373-465 A.D.
"Saint Patrick"

By, Cheryl Harwell Bailey

Born Patricius,
 at the end of the forth century,
 his life has been celebrated and honored
 for over 1400 years.

  Here in America since 1737.

Patricius was born in the 

Roman British Isles, to an educated aristocratic family.

When Patricius was almost 16 years old,

while at his family estate,

he was kidnapped by Irish slave traders.

With lightening speed, the kidnappers had him on a boat bound for Ireland.

Patricius left English soil a nobleman.

Patricius arrived on Irish soil a slave.

He did not believe in "God,"
but now he was forced to live in a pagan controlled environment.

The druid priests controlled Ireland.
This pagan religion broke every commandment, including ritualistic 
human sacrifice to pagan gods.
Patricius himself was a victim of
 human trafficking.  

  

The future of Patricius looked hopeless.

 He eventually became one of the shepherds. 

This solitude gave him time to contemplate, 

who, what, and where he was. 

He was depressed. He felt gloomy. 

 Knowing he didn't have anything to lose,

 he thought about praying.

He was an atheist, but hey,

 things couldn't get any worse. 

He had no faith to begin with.

No religion to lose. 

Patricius began to pray.

He talked to "God."

And "God" talked back!

That split second changed his life forever.

He found "God."

"God" found him.

He felt free, for the first time.

Patricius grew so close to "God," 

we are still honoring him in 2018.

As courage grew in his spirit, 

he escaped back to Britain,
 when he was 22 years old.

One can only imagine the joy of his family,  when he came back.

He returned home free, in body and soul!

Since Patricius could read and write,

he wasted no time in writing his testimony.

As his story spread verbally 
through-out Britain,
 and the entire Roman world,

he spent his time in study and prayer.

He knew his life was a miracle.

He had a passion in his soul,

 to share the "good news."

 He was called by "God," to become 

a minister of the gospel.

Like Moses of "The Old Testament,"

He was nobility.

He was educated.

He became a slave.

He was a lonely shepherd who found "God."

He was called by "God."

He was a part of the great fire of Christianity

spreading through-out the Roman empire.

 "The Early Church!"

One night as he slept, Patricuis had a "vision!"

It wasn't a dream. 

It was a true vision from "God."
He saw a man named Victoricus, 
with a satchel full of letters,
 walking toward him. 
The man pulled one of the letters out of the satchel, and handed it to Patricius.

It was from Ireland!

"Little Holy slave boy,

 come and help us."

The Irish folk which had kidnapped and enslaved him, were lost. 

They wanted to be found.

Patricius could have said,

"Lord, send someone else."

But he didn't!

This time he willingly left the English shore, as a missionary
 called by "God" to Ireland.

When Patricius got off the boat in Ireland, 
he never looked back.

He turned Ireland upside down with the gospel of "Jesus Christ!"

For years, the powerful druids fought him, 
once nearly beating Patricius to death.

Like Pharaohs magicians failed
 when going up against Moses in the 
"Book of Exodus," 
 the druids failed in their war against Patricuis! 

It was a river no man could stop.

Like the opening of the Red Sea!

Moses again?

Yes!

To the gentile people of Ireland,

Saint Patrick was their Moses.

In all of this, there are 2 authentic letters,

written by "Patricuis,"
 which have survived to this day.
 I read them this morning.

As I read his letters,

 they burnt my fingers,

 then my hands, 

up my arms,
 and into my soul.

Thank you "God," for Saint Patrick!

Have a Blessed 

 "Saint Patricks Day!"