Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission, Mike Okonkwo has observed that many Christians are afraid of death because they don’t have eternity in view.
He made the observation at the burial ceremony of Connie Madubuko, wife of the General Overseer of Revival Assembly, Apostle Anselm Madubuko who died on July 6, 2012.
Okonkwo who spoke to hundreds of sympathizers at the funeral service on Friday July 20 said it is amazing that many Christians are fearful of death. He said, “When I see believers getting afraid of death I begin to wonder if we believe what we preach”
He said further that “until we begin to see life from the stand point of eternity we will continue to be afraid of death. But Christians should know that death has no dominion over them. Death is like a vehicle that has been specially designed to take everybody to the great beyond. It has been designed to take us home.”
While quoting Ecclesiastics 7v2, he said, “It is good to always attend funeral ceremonies because it will help you to number your days. Death is a custom made vehicle with your name on it. When your time is up, it drives straight to your doorstep and you cannot stop it from taking you.”
At a point, he announced to the audience, “you will die” as if he wanted an amen, only for some people to start rejecting it. He however said that, “when we die we are going to a better place. Our sister Connie has made it. We go by what we know. Following God is about living for Him. I have learnt not to proffer reason for what God does.
“Many people would probably want to give reasons why our sister died but I can tell you that there are some things that are beyond our understanding. God knows how best to handle what concerns us.”
He warned against serving God for material purpose saying that material things will perish but our love for God will be rewarded. He then asked, “if you don’t have material possessions or perhaps you lose all the things that you have laboured for, will God still be God in your life?”
The burial ceremony had in attendance top church leaders with a representative of President Goodluck Jonathan who delivered the president’s message to the congregation.
Earlier at the wake on Thursday July 19, Rev. Chris Okotie had told the congregation that Connie was already with God. “When I heard of her death, God showed me an epiphany (revelation) and I saw Connie at the balcony of heaven. Her death has only indicated that she has fought and won the battle of life. She is victorious. Death is just a movement from one end to the other.”