The Mountain

1994 COPYRIGHTED
BY PETER CHRISTOPHER RAYMOND

THE CLIMB UP ZION'S MOUNTAINSIDE IS STEEP
AND MANY WHO BEGAN THE JOURNEY NOW SLEEP
FALLEN INTO CREVICES OR PLUNGED FROM CLIFFS
YET THE SPIRIT LIVES IN DORMANCY WHILE THE HEART IS CONFUSED
FAITH IS FOR NOW FORGOTTEN WHILE THE ARMOR IS BRUISED
BUT OUR GOD WON'T DENY US THE RESURGENCE OF LIFE
NOT SCRAPE AWAY OUR SAVING GRACE WITH A BLUNT KNIFE
THERE IS A KEY TO FREEDOM FROM EARTHLY DESIRE
AND PURE ENDURANCE SO THAT WE MAY NOT TIRE

AS YOU WALK THE ROAD TOWARD AN EVERLASTING HAPPINESS
THERE ARE MANY MOTELS THAT SHALL OFFER YOU FOOD AND REST
THERE IS DARKNESS WHICH IS EVIL AND EVERY COUNTRY INN
INVITING YOU TO INDULGE IN THEIR WICKEDNESS AND SIN
MANY PARK THEIR CARS NEVER TO RETURN TO THE ROAD
FOR THE NIGHT HAD SET IN AS THE BEDROOM WINDOWS GLOWED
AND THEY LOWERED THEIR DEFENSES AND GAVE IN TO SLUMBER
AND THEY WERE SUBTRACTED FROM THE NUMBER
SOMEDAY I PRAY THE FEVER WILL BREAK
AND YOU'LL RUSH TO THE ROAD WHEN YOU COME AWAKE

THERE IS A STREAM THAT RUNS BY THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN
AND LIVING WATER BOUNDING FROM THE SPOUT OF AN ANCIENT FOUNTAIN
SALVATION HAS BEEN KEPT HIDDEN FOR CENTURIES BY MAN'S RELIGION
BUT NOW WE UNDERSTAND HOW WE MAY BE FORGIVEN
PURE IDEALS WERE GRADUALLY OVER TIME MADE CORRUPT
YET HERE BY THE MOUNTAIN REFRESHING WATERS ERUPT
WE HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO LEARN THE TRUTH
AND BE AS THE CHURCH IN THE TIME OF ITS' YOUTH
THE WAY GOD INTENDED HIS KINGDOM ON EARTH TO BE
WITHOUT FALSE RITUAL OR RELIGIOSITY

SOME SHALL GROW FEARFUL AND RUN
AND THIS WORLD SHALL DESPISE US AND WE SHALL BE SHUNNED
BUT THE OPEN SOULS SHALL BE NURTURED AND NOURISHED
THE FAITHFUL SHALL COME FORWARD AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD SHALL FLOURISH
OUR HOME IS NOT VISABLE WITH OUR CLUMSY MORTAL EYES
BUT WE HAVE HOPE IN GOING THERE WHEN EVIL CAN BE RECOGNIZED
OUR BODIES SHALL BE GONE BUT OUR LIVES AREN'T LIVED OUT IN VAIN
WE MUST SAVE THE RUNNING BLIND AS OUR EARTHLY LIFETIMES WANE
YET OUR SALVATION MUST BE OBVIOUS ON THE SURFACE
OUR LIGHTS MUST BE VISABLE IF WE ARE TO SERVE OUR PURPOSE

SOME FALL FAR AND PICK UP SPEED
REVISITTING THEIR SELFISHNESS AND GREED
SOME HAVE SATISFYING LIVES THEY'LL BOAST
THOSE ARE DESTINED ONLY TO RECOMPOSE THEIR GHOSTS
GOD WILL DRAW THE FRIGHTENED FROM THEIR CAVES
REVEALING ZION'S MISTY HORIZON TO THOSE HE SAVES
IT'S A TEMPORARY TRIAL YOU FACE WITH PRESENT OBSTACLES
AND OUR HEADS FULL WITH TROUBLES WILL SOON BE HOLLOW SKULLS
AND GRASS SHALL GROW OVER OUR BONES
THE WORLD SHALL EXPIRE THROUGH FIRE AND WE SHALL GO HOME