Food for thought

Hi, friends,

Recently, I had reason to weep like a new born baby when the news of my mother’s death got to me. As if that was not enough, the acceptable culture, where I came from in Nigeria, West Africa demands that anyone who dies at a good old age like my late mother did, usually a very occasion tagged ‘Celebration of life’.

Too many times I was tempted to pick my phone and put a call through to her as I always did to share my joy and challenges with her but only to remember she is gone to the great beyond. She was a good listener, mother and friend!

As we grew up with my other siblings we saw how she struggled through life as the first wife of a polygamous man to give us the right values. She taught us the fear of God. Godliness with contentment, Christian service and trained us to be true to ourselves.

Like one of my brothers said at a family meeting just after her death, we were “her greatest asset” because she little or nothing apart from her children. She poured her entire being into raising us all  either be pastors or pastor’s wife in our various denomination.

I could not but shed even more tears as we saw her corpse laid in the beautiful coffin carried by undertakers who demanded money at each turn and finally lying her in state. This act brought images of my late mother and some of her mannerism.

At her burial ceremony, I saw people I have not seen over two decades come to testify to this small woman’s life of impact and I began to ask myself some probing questions like;

Where is this prayer warrior now? This very spiritual and gentle mother, grand mother and great- grandmother that millions is being spent to bury, is she in the bosom of Christ? At my own burial if Jesus tarries, will heaven give the same or better testimony about me? Will I have those I will leave behind give such testimonies about me?

Dear friends and co- labourer, I do not intend to bore you but the summary of it all is where will you spend your eternity? The works you are doing now that will continue to live after you, what will they speak about your life?

Heaven is real and so is hell. The choice you make or refuse to make now will determine your eternal destination. Why not choose Jesus, His ways and values if you intend to make it at last. I hope to see you in heaven seated on thrones to reign with Christ but you are the one responsible for your eternal destination.

Let Jesus be the Lord and the anchor of your life on this pilgrimage and you will live a life of eternal bliss hereafter.

I trust that you will make it to a glorious eternity with the Lord on the wings of faith and lift of grace.

Keep the fire of the Spirit burning until we make Heaven at last. God bless you and yours.

In concluding let us take this food for thought from Mark 8:36-37

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world,

and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for

his soul?  (KJV)  

Your Friend and fellow Pilgrim in the Kingdom Race,

Pastor Janet.