It takes courage to care...

Parts of this song: It Takes Courage to Care have been going around in my mind lately.
                You can close your heart to others, and no heartaches you will share,
                For to sympathize brings sorrow are you afraid to really care.
                But just think what might have happened if the one on Calvary.
                Had been afraid to care for you and me.
          chorus:
                 It takes courage to care, it takes strength to sympathize.
                 It takes courage to show pity, yes it takes a man to cry.
                 There was One who walked before us up the hill to Calvary
                 He had courage to care for you and me.

                 You may build a shell around you until no one can get through
                  And your friends are only those who can do the best for you.
                  You may think this way is easy but the price you'll pay is high
                  For your letting out the best things in life.

   I don't what to close my heart to others...I want to care, to forgive, to follow Jesus example of walking in love daily.  Recently I've been reading the book of Ephesians and have been so blessed by it just to realize God's love for each one of us.
   In Ephesians 2:4 amplified version says "But God -so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us..."  God loved us so much even when we were dead in our sins, with all our failures, shortcomings, sin...yet, He loves us, forgives us and saves us by His grace that we don't deserve.
   It's nothing that we have done or can do to deserve this gift of salvation.  It's not a striving after it (nothing we can ever do will earn us this gift) but  a quiet surrender and acceptance of the gift God offers.  God has blessed me by just reminding me of what He has done for me and for all who accept His gift.  It's so beautiful!!!
    Surrender that is another thing God is teaching me, when things happen that are beyond my control, when people are hurting and I wish I could fix the problem,  when things are confusing...I just have to surrender and trust that God will work things out for His glory.
   These verses from Ephesians 3:14-21 are my prayer, for our church family, myself personally and anyone else who needs a special touch from God.
   " For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,   Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,   That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;   That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;   And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.   Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,   Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. "