Saturday, June 15, 2013
Invitation to a Garden Party
Most women have heard the story of how we got here.
God put Adam to sleep to take a rib from his side in order to build woman. The Hebrew word refers to carefully designing and erecting a 'temple', as opposed to Adam’s forming, which is characterized as “squeezing into a mold or pressing.”
My husband started out in the construction industry as an industrial carpenter. Call him if you want something functional and sturdy. If you want delicate, decorative work in residential dwellings, you need a trim or finishing carpenter. That’s a good way to remember the difference in how God made Adam and Eve.
But I want you to notice what happened after Eve was made: Genesis 2:22 tells us that God brought her to man.
Wait. Haven’t we assumed God made her there…in Adam’s presence? Yet this verse implies that God took the rib away from man in order to craft His glorious creation—alone.
Just think. When Eve opened her eyes, she beheld God, not Adam. The Scriptures do not tell us how long they were together, but at some point God finally released her to man.
We know the rest of this story. Adam and Eve took God and His beautiful garden for granted.
They began to doubt His integrity. They questioned His goodness. They died first in a way more horrible than the physical death that followed. They rejected God's care, and all members of the human family were subsequently born under that oppressive estrangement.
Sin has left many Eves battered and bruised outside the Garden gates. They lived in fear of the flaming sword, and over time forgot about the overwhelming love that almost took their first breath away. Eves resigned to the decree that any life within them…anything they tried to bring forth…would be wrapped in pain.
The consequences of Adam’s rule over an independent-minded Eve became devastating, as selfishness, distrust, and cruelty compounded through the ages in their sons and daughters. Some Eves fought back, becoming as ruthless as their oppressors. Others took ill treatment in silence and withered within. All Adams and Eves, made in their Creator’s image and likeness, were hopelessly marred.
That is, until Jesus Christ came to set the captives free. We all know that, don’t we? You’ve heard it—and want to really believe it--but you’re afraid to go back to where it all started to see for yourself.
Maybe it’s too good to be really true.
Maybe for others, but not for me. It’s been too long; it’s been too bad.
Eve, your Creator is jealous for you! He wants to see you again…with no earthly man in between. He wants to hold you as before. As He does, the vision that has been clouded by earthly disappointments and pain will clear. Your labored breath will take in the sweet and exhale the bitter in the safety of His cleansing love.
You might ask, “How do I get there?”
There was a real garden on earth in the beginning, that’s true. And God came in the cool (or literal Hebrew—‘wind’) of each day to walk and fellowship with Adam and Eve. When they rejected His best for them, they forfeited their ability to intimately fellowship with the Father.
However, in an astonishing display of love, Jesus Christ “took our place”, so to speak, in life AND death. As our representative, He obeyed God in the way He lived on earth, and in how He willingly died to remove the penalty of our estrangement. He restored the possibility for all of us to have a continuous and joyful relationship with God as our true Father.
Now we don’t have to travel to a literal garden in some exotic location to be healed in God’s presence. Our spirits, the part of us that is eternal and now alive unto God because of our faith in Christ, have become God’s Garden!
That means that no matter where you are, no matter what you’re going through, there remains a secret place known only to you and God--you know, the spot where you were created--the glorious place where you first met and spent time with Him before being taken to Adam. It is located deep within--past your mind and emotions. It is a place where God is pleased to dwell.
By faith, you can go as often as you like and stay for as long as you want. Worship in the wind of His Presence, dance in the glory of His absolute love and total acceptance of you, His Beloved. Become well in your soul as He rejoices over you with singing.
This Father’s Day, God invites you to a Garden Party. Just the two of you--the way it once was--in the beginning before you knew any shame or guilt…when nothing had yet to harm you.
He says, “Just come as you are. Don’t feel as if you have to bring a peace offering—no explanations, no promises. Your willingness to come delights Me. YOU are My gift,” declares the Father.
Ready to go? Here are a few things you can do to prepare for the journey. First, read this Scripture. Does it describe how you feel now?
