Consider My Meditation by Mary Jane Q Cross

Mary Jane Q Cross' paintings always raise emotion and wonder for me.  Worship would be a word that seems to fit many of her paintings.  An awareness of the spiritual is present in her work.  Today's painting, titled "Consider My Meditation", is no exception.  Psalm 3:3 says, "But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head." KJV.   ESV says it this way -- "But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head." .  I've been pondering how Jesus gently lifts our head.  When you're talking to a child and they hang their head or hide their eyes either out of guilt or out of shy fear, you gently lift their chin until they can see the love in your eyes and want to look at you.  I think this is how the LORD Jesus is with us, taking our guilt, longing to look into our eyes and assure us of His love.  So many of Mary Jane's paintings have women and girls with their heads tipped up to Heaven and the light.  They have countenances that are cleansed and radiant, filled with joy and worship for their incomparable Lord. 

Consider My Meditation

Morning Mists rise all around

Lapping gently its watery sound

Against this vessel unafraid

Pushing along whom He has made

Again and tomorrow I’ll meditate

His finger writing on soul I wait

Directing this path quietly He bade

With hand held out, as timidly I wade

This water too deep to comfortably abide

Content I am to in His boat ride

Rest my soul and body breathe deep

Spirit be faithful until I sleep.

Copyright 2009

by  Mary Jane Q Cross

Two songs follow based on Psalm 3 Lifter of my Head  and A Shield About Me 

Mary Jane Q Cross - I have the perfect Lamb, Lord

We used to have a few sheep and I can't imagine how it would be to raise and then slaughter a Passover Lamb.  But I know that everything God gave under the old Covenant has meaning and symbolism in the new.  Jesus is our Passover Lamb and God gave up His beloved Son for us. I don't know all that Mary Jane had in mind when she wrote this poem, but I know that there are other times in our lives when God entrusts us with things or people and then asks us to give them up to Him. I love the expression on this little girl's face!  Her yielded, sober spirit.  May we always hold our best gifts up to the One who gave ALL for us!

    “I Have The Perfect Lamb Lord”

Yes Lord, I found the Perfect Lamb, born the other day

without defect, unblemished, perfect in every way

Let Him be mine for a Year Lord

Let Him be mine to love

I will care for and groom him before You

Until he flies like the dove

We’ll sit in the sun for hours

Laugh in the fields and play

Before You decide You need him

Please…      some long-day, forever away.

By  Mary Jane Q Cross BFH, ARCALM, IGOR    Copyright 2015

Mary Jane Q Cross -- Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil

This meaningful painting and the accompanying poem are important reminders to not let evil into our souls in any way. The poem would be a wonderful one to memorize! It reminds me of Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.|" 

 Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil

In the light, in the dark

Evil is the flammable spark.

Hear no tales whispered and nice,

with bitter bites small as lice.

Behold your ears take gently in,

Honesty, truth, as its kin.

Heart will settle and beat its best

when tickled ears have their rest

See no troubling forceful views

or memory plays its violent news.

Momentum builds and fear takes hold

inward fast, too soon, grow old.

Guard thy eyes, let dark depart

will protect the budding heart.

Speak not what's been heard in haste

salt to pepper its troubled taste.

Words that lead to hell and back

will leave behind a treacherous track.

Say only words sweet and clear

be sweet and right to every ear.

So, hear no evil, see no lie,

speak no evil, God”s pleasure will sigh.

By Mary Jane Q Cross

Mary Jane Q Cross - Endless Comfort

I love this painting by Mary Jane Q Cross - the light against the dark the varied textures - feather against leaf and the red blossoms against the green leaves.  And of course the dove representing the Spirit.

and her accompanying poem...

                 Endless Comfort

Unending Comfort is thankfully mine
Surrounded by branches and ruby Vine
Sealed within the Restrainers breast
We'll soon fly away, experiencing God's best
Content to be called by name so sweet
To the clouds we are summoned, Him to meet.

Sing Over Me by Mary Jane Q Cross

Again, sorry for the delay since the last painting.  Here's another lovely painting by Mary Jane Q Cross with two accompanying poems.
 

Sing Over Me

Enchantment indwells every thought
Of how my smallish soul was bought.

Over me I hear You sing;
On sweet clear notes I surely cling.

Your songs, today, wash over me
To lift my head and bend my knee.

Worship to Thee is sweet and clear;
It's tribute music to Your ear.

Pierce morning's air with veery(2) voice--
Wings unseen but rich and choice.

Encouragement, love, doing well,
I hear from where Thee surely dwell.

It is Your thrill to call to me,
Announcing, proclaiming victory.

I hear the bell, distant, sincere,
With face to You, with open ear.

If You sing over me and keep me fast,
You hold my rapture first to last.

Receive my face this moment alone,
Echoing strains of my King's home.

So sing over me, I listen deep,
Knowing, my Sovereign, this spirit You keep.

Notes from Thee, songs over me,
Benediction's refrain...as you sing over me.

2. A veery is a bird here in the Northeast that has a stunning sound, but you will rarely see it, and never when it sings.  When I hear its wondrous sound in the night or early morning, I feel quite privileged.  It is a sound from what might be, perhaps, early creation that soothes the soul like no ohter sound.  Surely a symphony in a moment.

This picture is also with "He is Risen" in her book, Poems of a Painter, Paintings of a Prayer. 

                            He is Risen

Soul: 

He is risen!  My existence in a moment changed,
Time ever ahead, endlessly re-arranged.

Imperishable truth I, here, do own
From folded cloth and rolled away stone.

This glorious sunrise I awake, am free,
Glimpsing deathless, immortal eternity.

Soul alive this day, pleased to see
All my God intended I be.

Selah.

Did you sing over us, as you effortlessly arose,
drawing all to Thee, and to our soul's repose?

You might find this close-up of the top right of the painting interesting as you can see the finger prints Mary Jane used as she painted the background.