"THE BEST"

Rebecca was born and bred in McAlester, Oklahoma and now it appeared she would die and be buried there as well. Rebecca had just left the doctor in Muskogee and was making the one hour drive home with her mind racing about the grim diagnosis of terminal cancer.

She pulled off the highway just south of Eufaula and got out of her car. Staring at a lone abandoned oil derrick in the lake, Rebecca was trying to get control of her thoughts and decide how to handle her end of life as the doctor told her she had less than three months to live.

Rebecca’s husband had passed away a decade ago and their only child had died in a plane crash three years prior. Her friends at her weekly bridge club and her Sunday School class members had become her family. Rebecca got back in her car after deciding she would meet with her pastor.

The very next day Rebecca called her pastor and invited him to come to her house to discuss her certain aspects of her final wishes, funeral and burial. She told the pastor what songs she wanted sung at her funeral, the scriptures she wanted read and the outfit she wanted to wear for her burial. She also told the pastor she wanted to be buried with her favorite Bible. Everything seemed in order and as the pastor was preparing to leave, Rebecca remembered something immensely important to her.

“Preacher, there’s one thing more,” she said excitedly. “What’s that?” he asked. “This is very important,” Rebecca continued. “I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.” The pastor stood looking at the woman, not knowing quite what to say. That surprises you, doesn’t it?” the woman asked. “Well, to be honest, I’m puzzled by the request,” said the pastor.

Rebecca explained; “In all my years of attending church socials and pot-luck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, “Keep your fork.” It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming, like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance! So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder, “What’s with the fork?” Then I want you to tell them: “Keep your fork. The best is yet to come.”

The pastor’s eyes welled up with tears as he hugged Rebecca goodbye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the woman had a better grasp of Heaven than he did. She knew that something better was coming.

None of us want to die. Likewise, none of us want to prepare for our death. Despite death being a dead lock cinch at some point and time, it seems morbid to actually prepare for our final day on earth. Or, as the old Texas saying goes, “it makes us so sad it would bring tears to a glass eye.” Heck, many think such planning might even accelerate that last day on earth.

We all are scared of kicking the bucket. Christians and non-Christians both have a fear of having to trade in our guitars for harps. The Good Book calls it the "king of terrors.”(Job 18:14) While the "king of terrors" sounds ominous, the "King of Kings" has already won an eternal victory over death! (Isaiah 25:8, 2 Timothy 1:10, 1 Corinthians 15:26 to name a few)

The Holy Bible has 365 scriptures which contains the exact phrase of "Do Not Be Afraid.” Wow, this is the same amount of days in the year. I'm convinced God knew our weaknesses and fears which is why His instructional manual contains help every day of every year.

Christians inherited a litany of DNA trash from Adam and Eve. Sinful nature, rebellion against God and fears on top of fears which the "king of terrors" tops the list. While we as Christians have been assured of victory over death, we still have an inherited fear of moving our residence to the streets paved with gold.

Saint Augustine said it best; “We want to reach the kingdom of God, but we don't want to travel by way of death.” And yet there heaven stands telling us; "This way, please. Do not hesitate to go this way, when this is the way that God came to you.”

God's Word teaches us the "best is yet to come" in 1 Corinthians 2:9, "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him". There are many scriptures teaching us about Heaven but in my humble opinion I think when Jesus is on the cross giving assurance to the criminal about being with Him in "paradise" (Luke 23:43), it is a slam dunk guarantee Heaven is a far greater "paradise" than we can imagine.

The awesome on top of awesome is "God wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4). Yes, God wants each of us to be forgiven and to spend eternity with Him in the "paradise" of Heaven.

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us so much You want us to spend eternity in Heaven's paradise with You. Thank You Lord for the forgiveness, mercy, grace You bless us with daily. Thank You for the victory over death You want us to have by simply trusting You. Let us sing praises to You for promising us we will, as the old rock gospel song, "Spirit in the Sky" proclaims; "Gonna go to the place that is the best.” So, the next time you find yourself reaching for a fork, remind yourself that the best is yet to come!