“A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.” (Song of Songs 4:12)
There may be a man-made cap over your once sparkling fountain of living waters. You may have erected walls around your spirit to keep out intruders, not realizing it has also kept out the good you’ve so desperately needed.
Don’t be afraid; ask the wind of the Holy Spirit to come and awaken life within the Garden, just as the Shulamite woman did in the Song of Songs (4:16):
“Awake, O North wind; and come, thou South; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my Beloved come into HIS garden, and eat His pleasant fruits.”
The winds will carry the pleasing scents to your Lord, signaling Him that you are on your way home.
“I am come into MY garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends, drink, yea, drink abundantly, O Beloved.” (Songs of Songs 5:1)
Did you know all these beautiful things have been deep inside of you all along?
Myrrh-used to anoint bodies at burial; typifies the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ for you.
He suffered and died in your place. He was wounded for your transgressions; He carried your griefs and sorrows. He was despised and rejected, too, and is able to lift you out of your distresses and heal your broken heart.
Spices-are used to flavor food in a variety of ways. Women often lower their expectations due to past hurts. They find a safe, predictable rut and exist there—day in and day out. Your Beloved, however, has a future and a hope for you that is exceeding, abundantly above anything that you could ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20)
Honey-is one of nature’s most powerful antibiotics; it will repel invaders that seek to compromise your wellness.
Honeycomb-sweeter than honey; this is the Word of God (Psalm 19:10).
Its sweetness will counteract the bitter and sour events in your life.
Wine-has antiseptic and anesthetizing properties; indicative of the intoxicating joy of the Lord and the presence of the Holy Spirit
A surrendered life to the Holy Spirit helps you keep an uncluttered heart. You are able to walk more readily in faith, hope, and love.
Milk-nourishes and strengthens; it, too, is a type of the Word of God (1 Corinthians 3:2). It is also a symbol of blessings.
Did you also notice there are friends in your Garden?
When you are whole in Him--when you totally live, move, and have your being in Him--you won’t be afraid to open up and welcome your sisters (and even your brothers) in the Lord to join you in worship and fellowship.
This doesn’t remove the risk of ever being hurt again, but He is your Mighty Shield. Most of the time, the fiery darts of the enemy will be quenched upon impact. (Ephesians 6:16)
In other situations, you may let your guard down or be overwhelmed. Even then, you can quickly run to your Father in the Garden and give him the damage. You’ll be surprised at what He can do with it! You’ll get it back triumphantly transformed--full of forgiveness, peace, and even the word of reconciliation.
So, what are you waiting for? The gates are open wide to welcome you home.
Oh, I almost forgot! God wants you to know the gates look very different this time, Eve. There’s no impassable angel guarding them with a sword. You'll only see the word GRACE written over them...in the Blood of the Lamb.
Friday, May 31, 2013
I Confess: I'm a Birther!
No doubt you've heard about the Birthers, a group of
people across our political landscape so coined because they don’t believe Barack Obama is a natural-born citizen.
Although documents show Obama’s birthplace
as Hawaii, Birthers claim these are forged to cover up the fact that he was
really born in Kenya, which makes him ineligible to hold the office of the
President of the United States.
However, on this day, The Feast of the Visitation, I’ve been thinking about a very different set of 'birthers'.
Our story begins with Elizabeth-- well-stricken in age, as the Bible notes--who became pregnant with a child prophesied to be the forerunner for the Messiah. When she was six months into her pregnancy, her teenage cousin Mary arrives for a visit. She, too, was pregnant—pregnant with the Messiah! The extended visit between these two is recorded in Luke 1:39-56.
I like to be around birthers...not the political, conspiracy-minded kind, but believers who are pregnant with the plans of God. I’m a birther, too. We’ll quickly tell you that what we carry is of God; otherwise, our age, health, finances, lack of education, and a host of other natural obstacles would normally prevent conception.
