The writings of Patrick (5)

And so it came to pass that in the good
and gracious will of God, Who guided me,
and without fear, I finally reached the sea,
and there I saw a ship. And on the day
that I arrived, that ship its anchor weighed,
as though it had been meant for me. So I
explained that I had means to pay for my
conveyance, yet I would not, out of fear
of God, agree to suck their nipples. Here
I met with disappointment, though it was
my hope that certain of these men, because
they all were pagans, might begin to know
the Lord because of me. “Your wish to go
with us is futile,” said the captain in
a sharp and angry voice, to my chagrin.
I turned away on hearing this, to go
back to the shelter where I lodged. And so
I prayed to God, “O Lord, why have I come
so many miles, to be rejected from
this vessel?” Yet before my prayer was done
I was accosted by the voice of one
of them, who shouted loudly after me,
“The men are calling you; come speedily
and get aboard.” So I returned to them
immediately, and then began the men
to say to me, “We will accept you in
good faith, so bind yourself in friendship then
with us by any way you wish.” And so
because of this, the captain let me go
with them, and we set sail at once.

                                                         For three
full days our vessel sailed across the sea
until at last we reached the land. Throughout
our journey, I would tell the men about
the Lord, and urge them to repent. I said,
“Our God is not as you suppose. Instead,
He is the God of every man, the Lord
of earth and heaven, Who by His holy Word
has made the sea and rivers, and the sun
and moon and stars. He fashioned every one
of them, and keeps them in their place. And He
is Lord of all the mountains, every tree
and creature, and the verdant valleys. He
is God in heaven, and dwells within the sea
and on the earth and underneath the sky.
His life is in all things; all things are by
His grace created and sustained. He makes
them all to live, and rules without mistake
or error. He the light of sun each day
rekindles, and the light which guides your way
by night – the moon and starts – He gives to you,
because He is a gracious God, and true.
He gives us wells in arid land, and dry
and welcome islands in the sea, all by
His grace and goodness. And He has a Son,
Who is with Him eternal, and of One
essential being. He is not younger than
the Father, as, of course, it is with man,
nor is the Father younger than the Son.
But with the Spirit they are Three in One,
together from eternity, without
the slightest separation.” Thus about
such things I often spoke, and urged the men
to trust in Him.

For more about Patrick and the impact of his ministry, order a copy of The Legacy of Patrick, by T. M. Moore from our online store.