Much of value is to be gained by studying great saints like Patrick. Today’s excerpt from Patrick: A Devotional History, is found on pages 68 and 69:
“The incident involving Coroticus and his soldiers allows us to see into aspects of Patrick’s ministry which helped to make it so effective for so long. Three stand out in my mind.
“First is Patrick’s hatred of sin but, at the same time, his love and concern for sinners. These are not mutually exclusive, as some may think. We must love those who sin, even those who deny they have sinned or are unrepentant. But that doesn’t mean we give them a pass. They must be confronted in their sin or else they may come to believe that sin doesn’t matter. This was the mistake the people of Corinth made and for which Paul took them to task in 1 Corinthians 5.
“Second, Patrick’s hatred for sin derived from his love for the Law of God and all His Word. He knew the Word of the Lord which commanded all who love Him to hate evil. However hard it may have been for Patrick to learn the Word, and despite the difficulties he experienced as he obeyed it, Patrick showed his unfailing commitment to the Word by his courageous action against Coroticus and his men. These brigands, while professing faith in Jesus, were not above using violence to get their way. Patrick’s action took courage—the courage of his conviction that obeying the plain teaching of Scripture was more important than doing what might have been prudent for safety’s sake.
“Put another way, Patrick loved the Word of God more than his own life.“Finally, this incident shows us that Patrick loved the people to whom God had sent him. That Coroticus and his men had killed some believers and were carrying others off to sell them into slavery in Scotland was a blow to Patrick’s heart. He had given up everything he owned to come among the Irish with the Good News of Christ. He cared not only for their wellbeing but also that they should love the Word of God and carry out whatever it required.”
For reflection or discussion
1. Would you say that you “hate sin”? How does that appear in your life?
2. Where does the courage come from to obey God’s Word at all times? How can we access this courage?
The reason we study saints like Patrick is because we can learn so much from them about serving the Lord in our day. Hate sin. Love God’s Word. Love your neighbor. We need to hear this over and over because we are so easily distracted from these central concerns. Share today’s podcast with a friend, then get together and encourage one another to stand firm on the Word of God. You can download a free PDF copy of our 30-day devotional, Patrick: A Devotional History, by going to The Ailbe Bookstore.
