While I work out at the Y sometimes I will find familiar tunes that are in my Spotify Playlist. But sometimes I find what looks like an intriguing listen. Since I am on their WiFi I can listen without downloading. Sometimes it takes one or two songs before I am finding something else. One of those rare finds recently is a group called Lionheart. As I listened to them yesterday, I heard again a song called Flight 19. Intrigued, I decided to investigate what that is and why someone would write a song about it. Here is a brief history:
Flight 19 was the designation of a group of five General Motors TBM Avenger torpedo bombers that disappeared over the Bermuda Triangle on December 5, 1945, after losing contact during a United States Navy overwater navigation training flight from Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale, Florida. All 14 naval aviators on the flight were lost, as were all 13 crew members of a Martin PBM Mariner flying boat that subsequently launched from Naval Air Station Banana River to search for Flight 19.
A report by Navy investigators concluded that flight leader Lt. Charles C. Taylor mistook small islands offshore for the Florida Keys after his compasses stopped working, resulting in the flight heading over open sea and away from land. The report was later amended by the Navy to read “cause unknown” to avoid blaming Taylor for the loss of five aircraft and 14 men. The report attributed the loss of the PBM search aircraft to an explosion in mid-air while searching for the flight. (Information found on several sites. This is from Wikipedia).
Hmmm. Interesting: the Bermuda Triangle. I was glad to see Lt. Taylor was cleared of any wrongdoing. What has never been solved has been what happened to Flight 19. The song by Lionheart has this chorus: “No one’s seen Flight 19/Lost at sea/Wrapped in a shroud of mystery.” It repeats that several times throughout the song.
It got me thinking. Is that not sometimes how the Christian faith is? There are times we know for sure beyond a shadow of doubt the who, what, where, when, and why. But how many times do we not know the WHY? of things? How many times have you or someone you know used that word when questioning God’s work in yours or someone’s life you know? And very often that why question goes unanswered. It remains a mystery. Sort of like what happened to Flight 19. To this day it still has never been found.
There are times we are not to know God’s reasoning. There are times we will never know God’s reasoning. No matter how many times we hear the phrase, “Sometimes you won’t know until you get beyond the issue and look back.” While that may be true in some cases, it is not in all. I tire of asking Why. What I have tried to do (and not always succeeding) is to remember God is God and I am not. He is not obligated to tell me of all the intricacies of His work and will. What He does want me to do is trust Him. Sherlock Holmes I am not. I am, however, a child of His whom He loves very much. He asks me to trust Him.
{And if you get a chance, check out Flight 19 by Lionheart. In fact, I like their whole album.}
Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How.
The 5 W’s and H. As a child, I was taught to ask these questions. Taught to use this as a method to analyze and problem solve. Taught as a path to understand.
I don’t think it is bad to ask, but in trying to understand, sometimes there will be gaps. We can dig and dig for answers and still come up short.
Part of my struggle is the lack of control. To be able to replicate and reproduce results, One needs to understand and reduce the variables.
However, when God as the ultimate constant Himself cannot be contained or fully defined within human wisdom, we have to allow for the unexpected and the unknown. I have lived most of my Christian life trying to keep God in the parameters that were defined for me. I am beginning to challenge some of those parameters.
I think, Ryan, the lack of control speaks to many of us. I know it does me. When we lack that control there is a fear factor to consider. What happens to me if I am not in control? I have, and am, learning that God cannot be contained in my box. Please continue knocking down walls.
Oddly enough, I was just reading in Acts 1:6-8, where the Apostles ask, “Lord, will you at this time give the kingdom back to Israel?” Jesus answers that those things are set by the Father and it’s not for them to know. I think, like you, there are many things we won’t understand this side of Heaven. But honestly, then it must not be important for us to know. It’s more important for us to be doing what God calls us to do.
I like you thoughts Pam. There are many things will not and are not meant to understand this side of heaven. But I sure have a lot of questions to ask. Then again, being in the presence of the Father will make them seem unimportant. 🙂
We are not meant to know the why, but to act in faith and trust when life’s mysteries are before us. Still, those whys will come up in our all-too human minds. May we remember always that God is large and in charge.
Blessings, Bill!
Good point Martha remembering God is large and in charge. I’m glad He is. I’d make a mess of things.
If Job who lost everything, got called out by God when he asked why after all he had been through, I know I have no reason whatsoever to ask why. That is the hardest part of life, sometimes there is no easy explanation for why. Sometimes it is just because God has reasons we do not see and cannot see the whole picture the way God does. It is best to ask what do I need to learn from this, or ask for help to draw closer to God and not let your feelings push God away. God understands the hurt, He sees your suffering, so just ask God to hold you closer, and help you deal with what you do not understand. Ask God to reveal things in scripture to help you through the hurt.
Excellent point about Job Gail. i totally agree that God understands our hurt and sees our suffering. He is not withdrawn but is right there with and for us.
“’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9).
That Scripture comes into play so often when we think about God’s part in our life.