Switchfoot's lead singer wrote this song on on the eve of his 25th birthday with his explanation:
"I wrote this song near the end of my 24th year on this planet. Wherever we run, wherever the sun finds us when he rises, we remain stuck with ourselves. That can be overwhelming. Sometimes I feel like my soul is polluted with politicians, each with a different point of view. With all 24 of them in disagreement, each voice is yelling to be heard. And so I am divided against myself. I feel that I am a hypocrite until I am 'one' - when all of the yelling inside of me dies down. I've heard that the truth will set you free. That's what I'm living for: freedom of spirit. I find unity and peace in none of the diversions that this world offers. But I've seen glimpses of truth and that's where I want to run." (Jon Foreman)
Even after 24 tries, 24 failures, 24 years of being here, Jon still moves forward to a new life with Christ each new day. For those of us reaching our mid-twenties, can we look back to our past and say that none of it mattered relative to what we do today? Can we begin a new morning with a new attitude?
What influenced this post was when my non-Christian friend posted this song on his Facebook wall and commented: "This is probably the best post-ball cool down song, although to this day I still don't understand it."
It made me genuinely sad to realize that, wow, he's missing out. There is so much depth to what Jon is trying to convey in this song, yet millions of people out there just think it's 'relaxing'. It's relaxing because God's love is peace. But what's even more shameful is... I couldn't explain the meaning of this song even after hearing it for the past 6 years.. until now that is.
Jon was 25 and absolutely knew there was truth out there to be sought after. I am 21 and... absolutely needs to change my attitude.
24 - Switchfoot, Beauitful Letdown
Twenty four oceans
Twenty four skies
Twenty four failures
Twenty four failures
Twenty four tries
Twenty four finds me
Twenty four finds me
In twenty-fourth place
Twenty four drop outs
Twenty four drop outs
At the end of the day
Life is not what I thought it was
Twenty four hours ago
Life is not what I thought it was
Twenty four hours ago
Still I'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
I want to see miracles, see the world change
Wrestled the angel, for more than a name
For more than a feeling
For more than a cause
I'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
Wrestled the angel, for more than a name
For more than a feeling
For more than a cause
I'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
