Saint Patrick

Tonight I came across a quote from Saint Patrick on one of my friend’s facebook profiles. She had just a few lines, and it made me want to read more about Saint Patrick, so I googled the quote. It brought me to what is called Saint Patrick’s Breastplate. From my short research on google, I found that her quote was part of a prayer that Saint Patrick prayed as a shield for himself each day. Saint Patrick was a missionary to Ireland after being held captive there and forced to be a shepherd tending other men’s sheep for about six years. During those years in captivity, he sought and found God. After escaping to Britain, he felt God calling him back to Ireland. Many say that he had visions and dreams of God calling him back to Ireland to reach the pagans who worshipped many gods and to teach his old captors about the one true God.

Too many times I’ve thought of my calling as great or grand, and people back home assured me of this and helped me place a great amount of importance on it. But when compared to Saint Patrick or even to the Disciples, what I am doing is nothing! It’s too easy, way too easy! Yes, I know that God has called me to this place and time, and that He has appointed me to serve Him for these two years. But what Saint Patrick and the disciples did wasn’t just a few years, it was their life calling. My two years of “roughing it”, according to American standards, are nothing compared to the trials, torture, and hate that was shown to them. I can’t help but think of Paul’s warning in 2 Timothy chapter three, where he tells Timothy, that “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted”. Notice that Paul didn’t say some people, he said “everyone that wants to live a godly life”.

This past year, I was sent an email by one of my mother’s friends, and it had this quote, “I want to be the kind of woman that when my feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders and says, ‘Oh no, she’s awake!’”. I realized that in order for me to make Satan shudder, I had to give God each day before my feet even hit the floor. The day was to be His, to be completely for His glory, and He was to use me, because I was a willing vessel.

My life has to mean more than just these two years. I am called to more than just this short time. It’s a life calling. Anyone that calls himself a Christian is to take up their cross daily and must be willing to deny himself of the worldly things (Matthew 16:24-27). When I mention all of this, I’m addressing myself, even away from home where I don’t have all my worldly comforts, I am too stubborn and stingy. I’m clinging to my worldliness, and not to the cross. So, I need to remember that each day I need to wake up and dedicate the day to God, for His glory.

Also, I will remember the words of Saint Patrick’s Breastplate,

“This day I call to me: God’s strength to direct me, God’s power to sustain me,
God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s vision to light me,
God’s ear to my hearing, God’s word to my speaking,
God’s hand to uphold me, God’s pathway before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s legions to save me: from snares of the demons,
from evil enticements, from failings of nature,
from one man or many that seek to destroy me, anear or afar…

Christ beside me, Christ before me;
Christ behind me, Christ within me;
Christ beneath me, Christ above me;
Christ to right of me, Christ to left of me;
Christ in my lying, my sitting, my rising;
Christ in heart of all who know me,
Christ on tongue of all who meet me,
Christ in eye of all who see me,
Christ in ear of all who hear me.”