Whatever the reason, Kingdom birthers all agree on one thing: It’s the same phrase the angel Gabriel used when he appeared to Mary and announced that she, a teenage virgin, would be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit with a “holy thing”: (KJV)
“For with God nothing shall be impossible”. (Luke 1:37)
Are you incubating a “holy thing”? An immense vision, a dream or a daring assignment from God that is maturing inside of you?
You don’t have all the answers. You may not be sure of the exact season when you’ll go into labor. And you certainly don’t know how you will be able to properly care for this new arrival. You just know that God chose you. He overshadowed you. Despite the difficulties ahead—including misunderstandings from family and friends—you said “yes” to God. Suddenly, your inner being became a womb.
Let me advise you to do exactly what Mary did—seek out “with haste” another “birther”! That which was placed on the inside of you will always jump for joy in the presence of another believer who carries a living word, a promise, and a plan from God.
Only in the presence of birthers--not the spiritually barren--will you receive a blessing (Luke 1: 42, 45). The spirit of prophecy can well up inside of you to speak forth His goodness and grace to the nations. You will wax strong and be able to bring to full term that which is on the inside of you:
“Now Elizabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered, and she brought forth a son.” (Luke 1:57)
“…the days were accomplished that she (Mary) should be delivered.” (Luke 2:6)
Sadly, not all assignments from God come to birth at their appointed time. A discouraging spirit can show up during a birther’s most vulnerable moments to play upon deep, lingering fears.
The adversary wants us to exchange the truth for a lie--the lie that says we have deceived ourselves by thinking we are chosen by God for great things—a lie that, if believed, expels (uproots) the seed within us.
Godly reforms were taking place under Hezekiah’s leadership, but there was much more that needed to be done. Then, a powerful enemy came to lay siege against Jerusalem. His clever, deceitful words made King Hezekiah cower in fear and cry, “This day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the point of birth and there is no strength to deliver them.” (Isaiah 37:3)
His name was Rabshakeh —Sennacherib’s silver-tongued general. The Assyrian forces had never been defeated. Hezekiah’s people were outnumbered and outclassed by a ruthless army.
He met with Hezekiah’s representatives outside the city wall. They asked him to converse in the Syrian tongue so as not to panic the people watching from the wall, but Rabshakeh arrogantly refused. He threatened them in perfect Hebrew, mocking God and Hezekiah’s claim that God would prevail on their behalf.
Don’t be alarmed if a Rabshakeh of some sort shows up to mock you. Don’t be surprised if he makes his threats public for everyone around you to hear, particularly those who have supported you through rough times and may now be prone to criticize.
This I know: if a Rabshakeh arrives on the scene, it can only mean one thing--you’ve come to full term and your days are about to be accomplished! Don’t give up!
Hezekiah rent his clothes in despair, but instead of letting Rabshakeh frighten him from God, Hezekiah ran to God. He called upon a friend who knew how to incubate and protect a word from God during difficult times--the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah returned God’s words to ascendancy over Rabshakeh’s. Hezekiah regained his confidence and strength, and God won the day!
Don’t go it alone in isolation. Don’t hang around with spiritually barren people. With haste, seek out other believers who are pregnant with the seed of great things for God and stay a while. If you do, you will be blessed…and “there shall be a performance of those things which were told to you from the Lord.” (Luke 1: 45)
However, on this day, The Feast of the Visitation, I’ve been thinking about a very different set of 'birthers'.
Our story begins with Elizabeth-- well-stricken in age, as the Bible notes--who became pregnant with a child prophesied to be the forerunner for the Messiah. When she was six months into her pregnancy, her teenage cousin Mary arrives for a visit. She, too, was pregnant—pregnant with the Messiah! The extended visit between these two is recorded in Luke 1:39-56.
I like to be around birthers...not the political, conspiracy-minded kind, but believers who are pregnant with the plans of God. I’m a birther, too. We’ll quickly tell you that what we carry is of God; otherwise, our age, health, finances, lack of education, and a host of other natural obstacles would normally prevent conception.
