MORE THAN GREEN STUFF and CORNED BEEF
As I've said here before at Graceland, we really like St. Patrick's Day. Today we've ---
worn our green
eaten green food
colored St. Patrick's Day pictures
eaten corned beef and cabbage (made into sauerkraut and then transformed into Reubens)
listened to Irish music
eaten green food
colored St. Patrick's Day pictures
eaten corned beef and cabbage (made into sauerkraut and then transformed into Reubens)
listened to Irish music
and, of course, did pinching whenever anyone was caught not wearing the green.
But the most important thing we did was talk about the life of St. Patrick during our family's morning devotional time. Because you see, St. Patrick's Day is so much more than just green stuff and special food. It is definitely more than leprechauns and pots-of-gold. It is the celebration of a man who gave his life fully over to God. As a youth, Patrick was kidnapped, taken to Ireland, made a slave who watched over sheep in awful conditions, and then was led by God to escape. But he didn't stay away from the dark land of his enslavement forever. He heeded the call of God to return to Ireland, not to seek revenge, but to bring the light and love of Jesus to people who were in bondage to sin and darkness. Because of his obedience to God and the willingness to basically give his life for the people there, Christianity conquered the forces of evil and nearly the entire population turned to the true freedom of Jesus Christ.
So we are presented with a challenge on this day.
Just as St. Patrick was willing to take the love and light of Jesus to dark and dangerous Ireland because God told him to, may we also be willing to go into those dark and dangerous places that need the love and light that we have so benefited from.
What is your Ireland that God is calling you to?
Following God's call is not always easy, it might actually be the hardest, scariest thing that you've ever done. But maybe like Patrick, God will use you to change the very course of history for an entire nation. Why not? He's done it before and He can do it again...and again and again. All it takes is a willing and obedient heart.
But the most important thing we did was talk about the life of St. Patrick during our family's morning devotional time. Because you see, St. Patrick's Day is so much more than just green stuff and special food. It is definitely more than leprechauns and pots-of-gold. It is the celebration of a man who gave his life fully over to God. As a youth, Patrick was kidnapped, taken to Ireland, made a slave who watched over sheep in awful conditions, and then was led by God to escape. But he didn't stay away from the dark land of his enslavement forever. He heeded the call of God to return to Ireland, not to seek revenge, but to bring the light and love of Jesus to people who were in bondage to sin and darkness. Because of his obedience to God and the willingness to basically give his life for the people there, Christianity conquered the forces of evil and nearly the entire population turned to the true freedom of Jesus Christ.
So we are presented with a challenge on this day.
Just as St. Patrick was willing to take the love and light of Jesus to dark and dangerous Ireland because God told him to, may we also be willing to go into those dark and dangerous places that need the love and light that we have so benefited from.
What is your Ireland that God is calling you to?
Following God's call is not always easy, it might actually be the hardest, scariest thing that you've ever done. But maybe like Patrick, God will use you to change the very course of history for an entire nation. Why not? He's done it before and He can do it again...and again and again. All it takes is a willing and obedient heart.
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