The date is somewhere around 430 AD. Patrick knew that God was calling him to Ireland. And though his parents opposed the idea, and his pastors discouraged him from it, Patrick knew he had to go. Today’s excerpt from Patrick: A Devotional History is found pages 43 and 44:
“At the time Patrick sailed for Ireland, by his own testimony he ‘barely knew the Lord’. But he knew the Lord was calling him to the ministry of the Word in Ireland, and he believed God would supply all that he needed to fulfill that calling. He said of the Lord that
“He would reform and shape me and prepare
me so that I might serve His sheep and care
for all His flocks, as I am doing yet
today.
“He may have settled into one of the existing monastic enclaves in Ireland, such as the one at Emly where Ailbe was abbot. He wrote that he studied and served during this time of preparation, before being ordained first as a deacon and then as a priest. By then, his ministry was well under way and flourishing. Even though he was still quite young—probably in his early 30s—he was put forward to become a bishop, the first bishop of the Irish people.
“And that’s when the jealousy began to rise among those in Britain who regarded themselves as his superiors.”
For reflection or discussion
1. How would you advise a fellow believer to discern God’s calling? How else might you help them?
2. How do you prepare each day for your own calling in the Lord?
All who believe in Jesus have been called to His Kingdom and glory. And within that, each of us has a calling unique to our circumstances, for which we must be equipped and to which we are sent every day. May we all have the resolve of Patrick as we take up our calling each day. Share today’s podcast with a friend, then get together to discuss the calling God has appointed to you. You can download a free PDF copy of our 30-day devotional, Patrick: A Devotional History, by going to The Ailbe Bookstore.
T. M. Moore
