[253]. A Message From A Poem – The Artist And The Gypsy Girl

[253]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE ARTIST AND THE GYPSY GIRL

Created faithfully from a tract of the same name. It was around 1998 that I came to have a gospel tract called “The Artist and the Gypsy Girl” and I was quite impressed by it. I wanted to convert the tract to a poem but maintaining the exact facts of the tract.

It is a lovely story and a long time ago I searched all over to find that painting. I had no success and just in the past few days I searched the internet again and could not find any reference to this Stenberg. There are a couple of Russian brothers, painters, that come up in a search but it is not them.

However there are quite a lot of places where you can now read that tract online and here are 4 of them.

Sanford Bible Church has reproduced that tract. You can read it there. https://www.sanfordbiblechurch.org/GoodNews_artist.html

And also here from Ministries World Wide - https://ministriesworldwide.net/the-artist-and-the-gypsy-girl/

Also on an Indian site - https://nayabimarsha.com/?p=673

And from Bible Truth Publishers - https://bibletruthpublishers.com/the-artist-and-the-gypsy-girl/echoes-of-grace-1984/la96125

There are many more sites with this story, including the story on SermonCentral.

We have a yearly Easter Convention for all over North Queensland with two really gifted, godly speakers. The man who does all the sound for the Convention is not a Christian yet he sits in the meetings and hears the gospel. That is like an artist who might be commissioned to do a “religious” painting such as Stenburg was, yet not believe what he paints or is non-committal about it.

Well, he was that way but the Spirit of God reached out to him. {{Acts 4:12 “and there is SALVATION IN NO ONE ELSE, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.”}}

If you have never heard this story before I hope you enjoy it.

Two lines from the poem –

Salvation came to Stenburg - and his plea?

“He loved me and Himself, He gave for me.”

That was Stenburg’s turning point. {{1 John 4:19 “We love, because He first loved us.”}}

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THE ARTIST AND THE GYPSY GIRL

In Dusseldorf an artist had been hired,

And asked to paint the crucifixion scene.

He had no love for Christ or Christian things,

But only for the contract fee was keen.

This Stenburg craved for fame and glory’s glow

When all this happened many years ago.

=========================

One morning, day had dawned delightfully,

And Stenburg took a forest walk near home.

His artist’s eye watched out for features there -

The hues and textures artists’ eyes should comb.

While on that walk, a gypsy girl he saw,

And watched her plait her baskets out of straw.

=========================

Impressive was the beauty of that lass,

And Stenburg bargained for her posing time.

As model for a Spanish dancing girl,

Pepita posed thrice weekly and did shine.

Always at the appointed hour she came.

Impressive wonders set her eyes aflame.

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The studio held fascinations real,

But one above all others caught her eye.

“The Crucifixion” held her gaze with awe,

And why it was that this One had to die.

“Now who is this and what is being done?

And whose are those bad faces ‘round that One?”

=========================

The answer she received, for her, was new.

“That One is being crucified,” she heard.

“But no more talk and stand as I have said!”

Pepita dared not speak another word.

But every time into that room she came,

That picture’s fascination stayed the same.

=========================

Once more she plucked the courage up to ask

About the scene’s depiction she observed.

She asked why that One should be crucified;

If He was bad, or from the good had swerved.

“No, He’s not bad. In fact, He’s very good.”

And that was all she learned and understood.

=========================

Her curiosity continued long.

Pepita now desired more facts clear.

“Now listen, I will tell you once for all

About this One in paint depicted here.”

So Stenburg there recounted on that day -

The story of the cross, before her laid.

=========================

Pepita’s tears rolled freely down her face.

That story she had never heard before.

But Stenburg’s unconverted heart was cold;

God’s mercy he did long ago ignore.

The gifted artist drew Christ’s dying pain,

But from it, derived no eternal gain.

=========================

Pepita’s final visit soon arrived,

And then her contract fee was given her.

She stood in Stenburg’s studio so still,

Quite loathe to leave the painting where they were.

She thanked the master for his gift of gold,

Then turned to him and made this statement bold:-

=========================

“Now you must love Him greatly, do you not

When He has done all that for you in love?”

The master could not answer her one word.

That verbal arrow pierced him from above.

“All that for you!” kept ringing in his ears.

God’s Spirit made the gypsy's words sharp spears.

=========================

Conviction overtook his soul through that.

It caused great sadness and a restlessness.

He came to see that Christ hung there for him;

For all his sin and utter helplessness.

Salvation came to Stenburg - and his plea?

“He loved me and Himself, He gave for me.”

=========================

This message that had gripped his soul in love,

Could not be silenced or remain untold.

Much thought he gave to how it could find wings,

And make its home with those it would enfold.

That wondrous love to all men must be shown,

But how could he, an artist, make it known?

=========================

His brush would tell God’s sacrificial love.

Each stroke would speak those mighty words of hope.

He painted with a zeal from God right then,

And canvassed all Christ’s love, so wide its scope.

Then underneath, the words, “All this for thee

I did. What hast thou, viewer, done for Me?”

=========================

This painting soon was hung in Dusseldorf

With others in that famous gallery.

One day as Stenburg went to view his work,

He saw a lass there weeping bitterly.

Before his painting all undone she cried.

Just there, the artist to her, drew aside.

=========================

Pepita was the one who wept that day.

“Oh master! If He had but loved me so!”

This was her need, her soul’s sincere desire.

Stenburg explained the love she too, could know.

He answered all her questions now this time

With earnestness, to cause the truth to shine.

=========================

And so it did; redeeming light claimed her.

A child of God, through faith in Christ, became.

She saw He loved her even unto death,

Then everything surrendered to His Name.

Pepita found at last the peace she sought;

The Saviour’s blood had her redemption bought.

=========================

Now, reader too, salvation can be yours.

Then, with Pepita, share redeeming love.

Christ loved you so, therefore for you He died,

And that is why He came from heav’n above.

Oh, sinner lost, all this He did for you.

Then what for Him, do you intend to do?

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August 1998 & March 1999 Ronald E Ferguson 10-10-10-10-10-10