March 17. Saint Patrick. When we think of Saint Patrick, we usually think of parades, shamrocks, green drinks, and corned beef and cabbage. Everyone is “Irish” on Saint Patrick’s Day.
But Patrick wasn’t Irish. And he wasn’t Patrick. He was born Patricius, somewhere in Romanized Britain, to a wealthy family. And in his early years, he wasn’t particularly saintly either. His family was Christian, but he was indifferent to Christianity.
But Patrick was humble, tenacious, and brave. When he was sixteen, Irish raiders kidnapped him from the family villa and sold him into slavery in Ireland. There he spent six bleak years as a herdsman. This is the point today’s story fits.
Later, Patrick was ordained a bishop and evangelized Ireland in spite of opposition from local pagan druids and from Christians in Britain. His success in Christianizing Ireland was so great that the formerly pagan island sent missionaries to the continent and contributed to the spread of Christianity across Europe.
Patrick also expanded literacy throughout Ireland, and he influenced laws in favor of women, the poor, and slaves. On this date in the late fifth century, Patrick died. Here is part of his story.
A praying man opens the door to supernatural activity.
When Saint Patrick was sixteen-years-old, pirates kidnapped him, sold him to a tribal chief, and isolated him on a mountain in Ireland.
Without enough clothing to keep him warm, he was forced to herd sheep, and the sheep pastures were bitterly isolated. Though Patrick’s parents were Catholic, he said he didn’t really believe in God. But enslaved and alone, Patrick started talking to God. He said there was nobody else to talk to.
Soon he had developed a habit of praying throughout the day and (sometimes) the night.
For six years, Patrick worked alone for the chieftain, but one night, as Patrick was sleeping, God spoke to him in a dream. He said that Patrick had been serving Him well and would soon return to Britain. Patrick then heard a voice say that his ship was ready.
It was grand to hear a promise from God, but the port was two-hundred miles away. He talked to God about it, and God gave Patrick strength and wisdom. He snuck out and made the long trek to the port.
When Patrick arrived, he found a ship, but the captain refused to let him aboard. Patrick responded with the one thing that God had always worked through: prayer.
Before he finished praying, a group of men arrived to talk with him. It was the crew of the captain who had originally sent Patrick away. They had changed their minds and allowed Patrick to come aboard and sail with them to Britain.
They sailed and—after three days—found land. But as Patrick and the crew made their way to the shoreline, they realized that only wilderness lay before them, with no civilization in sight. Hoping to find a village or town, they searched the landscape, but they found only empty wilderness.
Hours turned to days. Days turned to weeks. Nearly a month passed, and they still wandered, unable to find civilization.
Hunger ravaged the men, and many were close to death. The crew grumbled. How were they to survive?
The captain demanded of Patrick, “What, Christian, you who say your God is great, good, and almighty, why not pray for us who perish here of hunger, where the face of men is hardly seen?”
God had given Patrick strength in his time of need. Could God do the same for them? The crew put God and Patrick’s prayers to the test.
Patrick told the crew to turn from their sinful ways and come to God for His provision. “Nought is impossible,” he said, “that He, this day, send you whereof ye yet may eat your fill; for all things everywhere abound with Him.”
Patrick prayed, and the crew waited.
Suddenly, something rumbled in the distance. The men looked in that direction, and a great herd of pigs thundered down the road. The men cheered and yelled and ran to catch the pigs.
They took so many pigs for food that even the crew’s dogs were able to eat. For two days, they replenished their energy and got strong enough to finish the journey to find civilization.
“Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing” (1 Timothy 2:8 NIV).
The men praised God, thanked Him, and turned from their unbelief. After another month, Patrick finally got back home. God’s provision went with him every step of the way.
How might prayer give you the strength to do something you need to do? A praying man opens the door to supernatural activity.
Mark, Joshua J. “Saint Patrick.” September 6, 2015. Ancient History Encyclopedia. https://www.ancient.eu/Saint_Patrick/.
O’Raifeartaigh, Tarlach. “St. Patrick: Bishop and Patron Saint of Ireland.” August 19, 2019. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Patrick.
“A History of St Patrick.” Accessed October 15, 2020. Irish Genealogy Toolkit. https://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/history-of-st-patrick.html.
Story read by Peter R Warren, https://www.peterwarrenministries.com/