Deathbed

I can smell the death on the sheets

Covering me

I can't believe this is the end

But this is my deathbed

I lie here alone

If I close my eyes tonight

I know I'll be home

The year was nineteen forty one

I was eight years old and

Far far too young

To know that the stories

Of battles and glory

Was a tale a kind mother

Made up for her son

You see

Dad was a traveling preacher

Teaching the words of the Teacher

But mother had sworn

Went off to the war

And died there with honor

Somewhere on a beach there

But he left once to never return

Which taught me that I should unlearn

Whatever I thought a father should be

I abandoned that thought

Like he abandoned me

By forty seven I was fourteen

I'd acquired a taste for liquor and nicotine

I smoked until I threw up

Yet I still lit 'em up for thirty more years

Like a machine

So right there you have it

That one filthy habit

Is what got me where I am today

I can smell the death on the sheets

Covering me

I can't believe this is the end

I can hear those sad memories

Still haunting me

So many things

I'd do again

But this is my deathbed

I lie here alone

If I close my eyes tonight

I know I'll be home

I got married on my twenty first

Eight months before my wife would give birth

It's easier to be sure you love someone

When her father inquires with the barrel of a gun

The union was far from harmonious

No two people could have been more alone than us

The years would go by and she'd love someone else

And I realized I hadn't been loved yet myself

From there it's your typical spiel

Yeah if life was a highway

I was drunk at the wheel

I was helping the loose ends

All fall apart

Yeah I swear I was destined to fail

And fail from the start

I bowled about six times a week

The bottle of Beam kept the memories from me

Our marriage had taken a seven-ten split

Along with my pride the ex-wife took the kids

I can smell the death on the sheets

Covering me

I can't believe this is the end

I can hear those sad memories

Still haunting me

So many things

I'd do again

But this is my deathbed

I lie here alone

If I close my eyes tonight

I know I'll be home

I was so scared of Jesus

But He sought me out

Like the cancer in my lungs

It's killing me now

And I've given up hope

On the days I have left

But I cling to the hope

Of my life in the next

Then Jesus showed up

Said "Before we go"

"I thought that we might reminisce"

"See one night in your life"

"When you turned out the light"

"You asked for and prayed for my forgiveness"

You cried wolf

The tears they soaked your fur

The blood dripped from your fangs

You said, "What have I done?"

You loved that lamb

With every sinful bone

And there you wept alone

Your heart was so contrite

You said, "Jesus, please forgive me of my crimes

Sanctify this withered heart of mine

Stay with me until my life is through

And on that day please take me home with you"

I can smell the death on the sheets

Covering me

I can't believe this is the end

I can hear You whisper to me,

"It's time to leave

You'll never be lonely again"

But this was my deathbed

I died there alone

When I closed my eyes tonight

You carried me home

[Jon Foreman of Switchfoot sings, as the voice of Jesus:]

I am the Way

Follow Me

And take My hand

And I am the Truth

Embrace Me and you'll understand

And I am the Life

And for Me you'll live again

For I am Love

I am Love

I, I am Love