Whatever the reason, Kingdom birthers all agree on one thing: It’s the same phrase the angel Gabriel used when he appeared to Mary and announced that she, a teenage virgin, would be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit with a “holy thing”: (KJV)
“For with God nothing shall be impossible”. (Luke 1:37)
Are you incubating a “holy thing”? An immense vision, a dream or a daring assignment from God that is maturing inside of you?
You don’t have all the answers. You may not be sure of the exact season when you’ll go into labor. And you certainly don’t know how you will be able to properly care for this new arrival. You just know that God chose you. He overshadowed you. Despite the difficulties ahead—including misunderstandings from family and friends—you said “yes” to God. Suddenly, your inner being became a womb.
Let me advise you to do exactly what Mary did—seek out “with haste” another “birther”! That which was placed on the inside of you will always jump for joy in the presence of another believer who carries a living word, a promise, and a plan from God.
Only in the presence of birthers--not the spiritually barren--will you receive a blessing (Luke 1: 42, 45). The spirit of prophecy can well up inside of you to speak forth His goodness and grace to the nations. You will wax strong and be able to bring to full term that which is on the inside of you:
“Now Elizabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered, and she brought forth a son.” (Luke 1:57)
“…the days were accomplished that she (Mary) should be delivered.” (Luke 2:6)
Sadly, not all assignments from God come to birth at their appointed time. A discouraging spirit can show up during a birther’s most vulnerable moments to play upon deep, lingering fears.
The adversary wants us to exchange the truth for a lie--the lie that says we have deceived ourselves by thinking we are chosen by God for great things—a lie that, if believed, expels (uproots) the seed within us.
Godly reforms were taking place under Hezekiah’s leadership, but there was much more that needed to be done. Then, a powerful enemy came to lay siege against Jerusalem. His clever, deceitful words made King Hezekiah cower in fear and cry, “This day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the point of birth and there is no strength to deliver them.” (Isaiah 37:3)
His name was Rabshakeh —Sennacherib’s silver-tongued general. The Assyrian forces had never been defeated. Hezekiah’s people were outnumbered and outclassed by a ruthless army.
He met with Hezekiah’s representatives outside the city wall. They asked him to converse in the Syrian tongue so as not to panic the people watching from the wall, but Rabshakeh arrogantly refused. He threatened them in perfect Hebrew, mocking God and Hezekiah’s claim that God would prevail on their behalf.
Don’t be alarmed if a Rabshakeh of some sort shows up to mock you. Don’t be surprised if he makes his threats public for everyone around you to hear, particularly those who have supported you through rough times and may now be prone to criticize.
This I know: if a Rabshakeh arrives on the scene, it can only mean one thing--you’ve come to full term and your days are about to be accomplished! Don’t give up!
Hezekiah rent his clothes in despair, but instead of letting Rabshakeh frighten him from God, Hezekiah ran to God. He called upon a friend who knew how to incubate and protect a word from God during difficult times--the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah returned God’s words to ascendancy over Rabshakeh’s. Hezekiah regained his confidence and strength, and God won the day!
Don’t go it alone in isolation. Don’t hang around with spiritually barren people. With haste, seek out other believers who are pregnant with the seed of great things for God and stay a while. If you do, you will be blessed…and “there shall be a performance of those things which were told to you from the Lord.” (Luke 1: 45)
Thursday, April 25, 2013
The Feast of Saint Mark: A Patron for Ministry Rejects
Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Mark, the Evangelist, who
was also known as John Mark. His narrative of the life of Jesus was the first
to be written, and was chosen by the Church to take its place among only three
other Gospel accounts considered God-inspired.
After being released from jail by an angel (Acts 12:12), Peter went to the home of John Mark and his mother. Church tradition claims that Jesus appeared to His disciples in Mark’s house after His Resurrection, and its large upper room was where the Holy Spirit was poured out upon believers gathered on the Day of Pentecost.
