An Indonesian flight crew member participating in the search for Air Asia flight QZ8501. (Time.com)
I wasn't going to do a Prayer Room entry for this week. I've been a bit under the weather and quite frankly a bit overwhelmed exiting the Christmas holidays. However, I've been following the story of the missing Air Asia flight since late Sunday, and it's been heavy on my heart, so I wanted to say a few things and offer up a prayer for those involved.
I got home from work last night and turned on CNN as I got sat down to eat my dinner. At about 11 o'clock they began reporting that searchers had come across a debris field in the area where they were searching for the Air Asia flight, which disappeared from radar on Sunday. A short while later they were reporting that officials were 95% percent sure that the debris was associated with the plane, and that they had spotted several bodies as well. This morning as I got up, the news had been confirmed. This was the remains of this aircraft and the souls on board. My heart just sank.
It's really beyond my comprehension. If I'm honest with you this raises the most serious question that I still have about God and religion: why? Why was a disaster like this allowed to happen? How can the lives of 162 people just be snuffed out like a candle? There are no easy answers to this question. Hopefully the search crews will find the instruments used to record data and voices on the plane so that they'll be able to decipher the reasons behind it, but for the families of these folks, the overall question of "why?" will still remain.
I can't imagine being in their shoes. A few years back my wife's aunt was murdered, and that was tough. The question of why was still there. In that case, it was pretty much because the guy who did it felt like it. I imagine that losing a loved one, or multiple loved ones, in an accident event like this is even tougher, and I encourage everyone to keep the families and friends of those who have passed in their prayers and thoughts over the coming days.
And let's not forget about the people who are doing the search and recovery either. This kind of thing can be traumatic. When I worked with a local forensics unit, I participated in the recovery of a body of a young man that was killed in a nasty car accident. It was not pleasant. Recovering human remains that have been in the water for any length of time at all is one of the most gruesome things imaginable. It has sights, textures, and smells all it's own, and it's quite horrible.
Tragedies like this will never have that overall metaphysical "why" answered. All we can do is keep those involved in our thoughts and prayers. Please join me now and in the coming days in offering up these people, especially the families and friends, to the Christ whose words calm storms and raging seas.
Dear Christ,
When these events happen, it is only natural for us to ask "why?"
As developments unfold, please guide the searchers as they seek the answers to this question
And as they seek to recover the remains of those who have perished.
We lift up these people before you,
these people who are tasked with these difficult, but very necessary duties.
Be with them, give them strength and comfort as they seek to carry these duties out.
We lift up those who have passed from this earth in this incident.
Give their souls rest and peace
and guide them lovingly into whatever transitions from this life into the next.
Most importantly we lift up families and friends of those who have died.
Their pain and grief are beyond measure at this time.
Comfort them, and lead them on the path that will eventually bring peace and some healing in time.
We ask all these things in your name,
you who calmed the storm with a word and walked upon the waters of the sea
as we conclude with the prayer you taught us:
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
A-men.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Matthew 5:4 (NRSV).
It's been a few years since this tragedy occurred and I still can't believe that things like this happen. Not only why would God let this happen, but what type of person would choose to do this? And what would have to happen in their life to cause them to desire this path? All we can do is hope and pray that people more often choose love over hate and that those who have had family or friends killed in such tragedies find peace. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's been a few years since this tragedy occurred and I still can't believe that things like this happen. Not only why would God let this happen, but what type of person would choose to do this? And what would have to happen in their life to cause them to desire this path? All we can do is hope and pray that people more often choose love over hate and that those who have had family or friends killed in such tragedies find peace. :)
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