The Best Is Yet To Come

There once was a woman who was getting older and had been ill. She decided to speak with her pastor to prepare her funeral arrangements so that her family would not have to worry. As they were finishing up she said,

“Pastor, there is one more thing. When I die there is to be an open casket and I am to be buried with a fork in my hand.”

Confused, the pastor asked why.

“Well Pastor, I’ll tell you. In all my years of church dinners and potlucks, the best were when the ladies would clear off the tables, lean over and whisper ‘Save your fork.’ I would know then, the best was yet to come. So you see Pastor, I want to be buried with a fork in my hand, and people will ask why. I want you to tell them because the best is yet to come.”

Grandad was always really good at letting me believe I was taking care of him. I think he know I needed it more than him, even if it meant just sitting by a hospital bed, holding his hand, saying nothing.

And it is not just me. You will know by talking to any of his grandchildren we have a constant thread running through our minds at all points in our life – “Would Grandad be proud of me?” “What would Grandad think?”

The driving desire to honor him was never far from our minds, no matter our age, circumstances, or location.

Today is no different. I have asked him a thousand times already this weekend, “Grandad, how do I honor you on Monday?”

While having coffee at the Main Street Cafe – he answered.

“You live sweetheart – as I have lived. Above all, make Jesus your rock. There are people who have been forgotten, find them, love on them. Be bold in your faith and be a prayer warrior on their behalf. Don’t be afraid to be bold. You will be persecuted, but trust me – the reward is well worth it. I love you.”

You see, I had been asking the wrong question. For while he may care about today – he really cares about how we honor him for the rest of our lives.

You may be sensing a theme from my family this morning – it is one of hope.

I Corinthians 15:19  says, ‘If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.’

And my Grandad is NOT to be pitied, that’s for sure. Our tears are those of sorrow on the hardest day of our life, but our hearts are full of hope as we cling to a faith that lasts beyond tomorrow. For we know that God has restored that which has been damaged. Glorified that which has been broken.

For my Grandad, this life was good. But even with his lovey of over 60 years by his side – the best was yet to come.