KEEP YOUR FORKS

A woman had been diagnosed with cancer and had been given three months to live. Her doctor told her to start making preparations to die (something we all should be doing all of the time). She contacted her preacher and had him come to her house to discuss her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what she wanted to be wearing. She also told him that she wanted to be buried with her favorite Bible.

Near the end of the conversation she said, “I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.” The preacher did not know what to say. “Does that surprise you?” she asked. He replied, “To be honest, I'm puzzled by the request.” The woman explained. “In all my years of attending church fellowships, potlucks, and other functions where food was involved (and let's be honest, food is an important part of any church event); my favorite part was when whoever was clearing away the dishes of the main course would lean over and say 'you can keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming. When people see me with a fork in my hand and ask, ‘What's with the fork?’ you can tell them: ‘Something better is coming so keep your fork too.’”

It’s true. Something better is coming for the faithful Christian, and it is called heaven. Jesus says, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3). As we live this life, we face the difficulties and uncertainties every day. During the current economic difficulties, some have lost jobs and others are in fear they will. People living on retirement incomes have seen their lifestyles dramatically affected. Even in a good economy, there are still the other trials of life to deal with: sickness, death, job pressures, parents, children, aches and pains, etc.

In heaven, we will not have to worry about such things. “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). Things will be better. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 4:16-5:1). Paul even goes on to say that we are pleased to be absent from the body and present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).

Yes, something better is coming, so be sure to keep your forks.
--Lamar