Love is a voice that is gentle and kind,
A promise given, and kept;
Love is a hand reaching out at a time,
Akin to when Jesus wept.

Love is compassion and practical care,
Married with caring and ease;
Love is, at times, just being there;
And at other times, shown on your knees.

Love is a gift, that the Spirit has given,
A gift that must be received;
A passion to care, that is Spirit driven,
That will, and has, fears relieved.

Love is a fruit, of our God above,
Which we cannot imitate;
But we’ll receive power, to live out this love,
If only on Him we will wait.

Love is not kept, it is given away,
And in giving, the more it grows;
It shines like a mirror, growing brighter each day,
And Christ is the image it shows.

Love is a seed that begets much fruit :-
Patience and hope and peace,
Gentleness, faithfulness, self-control;
Kindness and joy that won’t cease.

Love is the essence and substance of God,
Shared, through His people, abroad;
A hand reaching out, a tear that is shed,
For the honour and love of our Lord.

Love is not forced and it cannot be bought,
It cannot be faked, nor pretend;
In love God created the whole world from naught,
And His love will suffice to the end.

When God’s love is shown through one of His kin,
It marks them and claims them as such;
For He has loved us and forgiven our sin,
And requires we love others this much.

For this is the way His disciples are known,
Not their clothes, nor the Scriptures they quote;
But the love for each other they daily have shown,
God’s love, worn by them, like a coat.

God’s love’s like a magnet, that draws people in
To the Kingdom, that He holds in store;
His love will convict, not condemn us of sin,
And whatever we need, He gives more.

Thank God for the people who show out His love,
Thank God for the people who care,
Who draw on the Spirit of our Father above,
And willingly, of His love, share.

© Ailsa Yates 1/6/01