"We all like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."
Isaiah 53:6

"I am the only one to blame for this
Somehow it all ends up the same
Soaring on the wings of selfish pride
I flew too high and like Icarus I collide
With a world I try so hard to leave behind
To rid myself of all but love
to give and die

To turn away and not become
Another nail to pierce the skin of one who loves
more deeply than the oceans,
more abundant than the tears
Of a world embracing every heartache

Can I be the one to sacrifice
Or grip the spear and watch the blood and water flow

To love you - take my world apart
To need you - I am on my knees
To love you - take my world apart
To need you - broken on my knees

All said and done I stand alone
Amongst remains of a life I should not own
It takes all I am to believe
In the mercy that covers me

Did you really have to die for me?
All I am for all you are
Because what I need and what I believe are worlds apart

I look beyond the empty cross
forgetting what my life has cost
and wipe away the crimson stains
and dull the nails that still remain
More and more I need you now,
I owe you more each passing hour
the battle between grace and pride
I gave up not so long ago
So steal my heart and take the pain
and wash the feet and cleanse my pride
take the selfish, take the weak,
and all the things I cannot hide
take the beauty, take my tears
the sin-soaked heart and make it yours
take my world all apart
take it now, take it now
and serve the ones that I despise
speak the words I can't deny
watch the world I used to love
fall to dust and thrown away
I look beyond the empty cross
forgetting what my life has cost
so wipe away the crimson stains
and dull the nails that still remain
so steal my heart and take the pain
take the selfish, take the weak
and all the things I cannot hide
take the beauty, take my tears
take my world apart, take my world apart
I pray, I pray, I pray
take my world apart."
Jars of Clay

"You know what the most beautiful part of the story of grace is to me? We can't mess it up again. In the garden we had a perfect relationship with God, and we screwed it up. But, this time when our groom came to buy us back, he made sure he didn't lose us. It can't be undone! Nothing makes it void- because it was not left in our hands, but His instead." Lori Pittman

It is when I sit back in silence and reflect that I realize how far I fall short, and how desperately I need God's grace. I lack trust in the Holy, Powerful, All-knowing God. Soaring on the wings of selfish pride, I fly too high, and like Icarus I collide.... it takes all I am to believe, in the mercy that covers me. Praise God for that mercy!! "He poured out his life (Isaiah 53:12)" so that I could be covered in mercy. Yet, so often, I forget what that costs. I am still amidst the battle between grace and pride. May He take my world apart, my beauty and tears, pain and selfishness, weakness, the tears... this sin soaked heart... cleanse my pride... and build it back up into a vessel that will glorify Him.