Happy St. Patrick's Day!

There is more to St. Patrick's Day than pinching, green, and "kiss me-I'm Irish" t-shirts. St. Patty's Day celebrates the first missionary to bring the good news about life in Jesus Christ to the unreached people in Ireland.

Patrick’s story is actually a testimony of the power of forgiveness and a reminder of the awesome things that can happen with our lives when we turn control over to God.

When Patrick was a teenager, he was captured by Irish raiders and taken from his home in Britain to Ireland tas a slave. After six years in Ireland, Patrick began to sense God speaking to him — calling him to leave Ireland and return to Britain. He escaped captivity and made it home to Britain where he had another encounter with God calling him back to Ireland — this time not as a captive, but as a missionary.

After years of schooling and training, Patrick returned to Ireland to encourage the Christians already there and to begin spreading the good news of life in Jesus Christ to the rest of Ireland.

Imagine how different our world might have been if Patrick had allowed bitterness towards those in Ireland who had taken him captive affect God’s call on his life? Patrick would have had every excuse to tell God no and to send someone else, but he forgave them and allowed God to burn compassion in his heart to bring the message of hope that is Jesus to the Irish people.

What are you holding on to that might be affecting God’s call on your life?
Read Isaiah 6:8 (NLT)
In your journal, write a prayer asking God to place a passion in your heart, to open your eyes to the opportunities to share His word, and thank Him today for using an ordinary man from a seemingly impossible background to reach the people of Ireland. St. Patrick's Day is inspiring, exciting, and should bring you hope-if God can use Patrick, He can and wants to use YOU!