God is so good to me. Last night I had practice so I rushed home after my last class, wolfed down some food (almost giving myself indigestion) and sped to the church. Before we started practicing Barak started talking about how we cannot earn God's love, nor earn his punishment. We always think we somehow earn these things by our actions when in reality The Cross has done away with that. God chooses to be reckless with his mercy, but most of the time we insist on living under the law rather than under grace. (Romans, in the Bible, tells us how it works in chapters 6-8 very clearly.) I was listening very intently and almost in tears because of what has been going on in my mind and heart (I wrote a little of it in my last post). He said he has talked to so many people this last week who are struggling with this and just cannot seem to get the concept of God's reckless mercy. One person he mentioned without using their name, but it became aparant that he was talking about this friend of mine. God is so gracious to me to bring me peace and set me on the right path. My mind had been tormented by those thoughts. My prayer is that my friend will be able to recieve God's mercy and find healing. None of us are perfect but, "...the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2) . We need to relax a little more in God's grace and mercy and not be so uptight. We have been given life after all! I would encourage you if you are struggling with sin, and guilt, and failure, which in all honesty we all struggle with, read Romans chapters 6-8 and see if God will lighten your load again!

"The Cross has spoken Mercy over me." (from "beautiful one" -By The Tree)