"He sighed". Reading those two words twice this morning, (Mark 7:34), my mind was drawn to the sighs of Christ. I don't know that I've ever stopped to consider Jesus sighing.
What is a sigh? It's an interruption in breathing that is expressed in a long, deep, most often audible sound. A sigh can indicate relief, exasperation, disappointment, contentment, defeat, relaxation or other wordless responses of emotion.
These two little words..."He sighed"...have captured my thoughts today. What caused Christ to sigh? We really aren't given specific reasons in either instance so any sharing here would be speculative, but in our world today, filled with so many things that are hard to understand, the idea of a divine sigh resonates deeply in my heart.
In Christ's sigh we hear the realness of Christ's humanity. A sigh can be a holy emotion as we live on a sinful earth. We can all experience seconds or seasons where the weariness of the world wears on us. It's a comfort to know that Jesus understands our sighs. In His sigh, Jesus endears Himself to us even more as we've been there. We too feel genuinely, intensely, passionately and profoundly, and when our experiences cause us to sigh, not birthed in personal frustration, but hearts moved by the things that break the heart of God, we are in good company.
We are not foreigners to sighs. Romans 8 speaks of times we sigh inwardly as we wait eagerly to be released from sin and suffering (vs 23). In 2 Corinthians 5 Paul writes, "While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh..."
Our sighs are signs. They are revelations and recognition of our lack and God's sufficiency. In our exhaling, our breathing out, we can then inhale the breath of life. A sigh directs us to our need and areas that need growth. Don't misunderstand though, Christ's sigh was not due to deficiencies, yet imagine the God-man experiencing humanities limitations. *Sigh*
"If nothing else, I am grateful to know that Jesus's prayers include sighs. Sighs borne of longing, love, sorrow, and hope, all mingled together. Because if there's anything the world needs right now, it is Gospel hope. Fierce, creative, tenacious, and daring hope. Precisely the kind of hope Jesus offers. But that hope must be grounded in the truth of who God is and what the kingdom of God actually looks like."
When our experiences and feelings are too deep for words, use the dialect of the Spirit. Jesus did. Take a deep breath. Let it go. God hears and understands.
Quote taken from "Journey With Jesus" by Debie Thomas, copyright August 2021
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