The most extraordinary funeral!

THE BEST IS YET TO COME

Jn. 2:1-12

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things 'in order,' she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of  her final wishes.

She told him which hymns she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what dress she wanted to be buried in.

Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

'There's one more thing,' she said excitedly.  'What's that?' said the Pastor.  'This is very important,' the young woman continued.  'I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.'

The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.  'That surprises you, doesn't it?' she said.

'Well, to be honest, I am puzzled by the request,'

The young woman explained.  'My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass this message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement.  In all my years of attending socials and 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 for the best is yet to come!  It might be velvety chocolate cake or apple pie and ice cream.  Something wonderful, and tasty!'

So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my right hand and I want them to wonder 'What's that fork doing in her hand?'  Then I want you to tell them, 'She keeping that fork for the best is  yet to come.'  The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye.  He knew it would probably be the last time he would see her before she died.  But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he had.  She knew what heaven would be like more than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge.  She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's open casket and they saw the fork in her right hand.  Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'Why is she clutching that fork?'  And over and over he smiled.

During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died.  He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her.  He told them that now whenever he holds a fork in his hand it reminds him of her and it makes him think of heaven and the best is yet to come for him.  He added, 'You too may think like that whenever you handle a fork at your meal.'

He was right.  So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you of heaven and that the best is yet to come.  

Lord Jesus, at the wedding at Cana, it was remarked that the best wine had been kept to the last.  May we remember that You have prepared Heaven for us, and You have kept the best for the last.  Yes, the BEST is yet to come!

MY WEBSITE IS AT: https://fatherfrancismaple.co.uk