"BEST IS YET TO COME"

There was a woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three (3) months to live. As she was getting her things in order, she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discus certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him the songs she wanted sung at her funeral, the scriptures she wanted read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. The woman also requested to be buried with her favorite Bible. Everything seemed in order and the pastor was preparing to leave when the woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

“There’s one thing more,” she said excitedly. “What’s that?” came the pastor’s reply. “This is very important,” the woman 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.

The woman 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 the woman 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 accelerate that last day on earth.

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 about being with Him in "paradise" (Luke 23:43), it is a slam dunk guarantee Heaven is a far greater "paradise" and more utopian 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 and 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!