A clergyman, Pastor Abiye Georgewill, has enjoined Christians to be mindful of what they will be remembered for after life on earth.
Speaking at the funeral service of late Mrs. Ijeoma Umah Andie which held at Community Secondary School, Umuasuakpu, Igbo-Etche in Etche Local Government Area on Saturday, Pastor Georgewill pointed out that words or phrases inscribed on the tomb of the dead spoke volume about the life of that person.
Georgewill, a minister at The Salvation Ministries church at Umuasuakpu, Igbo-Etche, reiterated the undisputable fact that death, as a necessary end, awaits everyone, but enjoined the crowd gathered at the ceremony to make peace with God before death comes calling.
He said his admonitions are not for the deceased as she has done her bit and now awaits the resurrection morning.
The cleric disclosed that the summation of words or phrases that would be engraved in the tomb of the late Ijeoma Andie are the beautiful tributes and eulogies that have been showered on here.
“What would you be remembered for? What would be written on your epitaph?
“During the life of Alfred Bernhard Nobel, he was dubbed the ‘angel of death’ because he invented a dynamite and an explosive device called a blasting cap. But he is being remembered today as the one who founded the Nobel Prizes for peace, science, and literature because he regretted inventing those explosive devices”, he said.
While acknowledging that it had become a tradition for people to speak only good things about dead relatives, friends and well-wishers, Pastor Georgewill noted that it is no coincidence that all those who spoke about late Ijeoma Andie lauded her rare sense of charity and philanthropy.
“As to the question whether you will die, that cannot be debated because everyone must surely die someday. But the question is, will you die as a saint or will you die as a sinner?
“The beautiful thing about the death of our sister, Ijeoma, is that she gave her life and lived her life in Jesus Christ before she died. She was a successful Nurse, a Caregiver who practiced her profession to the peak. But added to this, she died in Christ!”, declared Pastor Georgewill, stressing that one’s qualifications, achievements or attainments in life amounted to nothing without a place in God’s heart.
The minister who took his text from Revelations 21 vs 4, urged Christians not to despair as there would not be pains or death in heaven.
“Our sister, Ijeoma Umah Andie has not died. She has just transited from one place to another. You are making a big mistake if you think she has died. She would have been dead if she didn’t make peace with God”, he said, giving the assurance that God would wipe away tears from the eyes of all those who have come to witness her burial.
The pastor said everyone present at the ceremony could be likened to a pupil who has the duty of presenting a report card to his parents at the end of academic year, noting that God will accept anyone who passes life examination on earth into His kingdom, while those who failed would face the consequence of everlasting life in hell fire.
