Do You Need a DO-OVER?

In golf, it’s called a “Mulligan”.  It’s a second chance to hit a shot correctly; a “do-over”.  Are you getting many Mulligans in your life?  For most of us, when we make a mistake folks aren’t exactly lining up to say, “Go ahead and try again.  Maybe you’ll make the correct life-choice next time!”  “So what if you failed miserably.  I forgive you!  Go back and tee it up and try again!”  If only it worked like that with people.  Gratefully, it does work like that with God.

The roster of those to whom God gave second chances reads like a Who’s Who of Bible champions:  David, who defeated Goliath and then later committed adultery and murder, but still found forgiveness to lead Israel; Mary Magdalene, who was a prostitute who met Jesus and became a dedicated follower of His; and Saul of Tarsus, later known as Paul, who was complicit in the murders of early Christians, yet became God’s voice to the Gentiles. 

But I want to focus on a lesser known Mulligan – this one for a young man named, John Mark.  Young and impetuous, John Mark is most likely the fellow described in Mark 14:51-52 who was right in the mix of things when Jesus was arrested just outside the Garden of Gethsemane.  He managed to get his cousin, Barnabas, and Paul to take him along as their assistant when they set out to spread the Gospel of Christ (Acts 12:25).  Unfortunately, they didn’t get very far before John Mark abandoned ship.  He left them high and dry and returned home (Acts 13:13).  Can you just imagine the criticism?  Paul saying to Barnabas, “I told you he wasn’t ready for this.  What a disappointment!  You should have never asked me to bother with someone who just wasn’t ready.” 

Well, Barnabas’ name means “son of encouragement”, so you knew John Mark might get another chance.  Barnabas tried to get Paul to take John Mark along on their next trip, but Paul was stubborn and the disagreement even split up the missionary team.  Paul went one way with his new partner, Silas, and Barnabas took John Mark under his wing and headed out in a different direction.  God has a way of using those who are willing to provide those second chances we need.  Barnabas was that guy for John Mark. 

So is that it?  It’s never that simple or boring with God.  When God gives second chances, they really count for something.  Paul writes later in the New Testament:

Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, as does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin (concerning whom you have received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him) (Colossians 4:10)

Well, what have we here?  This is John Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, being mentioned by Paul as being present with him.  But where are they?  John Mark is by Paul’s side while he is captive in a Roman prison.  Not bad for a second chance guy.  Still right in the middle of the action.  But there’s more!  There always is with God.  Years later, Paul wrote to Timothy:

Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you, for he is useful to me in the ministry.  (2 Timothy 4:11)

We can see the affection Paul has for John Mark.  The young, impetuous boy has become a man – a man of God.  That’s what second chances do for us. 

But beware!  God isn’t like your friends, or your family, or your co-workers.  Perhaps you’re lucky if you have a second-chance character in your life, like Barnabas.  But most folks are like those you’ve encountered.  Easily hurt and not very forgiving.  Easily disappointed and not interested in wasting time trying to build you into the person you could be.  Since you know what doesn’t work, why not try to be a Barnabas for someone that’s broken the rules of life?  See what a difference you can make.  It’s worth it, especially in the eyes of the “God of second chances”.  Because at some point, John Mark put pen to papyrus and wrote the words we revere as the gospel of Mark – the second book of the New Testament.  When you do get a Mulligan, be like John Mark.  Be sure to hit it straight and true.

Jacob

I Love You. MORE.

“I love you.”  “I love you MORE.”  It’s kind of a thing, to say that now, I guess.  Is it really possible in a relationship for one party to actually love the other more?  While you might think so or not, it’s tough to prove.  So God, in His infinite wisdom, knowing that it might be difficult for us to accept that HE loves us MORE, decided to SHOW us and let us watch.  Let’s look at the scene from Genesis 22:

God tested Abraham and said to him…”Take your son,” He said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” 

Wait a minute!  This is Abraham and Isaac.  This wasn’t a kid WITH promise, this was the child OF promise!  Abraham and his wife, Sarah, had to wait until Abe was 100 years old before God fulfilled His promise of providing a son.  And now, just when Isaac was likely in his teenage years, God is asking for Abraham to return him?  I know what you’re thinking if you have had teenagers, and while you may have thought you could kill your 15-year old, God was really serious about it in Isaac’s case.  So back to the story:

So Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took with him …his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance…Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac. In his hand he took the fire and the sacrificial knife, and the two of them walked on together.  Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said…”The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

Great question, Isaac!  What would you ask if you were in his place?  “Uh, Dad, what are we going to offer?”  At this point, I think Isaac realized that since his father was more than 110 years old, he could have dropped the wood and run off, and there’d be no way his dad could catch him!  But Isaac was a dutiful and obedient son.  So they journeyed on together.

When they arrived at the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.

OK, this is really going to happen!  But notice that Isaac let it all take place.  He willingly allowed himself to be placed on the wood and offered to God.

But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”…“Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from Me.” 

There you have it.  The Father was going to sacrifice his Son.  For three days as they traveled to Moriah, the Father had been in anguish because his Son had to perish as a sacrifice.  What love the Father had for his Son!  Oh, what love God had for both Abraham and Isaac.  Because here’s the rest of the story:

Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a (sacrifice) in place of his son.

So, did you catch it?  Do you see the picture?  A Father willing to offer His Only Son in sacrifice.  What actually happened in the land of Moriah that day?  A male sheep, crowned with thorns, offered on the wood of sacrifice in place of Isaac, on a mount specified by God Himself.  In case you didn’t know, the land of Moriah is the area later centered around Jerusalem.  And I have no doubt that all this took place on a lofty hill outside where the holy city would someday stand.  A place we now call Calvary.

Did our heavenly Father need to see Abraham go through this to prepare Himself to offer His Only Son for us?  No, but He wanted us to see and understand how it feels.  So we would believe He loves us MORE.

Jacob