Mark was the son of Mary of Jerusalem whose house was the meeting place of the early Christians (Acts 12:12) and may have been the location of the last supper. Mark was also the nephew of Barnabas and went on the first missionary journey with Paul and his uncle only to quit and return home before it was completed, causing a rift between the two older men (Acts 13:13, 15:36-41). His failure at the mission may have been the reason for the special bond between Mark and Peter, who had experienced his own failure when Jesus needed him most. Mark obviously proved himself later and he was the one Paul wanted with him in the end (2 Tim 4:11).

God uses people who have failed miserably. He used Peter to become the leader of the newly established church even though (or maybe because) he fell asleep in the Garden when Jesus needed his companionship and then he denied he knew Jesus 3 times that same night of Christ’s arrest. God also used Mark to write one of the four Gospel accounts of His Son and to also be a powerful help to the apostles in spreading the Good News throughout the Roman world, even though he had failed at his first attempt to be a missionary. What have you failed at that makes you think God can’t or won’t use you? Think again! God likes to use people who have failed. Your failure may be your greatest qualification for service to Him.