I hover over the words and there’s a bit of a feeling of discomfort. And I say to myself, “Self, how come? Do you really want a monotone Jesus?”

I’m reading in Matthew 17 this morning where the “thrill of victory” from the high experienced on the Mount of Transfiguration is immediately followed by the “agony of defeat” encountered through the low of being stymied by a demon. While three of the disciples were facedown amidst the glory, the others were red-faced before the darkness. And while Jesus said to the three, “Fear not”, with the others He seems frustrated. And that’s where my discomfort comes in.

And when [Jesus, Peter, James, and John] came [down from the mountain] to the crowd, a man came up to Him and, kneeling before Him, said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to Me.”

(Matthew 17:14-17 ESV)

“O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?”

“How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this?” (MSG)

How can you read those red-lettered words in your bible and not be taken back a bit? How do you not hear the frustration,the exasperation, and the weariness? And this from the Son of God.

Hover over it. Chew on it. And tell me you’re not tempted (at least a bit) to just wanna move on from it. But pause — behold your sighing Savior.

My discomfort comes because I know what frustration can fuel within me. I cringe because I recall how my exasperation has too often been expressed. I want to skim past this because I know that so often my weariness has led to inappropriate words.

But thank God, I’m not the starting point when it comes to Jesus.

Jesus is the starting point when it comes to Jesus. The holy Son of God fully entering into the human condition and human experience.

And because He has been frustrated, He understands my frustrations. Because He has thrown up His hands in a situation, he gets it when my hands go up. But because He did so without sin, “perfectly” frustrated and without spot in His exasperation, He can cover me with His righteousness and forgive me for my failure.

No monotone Jesus here. But a reminder that a sighing Savior is a saving Savior.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

(Hebrews 4:15-16 ESV)

By His grace. For His glory.