Love is a Gift but It's not Free

This is a song I wrote for an offertory during worship in late March. It came out of a season where, as a community, we were dwelling on the immense cost of real relationship, what the overused-misunderstood word "love" means and what was spent for God to "love" us through his son. Most of our relationships are surface. Unfortunately, even some of our relationships that are supposed to be our closest, relationships we think are deep, can remain somewhat surface for our whole life. To really know someone, to see their true beauty and their irreparably deep brokennes, to accept them even when they cannot love you well in return or even when to love them is to endure pain, this is completely amazing. It is almost nonexistent among humanity (although we get glimpses of it from time to time) but this is what the word "love" means. This kind of love can never be earned, it must only be received but it is never free. It comes at immense cost to the giver. I recorded this in my office last month.

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Love is a Gift but It's not Free       (listen/download)      (chord chart)

Love is a gift, but it's not free. Love gives and gives until it bleeds. Love doesn't try to even keep it's dignity, Love is a gift, but it's not free.

Love is so simple, but it's not easy. Love is forgiveness before apology. Love, bruised and beaten, moves toward its enemy. Love is so simple, but it's not easy.

Love, I need you. Love, desperately. Love, I cannot reach you. Love, come for me.

Love is so gentle but its not weak, Love crushed the head of Depravity. Love marches steadfast in the flood of entropy. Love is so gentle but its not weak.

Love, I need you. Love, desperately. Love, I cannot reach you. Love, come for me.

Love is a savior, Christ Jesus my King. Love took my judgment on the tree. Love traded splendor for my vulgarity. Love is a savior, Jesus my King

Love, I need you. Love, desperately. Love, I cannot reach you. Love, come for me.