Nineteen years after Christ’s ascension, Mark traveled to Africa and founded the Church at Alexandria. The pagans in Alexandria resented his efforts to turn the populace from their traditional gods. In 68 AD, they captured John Mark, put a rope around his neck, and dragged him through the streets until he was dead. He is honored by the Coptic Church as the founder of Christianity in Africa, and his symbol is the lion.
What a courageous witness for the Lord…so courageous that the Church chose a lion to symbolize Mark’s ministry!
But Mark’s first attempt at ministry ended in disaster. In fact, he made such a mess of things that Paul refused to have anything to do with him! Mark was considered unreliable and a liability to the Church. A lion? Really?
Mark and his family played prominent in the early church. They worked side by side with the Apostles, even hosting meetings in their home. Therefore, it seemed normal for Paul to choose Mark as his promising new assistant for his first missionary journey.
However, something went wrong along the way. We’re not told exactly what happened, but when planning a second trip, Paul adamantly refused to add Mark to the roster (Acts 15: 36-41). In verse 38, Paul uses a strong word, stating Mark “departed from them in Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.”
Many translations use the word deserted, but a look at the original Greek word gives us insight into how seriously Paul perceived the abandonment. It comes from the same root as “apostasy”. He considered Mark a total write off in terms of serving God.
Arguing on behalf of giving Mark a second chance was his uncle, Barnabas. His name means “Son of Comfort, Encouragement.” Forget the fact that he was a relative. His name denotes the prevailing motive behind his words and actions: he was an encourager. On the other hand, Paul was a “get with the program or get out” apostle. Although he tempered in his later years, he was known to run a tight ship and had little patience for floundering.
All sorts of people have weighed in over the years as to why Mark dropped out on the adventure of a lifetime. The Scriptures show Barnabas taking a back seat to the converted Paul once he arrived on the scene. Initially, Barnabas headed up several mercy and evangelistic tours. He was the one who introduced Paul to the Apostles in Jerusalem. Barnabas was one of the first teachers of the church at Antioch. When the work grew greater than one person could manage, Barnabas chose Paul to be his assistant for a year. Some scholars suggest Mark was troubled over Paul’s rise to prominence over his uncle. Other people believe he simply got homesick. I tend to favor the notion that Mark was just not ready for the hardships he encountered.
It’s one thing to say you are prepared to face persecution and troubles; quite another to encounter them. The area they traveled was riddled with bandits, and Paul’s message attracted both political and religious enemies. Dangers lay at every turn with no promise of a decent meal or lodging along the way. Mark was probably overwhelmed. As the journey progressed, fears and self-doubts increased.
Let’s return to the intense argument between Paul and Barnabas in Acts 15. Verse 39 records that the contention was so sharp between the two of them that they “departed asunder one from the other”. (Again, there’s the English word departed. However, it is a different word altogether in the Greek, meaning “to part company”.) As a result, Paul chose Silas as his ministry companion and headed toward Syria and Cilcia; Barnabas and Mark went to Cyprus.
We hear nothing else from the Bible about the outcome of the Cyprus mission. Apparently, it went well. Barnabas is traditionally identified as the founder of the Cypriot Church. He is also mentioned briefly by Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:6 as a fellow laborer for the Lord. It is generally believed that upon Barnabas’ death by stoning in 61 AD, Mark privately interred his body.
Church tradition states that Mark became Peter’s scribe and interpreter. (How appropriate for Mark to sit at the feet of another man well acquainted with failure AND redemption!) Many historians agree that the Apostle was the source of information for Mark’s Gospel account, which was penned right before his own martyrdom in 68 AD.
Are you a ministry reject? Has a church, denomination, or Christian organization disqualified you because of a failed mission? Do you believe the Lord has written you off, as well?
You didn’t commit adultery; you didn’t steal from the coffers or misrepresent the Faith…you were in over your head. Perhaps you grew afraid. The battlefield was very different from the classroom. Maybe your resolve wasn’t as tough as you confessed for such an assignment.
