He Sighed Deeply

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Scripture:

Mark 8:11   The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, asking him for a sign from heaven, to test him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 And he left them, and getting into the boat again, he went across to the other side.

Observation:

Jesus had just finished his second miracle of feeding a huge crowd. For the Pharisees, miracles were not affirmation that Jesus was from God. While they had been watching him and his ministry from the beginning they wanted to push him to reveal the source of his authority. 

The call for a sign was a rejection of the authority of Jesus. Throughout his ministry Jesus had been calling his listeners to radical faith which rejected the need for signs. No wonder he sighed deeply. The scripture is very descriptive. He sighed deeply in his spirit. He was wounded by their question. 

While we may say that the human side of Jesus is witnessed in this moment, the frustration comes from his divinity as well. He was tired and weary of those who wanted him to fit their paradigm. They didn’t understand who he was, and they never would.

In weariness and exhaustion, Jesus pressed on. 

Application:

There is something about the revealed personality of Jesus in this passage that is refreshing. That Jesus became weary and frustrated helps us know that he experienced human emotions. It makes his incarnation much more real and the hope for all of us even greater.

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, experienced real life. There are times when I am very weary from the journey. Day after day, there have been long hours and stretches where I have been pouring out into the lives of others. I go to bed more often now at 8pm than I would have ever imagined because I’m weary from a day that started early and was full of intensity. 

Then, I read about Jesus, weary, and needing rest: sometimes sighing, deep within his spirit and I am encouraged to press on. That’s what Jesus did. He never gave up on his mission, but pressed on toward his goal. We may join Jesus in sighing deeply, but continue faithfully onward in the mission. 

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for allowing us to catch a glimpse of your struggles. Amen. 

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