When I was a child, my sister unexpectedly passed away like the wind.
My young mind was forcefully taught to grasp that life is but a breath.
Even at a young age, I learned to lament the futility of life, the life without the hope from above that is.
However, my eyes were still not gazing into Heaven. Instead, they were occupied with earthly things; each day was easily consumed by a busy schedule full of issues waiting for my attention.
Without someone tapping on our shoulders, our souls are occupied with earthly things, and we can easily find ourselves looking towards the ground. To break free from earthly things, we need fellowships and someone to direct our attention to what is above.
As a pastor, it is one of my missions to steer your eyes so that you can look up to the things in Heaven. There are many who do not realize that Heaven above gives meaning and values to life on earth. Earth cannot be without Heaven. Earth is only complete with Heaven.
Death is the same as well. For someone near death, death would be like the very edge of a cliff without the hope of Heaven. Even Christians need constant reminders that there is life after death. As a pastor, I need to teach, prepare, and divert your attention to the world that God wants us to know. Thus, I will talk more often about it— please don't think of it too weirdly ^^. I pray that our congregation encourages each other to keep our eyes on Heaven always.
Following the Shepherd
Pastor Jiwon Choi