Sigh...

Sigh. It is all about your breath; you breath in, then exhale with emphasis. The point is for your breath to be heard, that is what creates a sigh. Sighs can signify frustration, disappointment, grief, tiredness, or even relief. Sighs are experienced by listening, but they are understood by interpretation.

In both the Hebrew and Greek languages, the word for breath also means wind and spirit. Thinking of our sighs as the work of both our breath and our spirits opens up broader possibilities for interpretation. It is not just our bodies responding to situations with our breath, it is also our souls giving a response.

While there are limited references to sighs in Scripture, the sighs are all interpreted as expressions of grief and sorrow. Job claims “For sighing has become my daily food; my groans pour out like water. What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me.” (Job 3:23-25) The Psalmist writes, “I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart. All my longings lie open before you, Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you. My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes.” (Psalm 38:8-10) This pairing of sighs with groans points out the pain involved in sighing. Not surprisingly Isaiah picks up the language of sighs, predicting a time when “sorrow and sighing will flee away.” (Isaiah 35:10 and 51:11) In typical prophetic fashion, a future is approaching when there will be no need for sighs.

We are told that Jesus sighed on two occasions. The first occasion involved Jesus healing a man who was deaf and unable to speak plainly. Jesus took him aside to heal him. Before healing the man Jesus gave a deep sigh. (Mark 7:33-35) The second occasion was when the Pharisees demanded “a sign from heaven” from Jesus. Knowing that he has recently given them a steady stream of signs, Jesus sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign?” (Mark 8:11-13) To know that Jesus sighed is to remind ourselves that he is human too, experiencing the frustrations, griefs, and sorrows that are common to us all. When things were “not right” – Jesus sighed.

How can we interpret Jesus’ sighs? Maybe he was longing for a world where they were no people with ears that did not hear and tongues that could not communicate. Perhaps he was sad that the very religious leaders who should have known most about God and God’s work in the world were the ones who could not see what was standing right in front of them. Sigh. With his breath and with his soul Jesus indicated that a better world was possible – and coming.

The world without sighs that Isaiah hoped for will not come until our Lord returns and restores all things. Until then, we will continue to sigh. With breath and spirit, we will express our disappointment that we live in a sin marred creation that groans while waiting for its redemption. We can help that world to come by living lives of love consistently, by groaning and sighing when appropriate, but never without hope that all shall be well.