TRANSFIXED, TEARY-EYED
AND DRIVEN
It was Wednesday morning, and I had just embarked upon my usual news quickie before heading off to work. As I turned on the TV, there it was, the unmistakable landmark of the Peggy's Cove lighthouse peering at me from my television screen. And, as is usually the case, I had no idea what was going on since I had turned the news on in the middle of this particular story. I hate that!
Oh, I figured that it was a story on the tourist figures for this year, or perhaps someone got a little too close to the waters' edge and a wave grabbed them. This occasionally happens to those unaccustomed to being around the ocean, and unwilling to heed the warning signs.
But, as you most likely have already guessed, the news coverage was about the SwissAir flight that crashed about 5 miles out from Peggy's Cove early Wednesday morning (Sept. 2nd). Now, I have seen and heard of many air crashes over the years. We all have, right? But, I was totally unprepared for how powerful the effect of this one would be on my soul. Perhaps it's because it happened in my own back yard, so-to-speak? Or, maybe it was the fact that there were absolutely no survivors among the 229 passengers and crew? Maybe it was the faces of the local fishermen and townspeople who jumped into the horrific task of looking for life among the broken bodies and debris that marked the scene like some surreal drug-induced nightmare. I really don't know why the loss of this particular group of people touched me so. But the fact remains that as I watch the story unfold over the next few days, I was transfixed, teary eyed and driven to pray for the families of those who were lost; driven to pray for all those involved in the recovery operation.
I will never forget the pictures of the debris floating in the water. The boats did their best to collect it all in an effort to comfort families and find answers. The floating running shoes and other personal effects, wrenched at my heart. But then I saw something that changed my perspective entirely. There floating on the surface of the Atlantic was a Michael Card CD insert. Now, some of you might not be aware of who Michael Card is, but I certainly was, and more importantly, the person who owned that CD must have been aware as well. Michael Card is a brilliant Christian songwriter and performer. His beautiful voice and thought-provoking lyrics are truly a blessing. So, when I saw that CD insert floating there, I knew that at least someone on that plane was most likely a Christian. Next, I saw a report on CNN about two friends who had met at a Bible Study and became the best of friends. Despite the fact that one of them had moved away, they continued to remain in contact and this trip was to be their first time spent together in quite a while. Again, another confirmation that some of the passengers at least, had a living, loving relationship with the Lord.
There are so many mixed feelings jumbled up in this tragedy. I feel sorry for the families of all those who lost someone on that flight. I feel joy over the fact that some of them were Christians, and their destination ended up infinitely more amazing then the one they had planned to visit. I felt pride for the RCMP, the army personnel, the navy, and the local Maritime spirit that led thousands of people to sacrifice time and money in order to help out. Many of these people will need counselling and will be forever changed by the horror of what they have witnessed. I was thankful even to the government as it placed the resources of Nova Scotia in the hands of the grieving families and friends. Everyone is being taken care of and allowed the space and time to mourn. I especially like the fact that the media were kept at bay and not allowed to pursue the mourners for interviews. Such actions are rare these days!
Some observations from the Swiss Air disaster:
Disaster can strike anywhere, at any time. Rich or poor, young or old, there are no guarantees in life. No one knows the day, or the hour they will cease to live in this world. Some of those onboard that flight were ready to die; others most likely weren't. If we gain nothing else from such painful calamities, let's at least realize that life is fleeting and unpredictable. So, don't waste it. First and foremost, don't put off pursuing a relationship with Jesus. Don't put off mending a broken relationship. Don't think that you have all the time in the world — you don't!
Why is it that we usually need a disaster to bring communities together? Seems to me that the fluff of life always creeps back in and gets in the way of livin' and relatin'!
I was so impressed with everyone's understanding the need for the families to grieve. We often push pain and death and loss away and just keep moving ahead with life. Such emotions are feared and awkward and difficult to look at and deal with. But, in order to move ahead in a healthy way, we need to stop and mourn and cry and release our fears and frustrations. God has created us with all of these emotional capacities. If we don't use them, we will suffer for it. It has always bothered me that in some Christian settings, grief and mourning are viewed as a lack of faith. Those who hold such views certainly don't have a firm grasp of God's Word.
Why is it that I feel more compassion, more conviction for these 229 strangers and their loss of life than I do for my neighbours down the road? Oh, they aren't dead physically, but God's Word tells us that they are dead spiritually because their sin separates them from the Living God. Shouldn't I, shouldn't we, be just as motivated, just as sacrificial, just as responsive as the people around Peggy's Cove were to the disaster that happened just a short distance from their community? The truth is that there are spiritual disasters that lay scattered, wrecked lives all around each of our communities, each of our churches. Are we out there looking for survivors? We should be because, in this case, even the most broken lives can be rescued through the saving power of Jesus Christ!
Prayer
Dear Lord, be with the families of all those who have lost loved ones in this terrible accident. Be with those who will suffer with nightmares and emotional problems because they cared enough to reach out and help. Lord, only You can use this experience and turn it into something good. May souls be rescued. May relationships be restored. May life be more precious to us all. Lord, help us see the lives around us that are crashed, crushed, and broken. May we all be transfixed, teary-eyed and driven to reach out and rescue them! Amen!
