simple.I wish we could always talk to God and feel His presence and the peace that it creates around us all the time.

  10. Obet're says:

    Indeed, what a way to go! Right on the laps of the Christ Himself! It’s wonderful.

  11. Dan says:

    Everytime I read this inspirational story, it revives me and assures me the presence of our Lord Jesus in my situation. Thanks AllWorship for the reminder.

  12. Eliud Muriithi says:

    Quite moving and inspiring. Our Saviour Jesus Christ will always be for us indeed if only we reach out to the calvary where our burdens were carried away.

  13. Kwadwo says:

    God bless you for this story.

  14. Tom says:

    Yeshua is so awesome. prayer time with Him is wonderful. I am soooooooooooooooooo glad to connect with Christ what ever the time is in the day or night.

  15. German L. says:

    I wish I can go like this person; in peace and praying with our Father God. Thank you for showing us how to pray to Him. Thank you.

  16. Kala says:

    Very touching story. It brought a tears to my eyes also.

  17. Olowogboye Victor says:

    At this perilous time I wish to congratulate AllWorship for reminding us all the time that the end is very near. God will continue to uphold the entire crew in Jesus name

  18. Louisa says:

    May we all go in the peace in which the oldman went. Amen

  19. Rev Dr. Royd Mwandu says:

    Wow, this is quite inspirational.

  20. shanti says:

    That was such a wonderful and moving story. Yes, its so wonderful to talk to Jesus.
    I wish more people will read this story, and learn to talk to Jesus. Thank you and
    God bless.
    Shanti.

  21. Isaac says:

    That is the power of faith, the fact that we can be willing to throw everything in the hands of a mighty God and let Him remain God. IN all honesty, I wish we could all die like that!

  22. alisa says:

    it brought a tear to my eye, too.

  23. Olga Crabtree says:

    Sweet..

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