40 Days of Praise - Day 32
Day 32
Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Matthew 14:31
In Acts 13, the elders at Antioch were directed by the Lord to set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work of evangelism and church planting. Barnabas took with them his young nephew, John Mark, a native of Jerusalem. Their first stop was the island of Cyprus. Cypress was a primarily Jewish island in the Mediterranean Sea, just off the coast of Israel. It was an easy first start and their ministry there went well.
Their next port of call was Perga in Pamphylia, on the southern shore of Asia Minor, which we know as Turkey. This was a thoroughly pagan place with a very different feel than Cyprus. John Mark deserted them there and went back to Jerusalem. In Acts 15, when Barnabas suggested that John Mark join them on their second missionary tour. Saul, who now went by Paul, put his foot down and absolutely refused to have the deserter accompany them again. It was the cause of a partnership-splitting rift between Paul and Barnabas.
It was around 20 years later when Paul asked Timothy to bring John Mark with him when he came, because he saw John Mark as being profitable to the ministry. John Mark wore the mark of his failure for a long time.
How different the picture is for Peter when he failed. The response of Jesus does not carry the tone of rebuke, but of a good natured chiding, that had Peter held onto his faith just a little bit longer, he would have done it. He would have walked on the water to Jesus.
Peter had an even more poignant experience with Jesus after denying Him three times the night He was arrested and tortured, then crucified. After His resurrection, Jesus made it a point to visit Peter personally, a private meeting that we're told nothing else about. But later, in front of the rest of the disciples, Jesus restores Peter in John 21.
Our Lord encourages us in our efforts to follow Him boldly with our whole hearts. Even when we miss the mark and sink, He pulls us up and encourages us to go again. Peter walked with Jesus on the water to get back to the boat. He who pleases the Father perfectly, who never made a mistake, never missed the mark, but who knows fully what it is to be human -- our Lord Jesus -- welcomes do-overs.
What grace! What compassion! What kindness! What a good, good God, we serve!
Charles M. Butler
Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Matthew 14:31
In Acts 13, the elders at Antioch were directed by the Lord to set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work of evangelism and church planting. Barnabas took with them his young nephew, John Mark, a native of Jerusalem. Their first stop was the island of Cyprus. Cypress was a primarily Jewish island in the Mediterranean Sea, just off the coast of Israel. It was an easy first start and their ministry there went well.
Their next port of call was Perga in Pamphylia, on the southern shore of Asia Minor, which we know as Turkey. This was a thoroughly pagan place with a very different feel than Cyprus. John Mark deserted them there and went back to Jerusalem. In Acts 15, when Barnabas suggested that John Mark join them on their second missionary tour. Saul, who now went by Paul, put his foot down and absolutely refused to have the deserter accompany them again. It was the cause of a partnership-splitting rift between Paul and Barnabas.
It was around 20 years later when Paul asked Timothy to bring John Mark with him when he came, because he saw John Mark as being profitable to the ministry. John Mark wore the mark of his failure for a long time.
How different the picture is for Peter when he failed. The response of Jesus does not carry the tone of rebuke, but of a good natured chiding, that had Peter held onto his faith just a little bit longer, he would have done it. He would have walked on the water to Jesus.
Peter had an even more poignant experience with Jesus after denying Him three times the night He was arrested and tortured, then crucified. After His resurrection, Jesus made it a point to visit Peter personally, a private meeting that we're told nothing else about. But later, in front of the rest of the disciples, Jesus restores Peter in John 21.
Our Lord encourages us in our efforts to follow Him boldly with our whole hearts. Even when we miss the mark and sink, He pulls us up and encourages us to go again. Peter walked with Jesus on the water to get back to the boat. He who pleases the Father perfectly, who never made a mistake, never missed the mark, but who knows fully what it is to be human -- our Lord Jesus -- welcomes do-overs.
What grace! What compassion! What kindness! What a good, good God, we serve!
Charles M. Butler
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