Daily Devotional for Friday, March 3rd

Barnabas and Mark Set Sail for Cyprus

“And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus,” Acts 15:39.

Would you be shocked to hear that sometimes folks just do not get along? Would you be deeply shocked to hear that sometimes Christians disagree and fail to get along? How shocked would you be to hear that, while unfortunate, it might be okay? God can use even our failings to accomplish His work. The truth is that sinful humans sometimes fail to agree. Sometimes, disagreement can be so sharp that only parting ways can bring peace.
This was the case with Paul and Barnabas. We see in verse 38 that, earlier in Pamphylia, John Mark had apparently abandoned Paul and Barnabas. Now, it seemed he was back and ready to go back into the mission field. Paul, unwilling to see past the past, wanted no part of John Mark. Barnabas was more willing to reconcile and restore. Paul and Barnabas could not reach an agreement and parted ways, and it seems their parting was not a pleasant one. The text tells us they parted ways because their disagreement was very sharp.
We cannot say for sure which of these men was in the right. We can say that it seems somebody was wrong. We can also say it is a sad thing when God’s people disagree so strongly that they must part ways.
Yet, God used even this for His ends. In an instant the missionary power in the field was doubled as Barnabas and John Mark went one way and Paul and Silas another.
Did you know that God can use even your failures to achieve His ends? He can, and He will. Just keep praying for the leading of the Holy Spirit and keep working.

JUST A THOUGHT: Not only will our failures never mess up God’s plans, but He can even use them to accomplish them.

Wally Fry