After thirty years in ministry, I’ve seen so many Christian men and women resign themselves to the pews. They refuse to take noble risks. They are convinced that extraordinary adventures are for well-equipped, more spiritually mature Christians.
I truly believe Mark’s ministry blunder occurred because he just wasn’t ready to undertake such an arduous and extended assignment. Barnabas accurately discerned there was nothing wrong with Mark’s character or his calling. Three years after his first attempt, Mark took a smaller mission to Cyprus with Barnabas and helped start a successful church in that region.
Beloved, there is nothing wrong with your character or calling, either. But maybe you can’t hear this truth because of the stinging, blatant rejection of that “Paul”—that church, denomination, or organization. The solution is simple: Pray for God to send you a Barnabas, a “Son of Comfort, of Encouragement” to take you under his or her ministry wing.
I know how deeply this type of rejection hurts. When we moved into a new Communion, my previous ordination was considered invalid, but the leaders were willing to examine me for a new commission. I took a battery of tests along with four other candidates.
I’ll never forget the day I received the call from the bishop stating that my test results sent up some “red flags” among the committee members. They concluded that I could not be commissioned in good conscience for ministry at that time. However, the other four candidates were cleared.
I’m not happy when I say this because it hurts to see fellow Christians falter and go through hard times; but none of those four are serving in the church today!
It took me a long time to work through the embarrassment (I had already sent out my recommendation letters to friends and family). Yet, I NEVER questioned God’s call upon my life. That was settled years ago. I had navigated many shark-infested waters as a woman minister, and as one who grew up in the ultra-conservative Bible Belt!
I remained a member of that Communion, realizing I did not need them to validate or commission me to serve God and His people with my ministry gifts. Instead of attacking their Paul-like approach, I remained positive and looked for people with a Barnabas heart. Barnabases seem to know when you’re ready to try again; and they’ll have your back when you do—even if it costs them their reputation or a friendship.
You see, many churches and ministries run predominately on man-made rules. Unfortunately, they measure a Christian’s success by how quickly they get their act together and enter some sort of service. Otherwise, you are not worth much to God or to them (or so it is subtlety implied).
You quickly volunteer for all sorts of things that you either don’t like or don’t feel equipped to handle because it pleases the leadership. They continue to expect more from you—more meetings, more training sessions, more “spiritual” activities. We often sign up to be involved in something spiritually big, only to later discover we misjudged the demands and complexities. We find ourselves in over our heads, and blow it—big time.
Regardless of what happened and how, you retreated into a cave. While offering some security, its walls always remind you of how you got there. God forbid, but maybe even the Pauls in your life prefer you to remain a cave dweller. But know this: God doesn’t like caves. Just ask Elijah. (1 Kings 19:1-18)
Again, let me say: There is nothing wrong with your character or your calling! God wants to partner with you in exploits that will greatly further His Kingdom here on earth—yes, YOU! Ask for a Barnabas that will provide the right environment for you to blossom and release your gifts to the world.
Will you spend the rest of your life thinking you failed God? Will you forever sit in the corner of the Church-at-large wearing a dunce hat that reads “Been there, Done that, Blew it”?
Make Mark your patron saint and example. Forgive and get past the estimations of man. Acknowledge that some people, like Timothy, flourish under the leadership of a Paul. Others do better under a Barnabas. There are diverse styles of leadership and ministries available to men and women called from all walks of life and temperaments. We’re in this together!
The goal is to see Christ’s redemptive work spread throughout the world. Who knows? Those who earlier disqualified you may one day recognize the value of your ministry. It happened to Mark.
Toward the end of his life, Paul was imprisoned in Rome, forsaken by many of his fellow ministers. He wrote to Timothy, asking him to bring Mark as soon as possible for “…he is profitable (in the Greek-“very useful”) to me for the ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:11).
After being released from jail by an angel (Acts 12:12), Peter went to the home of John Mark and his mother. Church tradition claims that Jesus appeared to His disciples in Mark’s house after His Resurrection, and its large upper room was where the Holy Spirit was poured out upon believers gathered on the Day of Pentecost.
