Our church has been studying the book of Mark. I love the emphasis that Mark puts on the compassion of Jesus. Maybe Mark was someone who really needed compassion. As I read chapter 7, verse 34 jumped out at me. Verse 34 says, "Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened!”
Did you see it? Jesus "sighed" before healing the man. Why? Why did He sigh?
Could it be that it was because His perfect creation was broken? The full, abundant, perfect life He had planned for mankind was ruined...spoiled...broken.
Jesus saw the hurt, frustration, and pain that this man had endured and Jesus knew this was not how He had planned life to be. He had planned for joy, peace, excitement of life and instead he saw sadness, disappointment, and pain...and He sighed.
I find great comfort in those two words. If Jesus sighed, then Jesus cares...about my disappointments, my frustrations, my pain. And not only does He care, He enters into my disappointment, frustration and pain. He trudges along with me and restores me to what He has planned. I find great comfort in knowing that when I am hurt, Jesus looks at me and sighs.
Beautifully put Amanda! sigh.
ReplyDeleteI had actually written in my journal the question "Why did he sigh?" It happened one other place in Mark this past week also, so thank-you for the insight! :)
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