Jun
28
2012
Holy Sigh
Posted in Prayer 2 Comments
In my quiet time, I stumbled upon something we all can relate to.
You know what I mean.
That certain sigh…that we all do.
Quiet…subdued.
Biblical?
In Mark 7:31-37 the people brought a deaf/mute man to Jesus for Him to heal.
The Bible says that Jesus took him aside, away from the crowds, put His fingers in the man’s ears, spit and touched the man’s tongue.
He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, Ephphatha! (Which means, ‘be opened’). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.
In Mark 8:11-13 Jesus has just miraculously fed the 4000 and seven baskets were left over. The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test Him, they asked Him for a sign from heaven. He sighed deeply and said, ‘Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth; no sign will be given to it.’ Then He left them, got back in the boat and crossed to the other side.
I pondered this to see if my sighs measured up to Jesus.
I sigh over trash not put out; interruptions when I just sat down to read; grass clippings from the newly mowed lawn all over the kitchen floor…
Not exactly Kingdom concerns.
Not very worthy of a good old sigh.
Jesus sighed over sin.
He sighed over broken-ness in this fallen world; demands of proof as to who He really is.
Kingdom concerns worthy of a good sigh.
It tenders my heart to think that Jesus sighed.
I even thought I was in good company, but not when I really looked at why He sighed.
Jesus had reason to sigh.
I do not.
Jesus’ sigh was a “holy sigh” because He sighed as only God could.
He grieved the fallen-ness of this world.
My sigh, by contrast, is a self centered kind of sigh.
Jesus understands it, but could I put my sigh up against His?
What amazes me is that Jesus does not measure the importance of our sighs.
I am the one holding the measuring tape.
All of our sighs are important to Him, because we are important to Him.
It is wonderful to know that my sigh is heard.
Often, when we are too weary to pray, our sigh becomes a prayer.
In fact, it is probably the kind of prayer our Heavenly Father likes best of all.
There is no pretense in that kind of sigh.
It is raw and helpless.
It is the…I don’t even have words for you, Lord…kind of sigh.
Since God made us and knows our hearts inside and out, we can’t hide anything from Him.
He knows our weariness.
He knows our fears.
He knows our hurts.
I think Jesus sighs along with us, until the day He will make everything New!
Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You I pray. In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning, I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. (Psalms 5:1-3)
God considers our sighing.
We are heard even when we don’t say any words at all.
Even when we can only breathe a weary sigh…it is audible to Him.
He hears.
He answers.
He understands.
That Truth should cause us to sigh.
A holy sigh of praise…to our God.
Sigh, that was good! Thank you Gina, and thank God!
Janna,
I sigh right along with you…in praise and thanksgiving.
Gina