Mark This!

Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia.

Acts 15:37-38

When we read the Gospel of Mark, we’re reading an inspired account penned by a man whose prior fickleness and failure had caused the breakup of the greatest missionary team in history. Paul and Barnabas parted ways because of John Mark, who had deserted them on an earlier mission. Paul was fed up with the young man, but Barnabas wanted to give him another chance.

Well, the Lord certainly gave him another chance. In the end, John Mark learned from his mistakes and became so valuable to the Kingdom that even Paul changed his mind about him. “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry,” writes Paul at the end of his life (2 Timothy 4:11). And it was this man—John Mark—who later, apparently aiding Simon Peter, wrote the second Gospel.

Learning from past failures leads to future success. God doesn’t easily give up on us. Remember that when you fumble and fail. A failure is often the back door to success.

Our failures can be used as stepping-stones to a more meaningful relationship with God.

ERWIN W. LUTZER^a