Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them…. ACTS 15:38
On November 27, 1939, three treasure hunters accompanied by film crews dug through the asphalt outside of the Hollywood Bowl amphitheater in Southern California. They were looking for the Cahuenga Pass treasure, consisting of gold, diamonds, and pearls rumored to have been buried there seventy-five years earlier.
They never found it. After twenty-four days of digging, they struck a boulder and stopped. All they accomplished was a nine-foot-wide, forty-two-foot-deep hole in the ground. They walked away dejected.
To err is human –we all fail sometimes. Scripture tells us that young man Mark walked away from Paul and Barnabas on a missionary trip ”and had not continued with them in the work.” Because of this, ”Paul did not think it is wise to take him” on his next trip (ACTS 15:38), which resulted in a strong disagreement with Barnabas. But in spite of his initial failings, Mark shows up years later in surprising ways. When Paul was lonely and in prison toward the end of his life, he asked for Mark and called him ”helpful to me in my ministry” (2 TIMOTHY 4:11). God even inspired Mark to write the gospel that bears his name.
Mark’s life shows us that God won’t leave us to face our errors and failures alone.We have a Friend who’sgreater than every mistake. As we follow our Savior, He’ll provide the help and strength we need.
36Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.”37Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them,38but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work.39They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,40but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
INSIGHT
What mistakes or failures have you faced recently?
In what ways have you discovered God’s strength as you shared them with Him in prayers?
PRAYER
Jesus, thank You for being there whenever I want to talk to you. I praise You for the comfort and hope only You can give! In Jesus name, I pray. Amen!!
