What can we ever give in return?
For hitherto had the Lord helped us,
And in gratitude our hearts do burn,
Leaving us not in any peace thus!
A time there was when we had no form
Nor the Lord’s Glory could we discern,
But the Lord to His Love did conform
To see we don’t in that state remain.
After giving us a home to dwell
The Lord did not thereby end His Grace,
But even to earth followed our trail
And at no time hid from us His Face.
On earth we were held captive by sin
Which threatened to take away our life,
But the good Lord had to intervene
To ensure we faced not death or strife.
Notwithstanding what the Lord had done
To keep us safe from all earthly cares,
We stubbornly into them still run,
Causing ourselves unnecessary stress.
But the Lord’s patience runs never out,
Nor concerning His Word is He slack…
That unless we have in us some doubt
Will there be anything we may lack.
So easy has life been made for us
By the good Lord in His Love and Grace,
Who for our welfare gave us His Laws
Which we disregard and much transgress.
How wretched we stand before the Lord
Who loads us daily with every gift,
And Whom in no way can we reward,
But from Whose Glory we ever drift.
The gratitude that we owe our Lord
Is that we help all who come our way;
That our lives should with His Will accord,
And we lead not anyone astray.
Let us gratefully then our lives resign
To the Lord Who has ever helped us,
And let’s pray He grants us strength Divine
To do just those things that He implores.
– Victor Emmanuel Uwah, Poems From Without, 1997
