Poems

Poem: # 1

"Overshadowed by the Cross"

Painting by Steve Seropian, 2009

"Overshadowed by the Cross"

"A Psalm of Mary"

Written by Robert L. Brannon, 2009

The words of Gabriel were very clear,

His name is Jesus, salvation’s near.

A light to Gentiles, that is He,

To Israel, Glory and Jubilee.

I look down and see Him in the crèche,

The Baby whom angels call, “God-in-the-Flesh”.

And I am sure their words are true,

A Savior’s born to make us new.

In Bethlehem is born this King,

The angels and all heaven sing.

And here I am, a mother-girl,

Watching prophecies unfurl.

My heart is a treasure-trove of awe,

As I watch my Jesus in the straw.

Then I lift Him from His manger low,

And count His fingers, and His toes.

As I lift Him up so very high,

The star of glory shines from the sky.

His body straight, His arms extend,

His shadow falls upon the pen.

Alas, what does His shadow cast,

This Babe in arms that I hold fast?

My soul is pierced! Oh, is all lost?

His shadow forms a Roman cross!

I cringe to think of death at birth,

Yet Jesus smiles in holy mirth.

Yes, Jesus has a destiny,

To pay sin’s price for you and me.

They’ll pierce You, Jesus, in the end,

You’ll pay our penalty for sin.

And how I love you, Savior-King!

Salvation’s song, I now can sing!

Background behind this Poem and Painting

Once the Christmas season comes around each year, I like to choose a different part of the Christmas story to personally meditate on in order to worship Christ for His incarnation. Some years it has been a meditation of the passages of Scriptures pertaining to the star, the wise men, the shepherds, etc... But this year (2009), I have been captivated by the way that Galatians 6:14 relates to Christmas and the incarnation of Christ. Galatians 6:14 says, "But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." For the apostle Paul (with his many amazing accomplishments), only one thing really mattered to him - the Cross. To him, all other accomplishments were considered as rubbish in comparison. This verse of Scripture has been such a sweet rebuke to me over the past several months. I too only have one thing to boast in...not ministry, not family, not accomplishments...but rather...the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The angel said of Jesus, "You shall call His name Jesus (salvation), for He will save His people from their sins." (Matt.1:21) He came to save us from our sins...ON THE CROSS. All the prophecies, the birth, life and death of Christ were all about glorifying God by redeeming Adam's helpless race...on the Cross! Jesus' purpose and mission in life was to "set His face toward Jerusalem" to pay the penalty of our sins...on the Cross. While walking on the mountain the other day and meditating on these truths about the incarnation and the Cross of Christ, an image came to my mind of the bright star shining behind Mary and Jesus as she lifted Him from the manger...and then something surprising happened before Mary's eyes and in her heart! (see artwork above). I explained this image to my friend, Steve Seropian, an artist and a fellow member of Rocky Mountain Bible Church here in Utah. Steve drew this image, and I wrote a poem to go with it. I hope that you are inspired, by the artwork and the poem, to bask in the Shadow of the Cross this Christmas Season...and throughout the entire year! - Rob Brannon, 2009

Comments from You about this Poem and Painting:

"Talk about Contrast! An innocent little new born baby casting a shadow of his brutal destiny. It puts alot of perspective in Jesus' sacrifice for us!" from Paul, Birmingham, Alabama

"Thank you for the poem and painting. Did you know that you can sing the words to your poem to the tune of "Away in a Manger"?" from Chuck, Birmingham, Alabama

"Great poem. Nice picture. Very inspiring." from Jay, Ontario, Canada

“The art and poem are a blessing and very perceptive. GLORIA in EXCELSIS DEO!!!!!! We stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD! May favor rest upon You brothers and sisters in Utah for God's glory and kingdom!” (Habakkuk 3:1-4) from Sandy, Rock Eagle, Tennessee

"Wow! Loved the poem and the painting." from Cindy, Brigham City, Utah

"Cool, thought-provoking imagery! Keep up the great work!" from Steve, Atlanta, Georgia

"Oh, my…thank you for this. May I share this with others?" from Herb, Washington, D.C. (Yes, Herb you certainly may. The free downloads are below).

* Free Downloads of Poem and Painting:

Resource	File Type	Click to download
Poem Lyrics	Word
Poem Lyrics	PDF
Painting	JPEG	Medium Resolution
Painting	JPEG	High Resolution
Poem & Painting	PDF
* You are welcome to download both the poem and the painting for your personal or ministry use. However, no alternations or commercial use is permitted without authorization from the author.