Umbrella Street

 

   The first glimpse of Umbrella Street brought a smile to my face -- how could it not?!  This whimsical, colorful work of art suspended above the street is delightful!

    My husband and I visited Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic last month and joined the many tourists walking down this unique street.  I remembered a song I've sung in church that is taken from Psalm 121, "The Lord is your shade at your right hand.  The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night," verses 5-6.

     Although these umbrellas are too high above and spread too far apart to provide much shade or protection from the rain, they still offer some shade and protection.  And - their purpose goes beyond shade and protection, into bringing joy to those who see them.

     

      Once again, I think of our Lord Who, not only offers us both shade and protection, but joy as well.  We know He is our shade, but we also find protection when we abide in Him:  "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust,'" Psalm 91:1-2.

      Our Lord also promises us joy in His presence: "You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy," Psalm 16:11, and Jesus said, "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and your joy may be full," John 15:11.

      I love that God offers us spiritual messages in the world around us if we will just see them and recognize them as gifts from our loving Father. to remind us, "I am with you always," Matthew 28:20.

Christ Our Redeemer

    If you look carefully, you'll see what looks like a cross at the top of the 2,624 feet Isabel de Torres Hill in the Dominican Republic.  Actually, it's a 98 feet statue of Christ the Redeemer with His arms outstretched (a whopping 92 feet stretch).

        My husband and I recently visited the island and enjoyed a trip up the mountain.  Views from the top of the hill - and from the vantage point of the statue of Jesus reveal the sprawling city of Puerto Plata - and beyond.  I wonder what the living Jesus sees as He looks out over this view?

    As I view the scene, everything is so tiny - buildings look like white dots on a page and the massive ship we're cruising on (a bigger white dot in the top middle) looks like a hyphen.  

    And, what does the living Jesus see as He looks at this scene?  He sees every single person and knows the joys and sorrows being felt by everyone of those souls.  He knows their past from before conception and He knows their future into eternity.  He holds their every breath within His hands.  His heart of love seeks a relationship with each and every one of those hundreds of thousands of people somewhere deep in this picture.  How amazing is that!!

    Scripture tells us, "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good," Proverbs 15:3.

     "'Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?' says the Lord; 'Do I not fill heaven and earth?' says the Lord," Jeremiah 23:24.

     "O Lord, You have searched me and known me, You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.  You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways...Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it," Psalm 139:1-3, 6.

    It is said that the population of this earth on which we reside is over 8 billion people.  I can't even comprehend that number which, by the way, changes each second with births and deaths happening at an astounding rate.  But -- THE almighty God, Creator and Sustainer of it all, knows every heartbeat intimately.  He sees every thought and He loves every person with an everlasting love.  That's another thing I can't comprehend -- it's far too large and grand for my finite mind to even imagine.

    How infinitely thankful I am that this Great God is my loving Father, my sweet Redeemer, and my indwelling Holy Spirit!  I am one of those 8 billion plus souls that He knows intimately and loves fully.  

     You too are one of those 8 billion plus souls -- have you asked this Great God to be your Redeemer?  He invites you to accept His gift of life through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and to become His beloved child.  This too, is beyond our comprehension, but praise God, it's an absolute truth.

     "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us," Romans 5:8.

     In Isaiah 55:8-9, we're told, "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the LORD. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.'"