Happy St. Patrick’s Day

I am wearing “green” today! After all, it’s St. Patrick’s Day and the most important thing about this day is that we wear green, so we don’t get pinched!! NOT! I am also wearing my Celtic cross!

It is said that the Celtic cross was introduced by St Patrick, who was attempting to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity. Some of the pagans worshiped the sun, so Patrick combined the Christian cross with the circular pattern of the sun to associate light and life with the Christian cross in the minds of his converts.

We’ve been celebrating this day since March 1st with this pictured display outside our door, the wreath and St. Patrick’s Prayer. We’ve honored what this day is really all about.

With all the good-hearted fun and celebrations worldwide, I know, like other religious holidays, this is another “watered down” day, I don’t want to be distracted from what the true meaning of this day is all about, so I am sharing the back-story of St. Patrick.

St. Patrick was born A.D. 389 in England. At 16, he was kidnapped and sold as a slave in Ireland. Six years later he escaped, returned home to Britain but became burdened for the spiritual condition of the Irish.

Eventually, he returned to Ireland as a missionary for 30 years. He established more than 200 churches. He led more than 100,000 to faith in Christ. He used the 3-leaf shamrock to talk about the Trinity. His death on March 17, 461 is remembered as St. Patrick’s Day.

Like Joseph in the Bible, sold as a slave, so was Patrick, and like Joseph “what the enemy meant for evil, God turned for good”. Genesis 50:20.

Can you imagine what must have gone through Patrick’s mind when he heard the Lord’s call to return to the land where he was once a slave? Instead of running to his safe place, he followed God’s plan for his life.

And isn’t that what we are called to do? Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

On the wall by our door shelf, we placed the prayer of St. Patrick. It shows how utterly consumed St. Patrick was with his relationship with God:

“I arise today through God’s strength to pilot me,
God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me, God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise.
Christ in the heart of everyone one who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today through His mighty strength.”

Oh that we became thoroughly saturated through and through with Christ, as was St. Patrick.

St. Patrick listened to God’s call for his life and achieved so much for God’s glory. His witness, his prayers, and his example should be celebrated today. This blog, the Celtic cross and the green I wear today honors him and honors the God he served.

I’m in good company with St. Patrick today because I also desire to be consumed by Christ. St. Patrick’s prayer is my prayer, too!