Today (March 17, 2022) is St. Patrick’s Day. Today is when people wear green, talk in a fake Irish accent, think about leprechauns, pots of gold at the end of a rainbow, and shamrocks. But did you realize that St. Patrick, which this day was named after, was a real person that God used to change a nation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
Patrick was born in 385 AD. He lived in Scotland and grew up in a Christian home. At the age of 16, he was kidnapped and was taken to Ireland by Irish pirates. He lived in Ireland as a slave for 6 years. He escaped from his kidnappers and returned home. But here is where his story takes a turn. As he returned home, he was a stronger believer in Jesus than when he first was kidnapped, and he eventually will become a priest. God began to place a burden on his heart for the people in Ireland, who did not know the Gospel of Jesus. He would return to Ireland as a missionary.
At first, Patrick was met with some resistance, even from the king. But as he continued to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus, God began to work and caused many people to put their faith and trust in Jesus. God even changed the king’s heart and was baptized by Patrick. The impact that Patrick had on the country of Ireland as a missionary is felt even to this day.
Knowing the story of Patrick and how God used him in Ireland should cause us to be reminded of the task God has given to all believers, which is to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). May we be encouraged by Patrick’s example. May we have a renewed fervor to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
For more information about Patrick’s life, check out the article “7 Facts you may not know about St. Patrick” on Lifeway Research’s website by clicking the link below.