Oh to be Known...Again

Another air tragedy forced me to look back and revisit a post I wrote months ago when Flight 370 went missing...and is still missing.

Asia Flight QZ8501 bothers me in the deep, deep recesses of my heart and mind.  How could another air accident occur?  When will it be found?   I think of the moms and dads, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives who just want to hear a voice, to know an answer, to answer a phone and hear a precious voice.  But to look and not find....to search and be void....to not know and be known.  It is truly heartbreaking and I cannot even began to imagine the pain and grief.

John shares a familiar story.  It's a story of seeking while grieving.  A story of looking for a voice who knows my name, your name, the names on AirAsia Flight QZ8501:

12 Mary had returned to the tomb and was standing outside crying. And as she wept, she stooped and looked in and saw two white-robed angels sitting at the head and foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. 

13 “Why are you crying?” the angels asked her.“Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

14 She glanced over her shoulder and saw someone standing behind her. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him!
15 “Why are you crying?” he asked her. “Whom are you looking for?”
She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”
16 “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned toward him.
“Master!” she exclaimed. John 20:12-16

One word, 'Mary', is all He spoke.  But she knew the voice, she recognized the love and acceptance.  And she knew the voice KNEW her....all of her....and loved her the same.  Oh, that we could turn around today and hear our Lord say our name out loud.  That one word for each of us.  One word that says, yes, I know your name, your whole name, I know where you are in the world, I have come for you, I have found you, I am here, I adore you just as you are in your pain, in your sorrow and in your joy and laughter.  'Mary!', He said.  And she exclaimed, 'Master'.  Oh, to know His voice and be known.  

Also, He was in plain view.  'She turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.' He was standing there in plain view but not as she had expected.  
How many times do I look past Jesus standing right in front of me?  I look for what I want to see.  I look for the answer I want.  I can't see past my pain.  But yet, He will always be right in plain view looking differently than what I expect...but always there.  Always waiting to comfort me in my sorrow, to understand my pain, to hold me, to lead me back to Him.  He understands death and dying.   He understands pain....He lived both.

In my world and your world, there are so many who do not yet know His voice, who do not recognize the sweet sound of Him saying their name.  I daresay that many of the people connected to AirAsia Flight QZ8501 are from places in the world who have not heard of this Jesus.  And perhaps many in North America have heard and re-heard but have now stopped hearing.  Let me have ears to hear.  Amidst New Years, Christmas take-down, more food and football I pray I will get out of my protective bubble of a life and realize the world needs this message...He calls your name.  
I believe He was on that flight with the precious people in their fear and in their death....He called each by name.

Rest in peace AirAsia Flight QZ8501.