Nineteen years after Christ’s ascension, Mark traveled to Africa and founded the Church at Alexandria. The pagans in Alexandria resented his efforts to turn the populace from their traditional gods. In 68 AD, they captured John Mark, put a rope around his neck, and dragged him through the streets until he was dead. He is honored by the Coptic Church as the founder of Christianity in Africa, and his symbol is the lion.
What a courageous witness for the Lord…so courageous that the Church chose a lion to symbolize Mark’s ministry!
But Mark’s first attempt at ministry ended in disaster. In fact, he made such a mess of things that Paul refused to have anything to do with him! Mark was considered unreliable and a liability to the Church. A lion? Really?
Mark and his family played prominent in the early church. They worked side by side with the Apostles, even hosting meetings in their home. Therefore, it seemed normal for Paul to choose Mark as his promising new assistant for his first missionary journey.
However, something went wrong along the way. We’re not told exactly what happened, but when planning a second trip, Paul adamantly refused to add Mark to the roster (Acts 15: 36-41). In verse 38, Paul uses a strong word, stating Mark “departed from them in Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.”
Many translations use the word deserted, but a look at the original Greek word gives us insight into how seriously Paul perceived the abandonment. It comes from the same root as “apostasy”. He considered Mark a total write off in terms of serving God.
Arguing on behalf of giving Mark a second chance was his uncle, Barnabas. His name means “Son of Comfort, Encouragement.” Forget the fact that he was a relative. His name denotes the prevailing motive behind his words and actions: he was an encourager. On the other hand, Paul was a “get with the program or get out” apostle. Although he tempered in his later years, he was known to run a tight ship and had little patience for floundering.
All sorts of people have weighed in over the years as to why Mark dropped out on the adventure of a lifetime. The Scriptures show Barnabas taking a back seat to the converted Paul once he arrived on the scene. Initially, Barnabas headed up several mercy and evangelistic tours. He was the one who introduced Paul to the Apostles in Jerusalem. Barnabas was one of the first teachers of the church at Antioch. When the work grew greater than one person could manage, Barnabas chose Paul to be his assistant for a year. Some scholars suggest Mark was troubled over Paul’s rise to prominence over his uncle. Other people believe he simply got homesick. I tend to favor the notion that Mark was just not ready for the hardships he encountered.
It’s one thing to say you are prepared to face persecution and troubles; quite another to encounter them. The area they traveled was riddled with bandits, and Paul’s message attracted both political and religious enemies. Dangers lay at every turn with no promise of a decent meal or lodging along the way. Mark was probably overwhelmed. As the journey progressed, fears and self-doubts increased.
Let’s return to the intense argument between Paul and Barnabas in Acts 15. Verse 39 records that the contention was so sharp between the two of them that they “departed asunder one from the other”. (Again, there’s the English word departed. However, it is a different word altogether in the Greek, meaning “to part company”.) As a result, Paul chose Silas as his ministry companion and headed toward Syria and Cilcia; Barnabas and Mark went to Cyprus.
We hear nothing else from the Bible about the outcome of the Cyprus mission. Apparently, it went well. Barnabas is traditionally identified as the founder of the Cypriot Church. He is also mentioned briefly by Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:6 as a fellow laborer for the Lord. It is generally believed that upon Barnabas’ death by stoning in 61 AD, Mark privately interred his body.
Church tradition states that Mark became Peter’s scribe and interpreter. (How appropriate for Mark to sit at the feet of another man well acquainted with failure AND redemption!) Many historians agree that the Apostle was the source of information for Mark’s Gospel account, which was penned right before his own martyrdom in 68 AD.
Are you a ministry reject? Has a church, denomination, or Christian organization disqualified you because of a failed mission? Do you believe the Lord has written you off, as well?
