I felt Jesus asking me that question recently. I was sitting in church listening as the gospel was read from Mark 8:29, and the question from the Scripture, “But what about you?” he asked, seemed personally pointed to me. The rest of the verse says, “Who do you say that I am? Peter answered, You are the Christ.” Of course I knew the answer to that question. Unlike those mentioned in the gospel message, I do not think that Jesus Christ was John the Baptist, Elijah, or even one of the prophets. I, like Peter, say that He is the Christ. And by that I mean that He is the Son of God that was promised through the prophets.
So why the sudden pop quiz in church that Sunday? I could sense in my spiritalmost immediately that the question was given because Jesus knew my thoughtsas I sat in church. My head was peppered with the problems that plagued me. Mymind was swirling with potential disasters, and I sat in church, half-way listeningto the message and mostly muddled with mind-bending personal realities that seemedlike riddles that had no answers.
It was just at that moment I felt the presence of God enter into the chaos ofmy mind and ask this important question. He didn’t ask because He didn’tthink I knew the answer. He was certain that I, like Peter, have gotten it right.He knows that the Father has revealed to me that Jesus Christ is my Savior, andI cling to Him and claim the righteousness He has provided for me as my salvation.
God asked me that question because my thoughts were sinking me deeper into a pit. The question was God’s rescue from my fruitless efforts to reason things out that do not have reasonable answers. His question worked.
It stopped my brain’s chaotic activity and focused my mind on the answer. “You are the Christ, the God of miracles.” And suddenly it hit me: I have worried and pondered and looked at my problems from all angles now, and I still didn’t find a solution. Yet the solution is unaffected by all my ponderings. I needed God’s presence to call me back to sanity and remember where my help comes from.
And what about you? Who do you say that Jesus is? Perhaps you need to ask yourself that same question God asked me. What is your problem—a person you are trying to change? Who can change people, you or Jesus? Perhaps you need healing—who has the power to heal, you or Jesus? Maybe you are being accused of things you did not do—who can defend you better, you or Jesus? Maybe you are trying to think of new ways to respond to a problem—who has higher thoughts, you or Jesus?
If you find yourself faithless and overwhelmed with your thoughts, ask yourself, “Who or where is Jesus in this situation?” It’s a real brain healer.
