“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb ² down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. ³ No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. ⁴ They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. ⁵ There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 22:1-5)

 

Dear Church Family,

I am Pastor Sophia. Let me ask you a simple question:

Do you want to go to heaven?

I hope your answer is, “YES!”

But have you ever stopped to ask yourself, “Why do I want to go to heaven?”

Of course, heaven is beautiful. There is no more pain, no more sorrow, and no more death. Also, we can have a beautiful reunion with our lovely one who went there first. But more than anything, I think we long for heaven because we long to be fully in the presence of God.

Revelation 22 gives us a beautiful picture: the river of the water of life flowing from the throne of God, bright as crystal, with the tree of life beside it.

This week, I invite you to pause for a moment and imagine that scene.

Imagine yourself beside that river.

The water is clear and peaceful. That water touches you gently. Let your worries, fears, and burdens rest beside the river for a moment.

Just you, the river, the tree of life, and the presence of God.

As you breathe, simply say:

“God, I am here. You are here.”

What a beautiful promise: one day, we will experience God’s presence in its fullness.

But until that day, we can still catch glimpses of heaven here on earth—in prayer, worship, scripture meditation, generosity for God’s mission, fellowship, service for others.

Maybe that is one reason God has given us the church: so that together we can experience a little taste of heaven and share that taste with others.

So this week, take a moment to breathe, remember God’s presence, and ask yourself:

“What can I make my day a better day, as I share God’s grace with someone else?”

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we reflect together on God’s promise of life, hope, and heaven.

Until then, may God’s river of grace refresh your spirit, mind, and body.

Oh, if you find yourself beside a river this week, don’t forget to stop and enjoy it.

I love you all in Christ.

Sophia (Seung Hae) Yoo-Hess