You didn’t commit adultery; you didn’t steal from the coffers or misrepresent the Faith…you were in over your head. Perhaps you grew afraid. The battlefield was very different from the classroom. Maybe your resolve wasn’t as tough as you confessed for such an assignment.
After thirty years in ministry, I’ve seen so many Christian men and women resign themselves to the pews. They refuse to take noble risks. They are convinced that extraordinary adventures are for well-equipped, more spiritually mature Christians.
I truly believe Mark’s ministry blunder occurred because he just wasn’t ready to undertake such an arduous and extended assignment. Barnabas accurately discerned there was nothing wrong with Mark’s character or his calling. Three years after his first attempt, Mark took a smaller mission to Cyprus with Barnabas and helped start a successful church in that region.
Beloved, there is nothing wrong with your character or calling, either. But maybe you can’t hear this truth because of the stinging, blatant rejection of that “Paul”—that church, denomination, or organization. The solution is simple: Pray for God to send you a Barnabas, a “Son of Comfort, of Encouragement” to take you under his or her ministry wing.
I know how deeply this type of rejection hurts. When we moved into a new Communion, my previous ordination was considered invalid, but the leaders were willing to examine me for a new commission. I took a battery of tests along with four other candidates.
I’ll never forget the day I received the call from the bishop stating that my test results sent up some “red flags” among the committee members. They concluded that I could not be commissioned in good conscience for ministry at that time. However, the other four candidates were cleared.
I’m not happy when I say this because it hurts to see fellow Christians falter and go through hard times; but none of those four are serving in the church today!
It took me a long time to work through the embarrassment (I had already sent out my recommendation letters to friends and family). Yet, I NEVER questioned God’s call upon my life. That was settled years ago. I had navigated many shark-infested waters as a woman minister, and as one who grew up in the ultra-conservative Bible Belt!
I remained a member of that Communion, realizing I did not need them to validate or commission me to serve God and His people with my ministry gifts. Instead of attacking their Paul-like approach, I remained positive and looked for people with a Barnabas heart. Barnabases seem to know when you’re ready to try again; and they’ll have your back when you do—even if it costs them their reputation or a friendship.
You see, many churches and ministries run predominately on man-made rules. Unfortunately, they measure a Christian’s success by how quickly they get their act together and enter some sort of service. Otherwise, you are not worth much to God or to them (or so it is subtlety implied).
You quickly volunteer for all sorts of things that you either don’t like or don’t feel equipped to handle because it pleases the leadership. They continue to expect more from you—more meetings, more training sessions, more “spiritual” activities. We often sign up to be involved in something spiritually big, only to later discover we misjudged the demands and complexities. We find ourselves in over our heads, and blow it—big time.
Regardless of what happened and how, you retreated into a cave. While offering some security, its walls always remind you of how you got there. God forbid, but maybe even the Pauls in your life prefer you to remain a cave dweller. But know this: God doesn’t like caves. Just ask Elijah. (1 Kings 19:1-18)
Again, let me say: There is nothing wrong with your character or your calling! God wants to partner with you in exploits that will greatly further His Kingdom here on earth—yes, YOU! Ask for a Barnabas that will provide the right environment for you to blossom and release your gifts to the world.
Will you spend the rest of your life thinking you failed God? Will you forever sit in the corner of the Church-at-large wearing a dunce hat that reads “Been there, Done that, Blew it”?
Make Mark your patron saint and example. Forgive and get past the estimations of man. Acknowledge that some people, like Timothy, flourish under the leadership of a Paul. Others do better under a Barnabas. There are diverse styles of leadership and ministries available to men and women called from all walks of life and temperaments. We’re in this together!
The goal is to see Christ’s redemptive work spread throughout the world. Who knows? Those who earlier disqualified you may one day recognize the value of your ministry. It happened to Mark.
Toward the end of his life, Paul was imprisoned in Rome, forsaken by many of his fellow ministers. He wrote to Timothy, asking him to bring Mark as soon as possible for “…he is profitable (in the Greek-“very useful”) to me for the ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:11).
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