What Lies Beneath
By
Amy Gentry
Have you ever wondered why we
celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? In my house, the first one awake waits for a
victim to come down the hallway without the color green displayed somewhere on
their body so they can deliver a pinch to the offender. In Chicago, they color
the river that runs through downtown green. Some restaurants have green food
and drinks and a creepy looking leprechaun appears on most St. Patrick’s Day
signs. I don’t really think that these traditions adequately express the value
behind this day on the calendar.
When I read about the life of Saint
Patrick, I was so inspired about how the Lord took Patrick’s pain and gave him
a passion. I was reminded of the scripture, “Do nothing out of selfish
ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than
yourselves.” Philippians 2:3
Saint Patrick lived from 389-461
A.D. and at the age of 16, Patrick was enslaved in Ireland. Patrick began to
pray for his captors and for the local druid priests. He did not have a Bible
in his hands, but he had scripture in his heart. The only other guidance he had
was through prayer - so he prayed - all day, every day, throughout the day.
After six years of slavery, he had a dream that the Lord’s voice told him that
he would be returning to his homeland soon and that a ship was ready for him.
Early the next morning he escaped - walking 200 miles to the sea port. When he
rejoined his family he recounted his experiences as a slave, but Patrick knew
that God had allowed his slavery in Ireland so that Patrick would grow to know
God more and love him in a deeper way.
In time he had a dream about the
people of Ireland. They were asking him to walk among them again. After that,
Patrick enthusiastically decided to go back to Ireland and share with the
people there the Good News about Jesus Christ. With several years of
preparation in the monasteries of France, Patrick was ordained and commissioned
as a missionary to Ireland. It was not smooth sailing there; Patrick was persecuted
by local pagans. But he said, “Daily I expect murder, fraud, or captivity, but
I fear none of these things. I have cast myself into the hands of God Almighty,
who rules everywhere, as the prophet says: ‘Cast your cares upon God, and
He shall sustain you.” Ultimately, Patrick served Ireland as a
missionary for Christ for forty years. Thousands were saved and many went on to
serve in the ministry as missionaries due to Saint Patrick’s influence.
Patrick had no idea that one day he
would wear the label, ‘SAINT.’ He did not have selfish ambition or vain
conceit, which in Greek means “vain glory.” Who was he there to bring glory to?
He was there to bring glory to God! He did not return to Ireland to make
himself known, he returned to make Christ known. He humbly considered the lives
of the Irish pagans worth more than his own. Patrick was a man who had his
priorities in order. He was more than willing to pay the cost for the salvation
of the Irish people, he valued what was written in God’s Word, he prayed
without ceasing, and he was a humble and committed servant.
I
WOULD NAME A DAY AFTER HIM TOO!
CHALLENGE: Take a good long look at
yourself. What are your motives for serving those around you? Are you looking
for recognition from God or from man? Pray and ask the Lord to reveal to you
just what motives lay beneath the surface. To take it a step further, ask the
Lord to reveal to you someone that you could serve anonymously.
