Today’s excerpt from Patrick: A Devotional History begins with a quote from his Confession. He tells us that he was “carried off and made to serve/in Ireland”; and he understood that God was in this. Our reading is from pages 23 and 24:
“When I was sixteen years of age, the rod
of judgment fell on me, as I deserved,
and I was carried off and made to serve
in Ireland, as were many others. We
had turned our backs on God impiously,
and scorned His Law, refusing to obey
our bishops who proclaimed to us the way
of God’s salvation and exhorted us
to put aside our sinful ways and trust
the Lord. Yet we refused to know our good
and loving Savior, as we clearly should…
“The Irish of Patrick’s day were a feared people. Or peoples, we should say. Ireland was divided into tribal regions of Celtic peoples who, centuries before, had migrated across southern Europe, fighting the Romans along the way, until they reached Britain and then crossed the Irish Sea to Ireland.
“They had no schools or literature. The Celtic tribes of Ireland were made up of extended family units, organized around a central tribal ruler. The tribes were continuously at war with one another, mainly in the form of cattle rustling. The Irish were fierce combatants, as Julius Caesar recorded, and as the Romans knew so well that, having occupied Britain, they decided not to try to subdue the Irish. The cost, they reckoned, would not be worth the gain.
“The Irish knew they were feared, so it was part of their normal lifestyle to raid the communities in the west of Britain, looking mainly for slaves to sell or put to work. On one such sortie, Patrick, at the age of 16, was seized, bound, and carried away to Ireland with many of his friends.
“He seems immediately to have understood that this was an act of divine judgment, justly deserved.”
For reflection or discussion
1. Does God still judge His people? Have you ever experienced His judgment?
2. What are the best ways to keep from falling into the judgment of God?
The writer of the book of Hebrews reminds us that God will discipline His people when they stray from His ways or neglect their great salvation. And that discipline is never pleasant, so it’s a good idea to know what God is seeking for us and to walk that path faithfully day by day. Share today’s podcast with a friend, then get together to encourage one another in your walk with and work for the Lord. Your copy of our 30-day devotional, Patrick: A Devotional History is waiting for you at The Ailbe Bookstore.
T. M. Moore
