The Things I Now See
-A 2009 remix of "The Rich Man and Lazarus"
As I sit here and think of the chance that I missed,
I guess I didn’t buy that it would all end like this.
So many fun times, there was always a fling
Looking back, what I had didn’t amount to a thing,
My friends, even family, close relatives too,
TV shows, and books, most people I knew,
They all said “don’t worry, have fun while it lasts,
Live up this life, it’ll all soon be past,”
“But when you die, don’t worry, my friend
You’re a pretty good person, you’ll be fine in the end. “
So that’s what I did- I lived without care.
Though people went hungry I didn’t think to share.
Being born here, God gave me great things,
I did what the rest did, I lived like a king.
My days had great comfort while under the sun,
I bought what I wanted, my idol was “fun”.
I knew all about Jesus, he was alright with me,
I called myself “Christian”, what else would I be?
I went to church, I called God #1,
Though I only “obeyed” when he didn’t ruin my fun
That included my time- that’s not God’s to keep,
It included my money, I work hard- life’s not cheap.
Most of all, my sex-life was mine.
Let’s not be old fashioned- let’s get with the times.
I joined in the fun, many nights were a “win”
Though I sensed something wrong, I never called it sin.
As the time passed, I found myself grown,
A job, a house, and a wife of my own
Though I admit, I didn’t always treat her,
With the respect she deserved, but hey, I didn’t beat her.
My kids too, I just couldn’t relate,
So I’d crack a few beers, mow the lawn to escape
As the kids went off, made the same mistakes I did,
My emptiness complete, I was a master to hide it.
And that’s how I died, with a wife, but alone.
A muffled despair in my high-priced home.
I thought God was just love, life a wide path.
If I’d just read His book, I’d read of his wrath,
That justice had for me, for all of my sin.
When I think it’s extinguished, again it begins.
You see I thought Hell was a place for the worst,
Hitler, Stalin, those men were cursed
But little old me, I’m nice- never mean
Hardly any sin, here. I’m a good guy- I’m clean.
“I wasn’t that bad”, I thought up on Earth
Everyone told me how much I was worth.
But 10,000 years later, I'll still be here.
I thought there’d be flames; turns out its clear.
The only things missing down here are love,
joy, peace, and that guy, God, up above.
People here hate me, most days it’s just tears.
All my friends made it too, but there’s no friendship down here.
No days are good, I'm always depressed.
It's like I haven't slept in years, but I can never find rest.
If only I’d thought of the God –man come down,
for sinners like me, he laid down his crown.
Was tortured and beaten and nailed to a tree
And he took God’s wrath, he took it…. …. For me.
So I could be right with the Father who loves,
So I could be with him, King Jesus, above.
So I could live life with purpose anew,
And say “not my will, Father- It’s all about you.”
If I had only given in, submitted to Christ,
His death covering my sin’s unpayable price.
And his perfect life credited to me,
I wouldn’t know hell- In heaven I’d be
With the God who once put his love on display
Who’d rather die than see me go my own way.
Your death is a day on the calendar friend,
Look to Him now, you don’t know when it ends
Dying seemed mostly an idea to me,
If I only knew then, the things I now see.
Luke 16:19-31
