As The Hour Draws Near

[Rick Horne]
Our next selection finds us moving through the corridors of a local hospital
As we enter into Room 168, we encounter Mr. Smith who is moments away from death
Let's listen in on his inner monologue:

[Hook 1: Evangel]
As the hour draws near to take my last breath
I'm not quite sure how much time I have left
I'm walking the path of all the strugglers who died
And I'm in fear of what awaits me on the other side
As the hour draws near to take my last breath
I'm not quite sure how much time I have left
I'm walking the path of all the strugglers who died
And I'm in fear of what awaits me

[Verse 1: Evangel]
Who knew that I'd be shook up
As I look up to the heavens and see it's near with I.V.s hooked up?
Like secrets it was nice to be kept by Christ
Now every night's a deep sweat from a life of regrets
The thrill is gone - was faith real? Not fake like silicon?
Frontin like it's "Ok" like Lil' Jon - was spilling sobs
My will was drawn to this common façade
Lord, now I repent for each dent in Your armor of God
Knowing this: it's Your name that we defraud
Without holiness, no one shall see the Lord
My heart I can't mask from You - don't wanna be a part of Your massacre
Please don't stop my cardiovascular
I hope I repped C-H-R-I-S-T
And sported Him so good I could win an Espy like Wayne Gretsky
Lord put my heart at ease, please before I decrease my BP
And they're saying "Clear! I need Cc's!
I think I'm losing him!" Because I'm bruised from sin within
And don't think I'll see Your New Jerusalem
You're just, Lord - I need to be assured
I'm unsure and insecure that where sin abounds Your grace did much more
I need to get confidence believing Your promises
Of Jesus' accomplishments, not help from the drug store
Because mostly my reputation was count the world as defecation
Yet I proceed with trepidation
Sin was strong and my deadliest foe
Steady wrong - am I ready to go?
I pray to God because it's hard to accept - my heart's heavy, you know
I'm not sure if I'm ready to go
Although You had promised I would live again
For believing in Jesus I'm forgiven yet I'm shivering from hidden sin
Because in the back of my mind, I knew I struggled as my past time
Now I'm scared to… flatline

[Rick Horne]
Next, we move down the hall to the Cancer Wing, Room 197, the room of Mr. Jones
His situation is very similar to Mr. Smith's
Let's listen in:

[Hook 2: Ant]
As the hour draws near to take my last breath
I'm not quite sure how much time I have left
I'm walking the path of all my brothers who died
And I'm prepared for what awaits me on the other side
As the hour draws near to take my last breath
I'm not quite sure how much time I have left
I'm walking the path of all my brothers who died
And I'm prepared for what awaits me

[Verse 2: Ant]
Life was quick, but these last breaths seem the longest
I'm on the brink of entering everything that You promised
My heart skips thinking of what I'll be in a moment
This joy is undeniably precious fruit of atonement
I cry tears of happiness 'cause looking back
I see the track that You sovereignly mapped for me - I see immaculate(ly)
The cross of Christ, His awesome price and Your grace that carried me
I persevered in shadows of brothers who marked the path for me
In just a few breaths I'll walk into a marriage feast
And taste of Your goodness without getting a cavity
Your majesty will light up the city that we'll inhabit
And the Lamb will be the lamp in the middle - there'll be no P.M
I tremble at the fact that I'll be captured
By the blazing glory of the One that I've been waiting to see and I'll see Him
To see His face and worship perpetually won't be boring
Because this flesh won't be a hitch anymore - I'll be restored
To new morning after morning - and cause You bled
Death I'll leave here on this hospital bed
And step into the presence of the Bridegroom in heaven
No more valleys to tread or trek through
Or leaven to fight against - all things will be made new
No struggling to pray, we'll sing of Your glory with angels
I'm eager to go - I know I'm a part of Your kingdom
Upon Christ's deeds I'll see bliss when the beep comes
My life was long and I'm ready to go
I stood strong and I'm ready to go
I can't wait to sing along with the throng up in heaven, you know
It's where I belong - I'm ready to go
My sneakers are worn down hard from running this marathon in the trenches
Was far from pretending, pressed on with repentance
So now it's time for me to pass the baton
And at long last, I'll pass on into heaven

[Rick Horne]
Finally, as we leave Mr. Jones' room, we travel upstairs to Room 235 where we encounter Mr. Michaels, also moments away from death
Let's hear what's going on in his mind:

[Hook 3: Shai Linne]
As the hour draws near to take my last breath
I'm not quite sure how much time I have left
I'm walking the path of all the others who died
And I don't care what awaits me on the other side
As the hour draws near to take my last breath
I'm not quite sure how much time I have left
I'm walking the path of all the others who died
And I don't care what awaits me

[Verse 3: Shai Linne]
Yo, in a hospital bed, blood clots in my head
Body chock full of meds and I got to be fed
Through a tube - I'm comatose, wet food - aroma's gross
Pursued lewd moods as a refuge - overdose
Frantic seizure, life empty, scary demanded leisure
Anesthesia, temporary amnesia
I'm found in this predicament surrounded by significant
Others, my mother- it's crowded and I'm listening
I hear a person's voice that I don't recognize
Praying for me - It must be a reverend and his lies
Nurse checking in my eyes - ain't getting no replies
If she knew I heard everything, I bet she'd be surprised
My family's upsetting me with cries, what they crying for?
If I could speak, I'd ask the reverend what he lying for?
He said something about believing in the Lord
That's ridiculous - we all know that Jesus was a fraud
Atheism is logical, blind faith is comical
Seven-day creation and Satan are mythological
The Bible's full of statements made by men
Who were shaken - too scared to face the end
The reverend said, "Don't be hostile to the gospel - choose it"
The only gospel I like is gospel music
He said if I understood him take my finger and wiggle one
But if I could have I would have gave him the middle one
Because he's wrong and I'm ready to go
Son, I'm strong, yo, I'm ready to go
If it's on then it's on - bring it on
I'm ready to go, let's get it on son, I'm ready to go
I'm anticipating hitting the essence
I'll crash through the gate in minutes or seconds
His antics are fake so I'm dissin' the reverend
My last action - shaking my fist at the heavens!