I've enjoyed Switchfoot since New Way To Be Human released in 1999, and their most recent albums Hello Hurricane and Vice Verses truly bring a great mixture sonically and stylistically that fans of rock anthems, alternative rock and grunge-rock will enjoy. 

 

Made up of Jon Foreman (vocals/guitar), Tim Foreman (bass), Chad Butler (drums), Jerome Fontamillas (keys/guitar) and Drew Shirley (guitar), one of the foremost bands in Christian rock has released 12 songs about the ups and downs of life, the aptly titled, Vice Verses. As Jon Foreman says in the title track, "Every blessing comes with a set of curses," as he wonders if "there's a meaning to it all"—a theme that runs throughout the band's entire catalog.

 

Several of Switchfoot's hit songs: "Meant to Live," "Restless" and "Afterlife" have pondered that Ecclesiastical theme from Solomon's words in Ecclesiastes: "It was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind."

 

Before we were treated to an amazing set by the band on the opening night of Creation Festival Northeast on June 26, 2013, I had a great opportunity to interview Jerome and Drew in-person about their anthemic song, "Where I Belong."

 

 

Hebrews 13:14 (NLT): "For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come."

 

Ecclesiastes 2:11 (NLT): "But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere."

 

Drew: That verse from Hebrews 13:14 that you referenced is a good verse. It is very applicable to this song. As a rock band, we play a lot of different shows a lot of different places, and we never really feel like we fit in. It is sort of like we are walking a line where we play here at Creation Festival today, and we play at another festival tomorrow, which will be radically different. What strikes me about that is the same thing as this song is saying—which is that this world is not really our home. 

 

There are so many things that are not right—broken—and we know in our heart and soul that it should be right, and should be true, and it's not in this world. Things should be just, and it's not in this world. This life should be joyful, and it's corrupted. It should be pure, and it's twisted. We have a twisted generation. That sense of unrest is something we've sung about for a long time. I think it's an Ecclesiastical thread where "everything is meaningless." What's this all about? There must be something more than this. We were meant to live for more than this. It stems from what is says in that Bible verse, that this world is not our permanent home.

 

Jerome: This song connects to that C.S. Lewis quote about how when there are things in this world that don't satisfy, it means you were meant for things after this world. In a way, as a band that's where we are. We're never quite comfortable, we never fit in. It's always been like that for us.

 

Drew: This song is for non-believers as well. Our music is for everyone. People can listen on many different levels and that is great, that is okay. It's okay if someone just likes the beat. "I like to dance to it" is a good reason to listen to a song. Once you dig into the lyrics and really digest the heartbeat of what's going on here, I think if you have ears to hear then you get the message of the song. If you don't have ears to ear, then you won't get it, and that's not our job. That's a Spiritual thing.

 

 

In 1987 when I wasn't saved, I was captivated by the message of U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." Even since I've become a Christian, I've really come to understand the profound truth behind the song. The difference is that I have found what I'm looking for: Jesus. 

 

"If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world," wrote C.S. Lewis in the book Mere Christianity. As believers in Christ, we know that we are made for God. We were all created to find our home in Him.

 

I love that Switchfoot has based many of their great songs on the Book of Ecclesiastes, which is filled with Solomon's wisdom being passed on to all of us. There are many passages in Ecclesiastes which are very challenging, such as: "You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment." —Ecclesiastes 11:9 (NIV)

 

No matter what your worldview, we all need to remember that Earth isn't our permanent home and our freedom from the pain and suffering and heartache of this world will come when we enter the true rest that can only come from living eternally with Jesus Christ. Once you've accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, you actually gain comfort in knowing that this life is "meaningless." As St. Augustine put it so perfectly, "our hearts are restless until they rest in You." Amen. 

 

You can listen to this song here: