My Heart Hurts

Dolphin MH-65 

On Tuesday, February 28^th, a United States Coast Guard helicopter went down in Mobile Bay during a training mission. No one knows yet why… but that is not what matters right now.

On that helicopter were four men: a pilot, a co-pilot, a mechanic, and a rescue diver. Immediately following the crash, the rescue diver was found and could not be resuscitated.  Since then, the members of the USCG along with local law enforcement and personnel have worked tirelessly around the clock searching for the other three men, and working to bring up the wreckage of the helicopter. The Coast Guard has put on a brave face and said, repeatedly, “This is a search and rescue mission. We are hoping to find these men alive.”

Yesterday, a local church here released the name of one of the missing. A local television station released the name of another missing. But the name of the one who died in service and one of the other Guardsmen still remain private to the general public.

Courtesy of al.com

But I can guarantee you… that to someone, their name is well known. They are someone’s son or brother, possibly someone’s father or husband, someone’s high school classmate… possibly a childhood friend. And even bigger than all these, GOD knows their names. He knows the number of hairs (however military style short) on their heads.

Last night, my pastor gave a Bible study on Numbers 11, which has NOTHING to do with missing Coast Guardsmen or rescue missions. It was discussing how the Israelites complained about how God only provided manna to eat, and not meat. They even questioned why they were ever brought out of Egypt. God told Moses he would provide meat for these people for a month, and Moses questioned God. How was he to provide meat for over 600,000 men and their families? Numbers 11:23 says, ²³ And the Lord said to Moses, “Has the Lord’s arm been shortened?”

MY GOD’s arms are long. They are capable to wrapping around you and encasing you in comfort, protection, and blessings. They are capable of holding you up through times of grief or sickness or exhaustion.  My God’s arms are capable to scooping up the entire ocean and holding it…

And my God can reach down and pick up three men from wherever they are and return them to their families.

He doesn’t always choose to do that. And we don’t know why, we can’t comprehend why HE does what HE does… but his arms are always there. And HE is always right.

And to my Coast Guard family, to whom I will always feel loyalty, “Semper Peratus”.