A funny thing happened one day at a grave site. Now you might be thinking that this is not a place for a laugh. But wait till I tell you what happen and see if it doesn’t bring a laugh!

My pastor husband was overseeing funeral services for a long standing church member who had helped build the original church building. He was known as a kind old timer, loved by the community.

Upon arrival at the cemetary, a large crowd had gathered so I stood at the back. I couldn’t hear what he was saying n g but I could tell he was reading the scripture. Then everyone bowed for prayer. As I was watching all of this from a distance, I could see that he had finished. I blinked and he was gone. Just for an instance, I wondered if the Rapture had come. I composed myself and moved toward the front of the crowd because by this time everyone was running toward the casket. As I get to the front of the group, my husband is climbing out of the grave!

This was my husband’s first funeral to preside over and he was a little nervous about the situation because there would be such a large gathering. He suggested that I not go to the funeral but go to the grave side service. He told me he was going to read a scripture and then have prayer with family.

Turns out, the funeral personel had put the framework too far from the edge and had covered it with artificial grass turf. As my husband told me later, just as he stepped in front of the family to shake hands, he dropped down between the edge of the grave and the framework.

He did manage to throw his arm over the framework and pull himself up and shake hands the family.

Yes, you are laughing at this hilarious story. But my reason for sharing it with you is to bring up a point. Are you ready for the Lord’s return?

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.Therefore encourage one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ESV