Edited copy.
Wole Omiyale, a Great General in the Lord's army. Not a life who came in contact with you, you did not impart in Christ!
Interestingly, everyone I have come across speaking about you seemed to have either seen you, or spoken with you on your last few days on the earth and mostly last Sunday in Church.
Only a few days before your translation to glory, June 30, 2019 to be precise, at a very low point in my life, you encouraged me, sharing Isaiah 41:10 with me.
Wole, Is 41:10 is now become my mantra - (AMPC version) Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice.
I saw you at your lying-in-state, as you laid sleeping peacefully, hoping those eyes will suddenly pop open as myself and Sister Abisola worshipped and prayed. But rather than your eyes opening, I became peaceful and became settled in my spirit and assured that you were now with our Father in the beauty of His Holiness.
Wole, your service to the Lord was impeccable. While you were Prayer Squad, Head of Department, you never missed a meeting, your exhortations were extra-ordinary that many of us recorded them to listen to again. You taught me leadership from another perspective. You demonstrated true service.
I remember the day I witnessed an incident I expected you to react in disappointment but to my surprise you reacted contrary to my expectations, that I called you later that evening to express my disappointment on how you would be quiet and deal with the incident the way you did, and Wole, you taught me about the gift of love in Leadership. Wole, indeed you became to me an unconscious mentor.
You were a true Leader!
You were selfless, always available and always had a scripture to share, a book to recommend and ever ready to agree in prayer.
Wole, words fail me to express how you stood with me, when the earth seem to have been removed from under my feet, and a great gulf was about to swallow me, you open your arms, your family open it's arms and received me, encouraged me and treated me as one of yours.
Wole, the many times you opened my eyes to the Old Testament scriptures, mentioning unfamiliar names and events, and you shared revelations only God could have revealed to you.
I remembered the day I ran through the books on your shelves and saw classical spiritual books, cassettes and CDs and DVDs, even VHS cassettes, I perhaps may never have encountered but by your bringing me close to you.
How you even helped me in buying some of the books which we could only even find using the ISBN, Wole, how could I have even known that was possible.
You were a man of faith, courage, boldness and resolute in your decisions. You made decisions and were too sure of your decisions, sometimes I was cautious, but after repeated witnessing the outcomes of those decisions, I became confident in following your lead.
I remember you seating in your car many a time before prayer meetings and I wondered what you always did in the car, and I was truly astonished when you opened up to me saying you always waited on God to tell you what to exhort us with, and you never left the car or exhorted us until God spoke with you, no wonder your exhortations were Prophetic with great understanding.
Indeed Wole, you became a friend that sticketh closer than a Brother!
As Pastor Nathaniel said yesterday - did we have faith, yes we did, did we pray, yes we did, did we expect a miracle, yes we did, but did you return, no you didn't, but we are now confident God was involved in your going home. Truly in his words, you were a gentle lion. Gentle on the outside but a roaring spiritual lion on the inside.
Wole, I am confident that the seeds you have sown in the lives of everyone you came in contact with, including myself will produce abundant rewards in the life of your lovely wife and lives of those lovely and most God-fearing Teenage children of yours.
Sis Lanre, truly was ministering to us the times we visited her. Wole, you truly raised a wife who though thinks she is not strong enough now, but who is now open to do awesome wonders on the harvest field.
Wole, indeed we are confident of meeting again, and as your wife said today at your funeral service, we shall strive even harder in our service so we could be neighbours on that mansion you have secured through your works on the earth which has followed you into eternity.
I could imagine the guard of honour and the great trumpets blowing on your arrival in Heaven and God saying to you, my Son, your people are praying for you to return, and you saying to God, Father, who sees such glory and returns to the earth, please, I am staying here.
Good bye for now Wole, I vow to do all that is now required of me to have a mansion as yours in Heaven, by my works on this earth.
Rest in Peace now my Brother!
Wole Omiyale, I am confident it is not over, as there shall be another reunion in glory!!