Who is This Man?

They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!" 
Mark 4: 41

I know I have addressed this issue before, but it has been in my mind the last few days because I heard several acquaintances recently, expressing their disdain for the church and religious persons as a whole.  The problem is not their criticism of the church and of religious institutions.  What I see as a big issue is the fact that they seem to be discarding and rejecting God Himself, due to their negative views of the body of Christ.

Of course I am deeply sensitive, and my soul grieves when I hear about horrible encounters that some have had with Christians.  Atrocities in the name of religiosity are not to be condoned.  Jesus, Himself, was the harshest with the religious figures of the day.  The problem arises, however, when we equate religion with God.

The corrupted minds and actions of religious leaders are the product of our fallen nature and of our depravity...not of God.  Rejecting Our Heavenly Father because we reject the church is taking our sensibilities too far.

I think, our paths are plagued with the poisonous weeds of greed, pride, selfishness and all other sin.  I believe that there are moments of doubt in everyone.  I know that there comes a point when we question our faith.  Those are the moments for self-reflection.  A pause would be necessary then, to examine ourselves and find out exactly what we are questioning.  Maybe for some, it would be wise to start at the beginning.  Do I doubt the historicity of Jesus?  Did a man called Jesus ever lived?  I think that regardless of where one would look, finding out that Jesus did exist and did walk on this earth is inevitable.  With that out of the way, the next defining question should be, in my opinion:  Who is Jesus to me?

This question has nothing to do with the church, religion, religious leaders, ministry, family history or anything anybody else may say.  This is an intimate question that can only be answered by the individual out of the fire that burns or doesn't in their heart.  It is a Holy Spirit-inspired answer that can only come from listening to the voice of the One Who Calls us.

The answer to this question is what guides us and what keeps us on the path.  The answer to the question, Who do I say that Jesus is? represents my north.  Regardless of the corruption and decay of the world around me and within the church itself, my answer, depending on what it is, will keep me either fixed on His Face, and on seeking Him first... or centered on the material, seeking to fulfill my deepest longings by my own means, rejecting the truth, the way, and the life.

We have probably heard the idea that we all have a "God-shaped-hole" in our hearts.  If that hole doesn't get filled by God, it gets filled by man-made things, mainly self.  The original quote where the thought comes from says:

“What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself.”
- Blaise Pascal, Pensées VII(425)

One of my acquaintances said:  "I only believe in the power of keeping a positive mind, the rest is all about my own hands and my intellect."  

That comment saddened me to no end.  I'm afraid that comments like that are becoming the norm around the world.  We are not taking the time to consider the question, "Who is This Man?"  We are increasingly ignoring Him, The One to whom the winds and the waves obey.  We are consistently filling our God-shaped hole with self and superficial spirituality.  We are intentionally walking away from the Maker and embracing our own creations as worthy of worship.  

I pray for revival.  I pray that the people of God would be able to speak truth.  I pray for strength.  I pray for Jesus to reveal Himself to His beloved and cause a great stirring that would wake us all up, and make us worship of the One at whose Name every knee shall bow.  I pray we all take the time to stop and ask ourselves, "Who do I say that Jesus is?" as if our very lives depended on our answers...because they do.