Keep Your Fork!
A woman diagnosed with a terminal illness was given three months to live. Setting her things in order, she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at her memorial service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.
“There’s one more thing,” 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 potluck 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 the 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”. And he did.
Solomon wrote, “The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.”
Solomon wrote, “…the righteous has hope in his death.” But how does one attain that righteousness? The Apostle Paul wrote, “..God made him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God”.
