Mar 17 - St. Patrick

"Christ be with me, Christ within me,

Christ behind me, Christ before me,

Christ beside me, Christ to win me;

Christ to comfort and restore me; …"

from the shield

of St. Patrick

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

As Lutheran's we don't venerate saints. Our understanding is that we don't need mediators to approach God's throne of grace with boldness. We've missed something vital, however, when we stopped remembering the stories of the heroes of the church.

Patrick, for example, was from Britain. As a teen he was captured by Irish pirates, and enslaved for six years. After he escaped, Patrick said in his letters that an angel visited him and called him to return to Ireland as a missionary. It was Patrick's bold witness in the 400's A.D. that turned the pagans in Ireland to Jesus Christ.

Would you return to the source of your oppression? Would you put your life and freedom on the line to witness boldly? Maybe we'll be more bold if we look for and claim the promises on Patrick's shield:

Christ, you are always with me.

Lord Jesus, I claim the promise

that you dwell within me.

As I step out in faith and witness, remind me

that I have you and your angels fully behind me.

When I'm not sure where to go,

lead the way decisively before me.

And when I go through the dark,

help me know you're ever beside.

Where my heart is divided, win me.

Where my heart is hurting, comfort me.

And where my sin has separated, forever restore me.

Amen. 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who's Irish today!