Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come’.
The above quotation is enshrined in my room for me to see each time I step in there or wake up; what relationship and how deep the relationship the father have with us , the believer, through our lord and saviour Jesus Christ. this shows that there is nothing left to worry about, there is no issue that is deliberately or intentionally left unanswered in the believer’s quest to find meaning with the difficult question like the death of a husband, wife and son or daughter; there is no issue with the death of a beloved pastor to Covid-19. The passage spells it out there even in death the relationship continues; what an assurance. This relationship has conquered death and makes us laughs at the face of death and give the victory sign when on death bed. For death is only a transition to another life that is much more glorious, fulfilling and above all eternal.
December 31, 2019, the world woke to hear only to hear from China, the first public announcement of 27 cases of a new type of pneumonia infection. Since that fateful day, the world has not been the same and death has been in the million; affecting believers, nonbelievers and cutting across race and continent. Messages from the pulpits have in most times not been helpful, nor has it been able to conquer the palpable fear in the air all around us, gradually replacing our faith with fear. The pastor has been hesitant to state the mind of God in this pandemic, not knowing whether to listen to the voice of men in the face of mounting death or call on the congregation to trust God. They arrested many pastors over the world for breaking the subsequent lockdown order that follows the rapid spread of the of the virus. The televangelist were not uniformed whether the churches have their right violated if government are asked not to open or not. The reason for this stalemate is that for a long time the sermon that talks about death has been absent from the pulpit. we have allowed this absence to make us see the passing away of a member as evil or not at all God’s will. the preaching about heaven or has been substituted with other messages of how to make it in this world, how to excel in what you do and how to become a million. It is now’ give me the who;r world and add Jesus”, instead of the old” take the entire world and give me Jesus”. The messages from most pulpits has gradually made the christian to shift focus from the spiritual and lay on only the physical. Pastors have become very skill at giving sermons about how to prosper, but when it comes to heaven, they are at a loss on how to say it in order not to offend or make them too spiritual. yet the bible says, Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. It is misnomer for a congregation to be plunged into grief because they have lost a member to covid-19. To all believers for they have been redeemed. apostle paul puts it this way, concerning his life in the book of Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. In order words, if we are alive, we only live according to the will of the father and allow the Holy spirit to manifest in their lives, and if death comes as it would, someday then it is to the Christan gain. For then they will be with christ. Apostle paul explaining the here-after, in another passage in the book of 1 Corinthians 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. We can mourn, but not like the unbeliever who. have no hope.
The congregation of a church in Cleveland, Ohio, mourned the loss of one of their beloved ministers, who died at 46 after a two-month battle with the coronavirus.
Minister Gregory Clark Jr., who also worked as a Cuyahoga County Jail corrections officer, died early Tuesday morning after spending weeks to recover from the virus, his mother Annie Clark said. He has gone to rest from his labor and he is in a better place where there is no more sorrow or pain. So too, are those who died as Christians during this pandemic; their potion is the same. A life of bliss and eternal life with their saviour. Yet, those of us who are alive A virus may still be a long way to come, but our hope is not in some uncertain thing, but in our God who is the omnipotent is above and is bigger than any problem than may confront us.
Sapphire strokes 