Mosaic of Grace

The other day friend of mine shared the lyrics of a song she loved as a child growing up in the 70’s. The song was written and performed by an obscure singer by the name Mike Johnson. This song was the title track of the only album he released. I believe the album came out in 1970 or 71 and sadly, it seems, can no longer be found. My friend hopes to find the one she listened to as a little girl.                                                 Though i myself have never heard the song, the words alone were enough to move me to tears. Whether you are an artist or not, i believe you can appreciate the beauty and the emotion of this work. Read it for yourself and see:                                                                                                                           The Artist

The Artist paints a landscape,
filled with trees and mountains,
colors of joy all around.
Sheep and deer and lions living together,
two children playing on the ground.

The vandal hammers in,
crosses out the picture,
blood red paint dripping down;
he hands the children brushes
and he calls the paint wisdom,
they spread the colors all around.
Blood and paint mingle,
the colors run together;
you can’t tell art from happenstance.
The children are crying and they know they must be dying –
who will give them another chance?

The Artist paints a city,
scenery’s still pretty,
children and babies play;
the painting has been marred
and the edges have been charred,
but there’s beauty in youth anyway.

The vandal hammers in,
crosses out the picture,
blood red paint dripping down;
he hands the children brushes
and he calls the paint wisdom,
they spread the colors all around.
Blood and paint mingle,
the colors run together;
you can’t tell art from happenstance.
The children are crying and they know they must be dying –
who will give them another chance?

The Artist paints a manger,
the birth of a baby,
and puts his brushes away;
he steps into the picture
and he touches his creations
and he lives with them day by day.
A hillside has been painted
where a cross is standing
on which the Artist dies;
the vandal is leering
from behind the jeering
of a thousand painted eyes.

To the horror of the vandal,
the Artist is standing,
brushes and palette in his hand;
he erases the vandal
and all who believe him –
paints the beauty of a thousand lands.
He touches the children,
every face is smiling,
then he steps inside,
with the kiss of his lips and the touch of his breath
the children in the painting come alive!

The Artist paints a landscape,
filled with trees and mountains,
colors of joy all around.
Sheep and deer and lions living together,
children are playing on the ground.
He touches the children,
every face is smiling,
then he steps inside;
with the kiss of his lips
and the touch of his breath,
the children in the painting come alive.