This is not an Adventist poem, but I found it quite moving. The language is a bit awkward.
"Jim Checkin' In"
A minister at church in the middle of the day,
Watched by the altar, to see who came to pray.
The minister frowned - this fella hadn't shaved in quite awhile.
His shirt was kinda' shabby; his coat was worn and frayed.
He bowed his head and knelt, then rose and walked away.
And every day that followed, each noon-time came this chap,
He knelt for just a moment, a lunch box on his lap.
The minister grew suspicious, with robbery his main fear,
And looking down he questioned, "Watcha' doin' here?"
The old man worked five blocks away, and lunch was half an hour.
Lunch-time was his prayer time, for renewing strength and power.
"I only stay ten-minutes, see, 'cos the factory's far away;
And as I kneel here talking', this is kinda' what I say:
"I just came again to tell You, Lord, how happy I have been,
Since we found each other's friendship, and You took away my sin.
I don't know much of how to pray, but think of You throughout day.
Dear Jesus, this is Jim just checkin' in."
The minister feeling foolish, told old Jim, "That was fine".
He said, "You're always welcome to pray here anytime".
"Time to go," Jim smiled, and hurried to the door.
The minister knelt by the altar, as he'd never knelt before.
His cold heart melted, warmed with love, He met with Jesus there.
The teardrops fell, as in his heart, he repeated old Jim's prayer:
"I just came again to tell You, Lord, how happy I have been,
Since we found each other's friendship, and You took away my sin.
I don't know much of how to pray, But think of You throughout the day
Dear Jesus, this is Jim just checkin' in."
Past noon one day the minister noticed, old Jim hadn't come.
As more days passed without old Jim, he began to worry some.
At the factory, he inquired, and learned old Jim 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 - his reward.
The head nurse couldn't understand why Jim was always glad,
No flowers, calls or cards came, not one visitor he had.
When the minister came to see him, he echoed their concern:
"No one's come to show they care. Is there nowhere you can turn?"
Surprised, old Jim spoke up; and with a winsome smile,
"The nurse is wrong, she couldn't know, that ever all the while,
And everyday at noon He's here, a precious Friend I see,
He sits down there and takes my hand, and then He says to me:
"I just came again to tell you, Jim, how happy I have been,
Since we found each other's friendship, and I took away your sin.
I always love to hear you pray, I think of you throughout each day
And so Jim, this is Jesus checking in."