Daily Devotions

Posts tagged “Ireland

A Mindset and a Vision

MARTY GABLER—In the fifth century a 16 year old boy by the name of Patrick lived in Britain. Irish pirates captured him and carried him to Ireland where he was forced into slavery for six years. He then managed to escape and returned to his family in Britain.
After a period of training, he returned to Ireland where he had been forced into slavery for six years. He returned because he believed that God could turn a nation around. When he arrived, Ireland was under the influence of the Druids and human sacrifice was the order of the day. Throughout the nation human sacrifice had become accepted as a way of life and was never questioned.
Patrick knew he had to simplify his message in order to reach the nation of Ireland. So, he left off heavy theological content and simply preached:  Jesus was the only sacrifice required and now there is no need for any sacrifice human or animal. A powerful move of God swept over Ireland and for the next 200 years it was a Christian nation and righteousness was the order of the day.
Patrick had a mindset that Ireland could be turned to God and become a righteous nation. With that mindset and vision working in him, he set about the task of turning a nation to God Almighty and did so without large amounts of money but with only word-of-mouth advertising which spoke of the righteous workings of the power of God rather than speaking of the things public relations experts deem required. Patrick did not look at present circumstances and long for a better-day-to-come but set heart and mind to getting the nation to God.