St. Patrick’s Day. The way it is viewed today is so much different from what really happened. After reading some stories about his life (Denison Forum/WV Baptist Convention), let me share part of his story with you.
Having just finished a series on the life of Joseph from the book of Genesis, a theme that Joseph came to live by was that from all the heartaches he went through, God meant them for good. Let’s see how God took the heartaches of another teenager and turned them out for good.
Patrick was born in England in the late 300’s A.D. He was kidnapped at age 16 by marauding Irishmen who then sold him as a slave to a farmer in their country of Ireland. Six years later, he escaped and went back to England.
Patrick was raised in a Christian home although while he was growing up, Christ never took root in his own life. While he was a slave, Christ came alive to him. After escaping to England, he took several years to immerse himself in the Scriptures. He then led a church for the next 20 years.
While in his late 40’s, he felt the call to go back to where he had been taken as a slave – to Ireland! He was at an age when some might have had their eyes on settling down. But not Patrick! Ireland was a country without the Gospel ministry being shared. He spent his next 30 years ministering there. He helped start over 200 churches and led over 100,000 people to Christ.
One of the reasons he was so successful there is that he had learned their culture, ways, and language while being held as a slave. God used it to give him a heart for the people.
It is believed that he died in 461 A.D. on March 17, which is why this day is known as St. Patrick’s Day.
Had Patrick never gone through deep water early in his life, he may never have had the heart to reach the nation where he was held as a slave!
Let me encourage you. Take the heartaches and pains that you have received in life. Realize that God can take them all and raise good from them. What may have been meant as evil against you can be turned out for your good and the good of others.
Let God use your pain to reach out to others who are in their moments of pain so you can love them to Jesus.
