THEIR FAILURE ENCOURAGES ME

  

Most of you will not even be able to comprehend what I am

trying to get across.  That is because every thing you have

ever endeavored to do for God, or He has directed you to do -

you have completed successfully and timely.  Then simply said,

"What is next LORD?"

But there are one or two of us (perhaps in each country) who

have not completed our task or ministry.  We might even have

put it on the shelf - for the time being.  Or run off,  pulling a

Jonah.

The Scriptures tell us about two fellows who failed in their

God given task.  Now that encourages me.  Because it makes

me feel superior?  ABSOLUTELY NOT.  But because I 

can relate to them.  That's the part of life I know best.

In Acts chapter fifteen Paul and Barnabas were getting ready

for another mission trip.  Barnabas wanted to take Mark

with them, that is John Mark.  But Paul did not want to

because Mark had not stayed with them to the end of 

another mission.  Mark turned back and left them.  We

do not know why.  Perhaps the going was too tough, or 

fear.  The Scriptures do not tell us.  That is because it

was for the same reason you did not complete your God 

given mission that time.  But if the Scriptures told us 

what is was, the other guy would think he was off the 

hook.

There was another fellow named Demas.  At one point

he left Paul in a bind and returned somewhere because

he had fallen in love with the world.  We are not told

what it was he loved more than God's work.  It might have

been, opportunity, fame, money, things or whatever.  But

it was the same thing that you and I love more than God's

work.

How much later does not matter.  But later the Apostle Paul

is in Prison.  That is where he wrote his "prison epistles".  And

in the closing portion of two of these epistles, Colossians and

Philemon as he is giving his greetings, two of his co-workers

are mentioned.  You guessed it, Mark and Demas.  Hey!

They are restored, back on the job, doing their ministry or

task.

Over the years I have read of many a person who has failed or

fallen.  Some failed miserably.  But God forgave and restored

them to places of usefulness or ministry.

Perhaps the reason is the same as the troubles the apostle

 Paul was going through.  Then he was able to say,

"He helps us in all our troubles, so that we

are able to help others who have all kinds of troubles,

using the same help that we ourselves have received

from God."

(2 Corinthians 1:4 GNB)

How glad I am that God,

loves, forgives, restores.