What do you for someone who has stood with you through your joys and sorrows for the last 19 years ? At the end of 1998, I had to answer that question . I was driving in my car one day and listening to the radio. For a moment, a song captured my attention. It was a love ballad from a wife singing to her husband of many years. She was singing "We still have each other after all these years". I was immediately captivated with the song. For a change, it was something positive, a strong and lasting marriage where the bond of love remains "after all these years". I was pleasantly surprised to hear this song on the radio.

While I was admiring the beauty of that song, The Holy Spirit whispered something into my heart, saying "Do you know I have been faithful to your home church for the last 19 years ?". What a revelation I got that day from the Holy Spirit. My heart was full of praise for God because of His faithfulness to His church all through the 19 years. God reminded me of our early days again, of how we were so poor we had to sit on the floor. 19 years later, the church has grown big and owns a 7 million building fully paid. God reminded me all these were by His grace. I decided there and then that I will capture these thoughts into a song.

It was several months after this encounter with God that I got the inspiration to write the song. While choosing the title for the song, my mind went back to 1981 when Full Gospel Tabernacle (FGT) was birthed with 30 people. At that time, our Senior Pastor had a baby girl whom he named Grace Eu. She was the first baby in the church. Her name is prophetic of God's grace and faithfulness to His church all through the years. Incidentally when she was a very young girl, she almost drowned at one of our church camps at Port Dickson. But God's grace abounds and she was saved just on time. Today, Grace is 20 years old. She's here by Grace.

For this reason, I have entitled the song "We're Here by Grace" to remind all of us of God's grace on our lives. Indeed we live only by His grace. This song was taught to FGT for our 19th church anniversary in 1999.

WE'RE HERE BY GRACE
Lyrics and music : Wah Lok 1998

We're here by grace
You've been a faithful God all through these years
It is by Your grace, we stand
Guided by your hand
Your love and faithfulness never end

We're here by grace
Your light's been burning brightly through these years
And the faith You've put within us
Grows stronger day by day
Your love and faithfulness never end

Chorus:-
You're a faithful God
Faithful to Your Word/Church
For great is Your mercy
Great is Your kindness
Great is Your love and faithfulness
For we stand amazed, Great is Your faithfulness.

We're here by grace
You chose to pour Your Spirit in this place
And we ask of You to extend
Your grace upon our land
Pour Your Spirit down across our land.

Bridge.
There were times we felt we were so weak
When all our dreams just crumbled at our feet
But we knelt down to pray, Knowing You would be there
Faithful to the very end.......to the end......

© 1998 Wah Lok

"WE'RE HERE BY GRACE" is recorded in my debut album entitled "Every Time I Pray" and can be downloaded free from my website (www.tabernaclemusic.net) Also available free for downloads are 5 other songs, including some of my best worship songs, "Every Time I Pray", "Approved in Every Way" and Flow Holy Spirit'. The lyrics of the songs with chords and many articles on worship, music and songwriting are also available free.