Twenty-Four

I shared this last night Shema, but it seemed like an appopriate entry for today.
“Twenty-Four” was written by Jon Foreman on the eve of his birthday and here’s some of what he’s had to say about it:

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… “Twenty-Four” is about wanting to be united into one person. It talks about that. “Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one!” Love the Lord with all your heart, all your strength, all your mind, all of who you are - that’s integrity!…
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.

I too have felt divided against myself, especially over the past two months, seeing conflicts and paradoxes in situations and my reactions to things. I am happy, yet I feel unfulfilled. I have problems, yet they are completely insignificant when compared with what others are going through. I am trying to live my life to the fullest, yet I feel it’s already passing me by. I have now lived approximately a quarter of my life, yet I don’t feel that old. I am nothing special, yet I know that I am special because everyone is a unique creation. Today is completely insignificant, yet it also means a lot.

So this will be my prayer for this day, this week, this whole year; that I may be centered and better become the person I am meant to be.

“Twenty-Four” by Switchfoot

Twenty-four oceans
Twenty-four skies
Twenty-four failures
And twenty-four tries
Twenty-four finds me
In twenty-fourth place
With twenty-four drop outs
At the end of the day

Life is not what I thought it was
Twenty-four hours ago
Still I'm singing ‘Spirit,
take me up in arms with You’
And I’m not who I thought I was
Twenty-four hours ago
Still I'm singing ‘Spirit,
take me up in arms with You’

There’s twenty-four reasons
To admit that I’m wrong
With all my excuses
Still twenty-four strong

See, I’m not copping out
Not copping out
Not copping out
When you’re raising the dead in me

Oh, oh
I am the second man
Oh, oh
I am the second man now
Oh, I am the second man now
And you’re raising these...

Twenty-four voices
With twenty-four hearts
All of my symphonies
In twenty-four parts
But I want to be one today
Centered and true
I'm singing ‘Spirit take me up in arms with You’
You’re raising the dead in me

Oh, oh
I am the second man
Oh, oh
I am the second man now
Oh
I am the second man now
And you’re raising the dead in me
Yeah

I wanna see miracles
To 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’
And you’re raising these

Twenty-four oceans
With twenty-four hearts
All of my symphonies
In twenty-four parts