St. Patty and the Snakes

St. Patrick’s Day is an Irish holiday celebrated by lovers of the “old country.” I observe it in deference to a great-grandfather who was a policeman in Dublin before immigrating to America and his daughter, my paternal grandmother, who used to rock me while she sang “Irish Lullaby” in a lilting brogue.

Most people think only of wearing green clothing on St. Patrick’s Day. (In my school days you either wore green or got pinched black and blue.) But the holiday really observes the anniversary of the death in 431 A.D. of Patrick, a missionary to Ireland who founded 365 churches—each with a school beside it.

According to legend, Patrick used his shepherd’s staff to get rid of all the venomous snakes in Ireland—permanently. We need more men like Patrick around today. Over my lifetime, I’ve had more than one run-in with snakes. When my son was about 13, we lived in Alabama surrounded by woods. He came in the house one day and told me there was a snake sunning on the front steps. Since he was already taller than me, I gave my initial cowardly response: “Get a hoe and kill it.” His answer was, “I’d do that, Mom, but it would get blood all over everything.”

So I loaded the rifle and, after seeing it was a young timber rattler, I shot it twice. (Yes, I hit it both times!) I left the corpse disposal for my husband. But, instead of commending my aim, he noticed a small chip off the brick steps and asked why I didn’t pick up the snake with a hoe, throw it on the ground and then shoot it. (Husbands can ask the dumbest questions!) I replied that I didn’t have a hoe with a 20-foot handle.

After we adopted a large outside dog, I was sure a snake would never show itself around our house again. But one slithered right past the dog house and made its home in the oil pan in the garage until discovered. It makes no difference that this was a supposedly harmless snake. “The only good snake is a dead snake” expresses my feelings perfectly. And this one quickly became a “good” snake.

Later we moved to another state and a less wooded area which got rid of the snakes at our house, but I’d like a more permanent solution, like Patrick’s, for the “snakes” in my life—none of which are harmless. What am I talking about?

Like the first serpent in the Garden of Eden, there is a little viper that darts at a Christian and hisses, “Did God say that? Really? Possibly there are certain circumstances where it isn’t true.” Although he seems to be small and inconsequential, his venom is deadly—this viper of doubt.

The cobra appears as a charmer. He spreads his hood and sways gently to an inaudible tune: “Pray later. Read the Bible tomorrow. Wait awhile. There is time—plenty of time.” After his victim is mesmerized, the cobra of procrastination can strike at will.

The size and strength of his coils are the python’s weapons. He slowly wraps himself around his victim with anxieties ranging from present legitimate concerns to future unlikely catastrophes. He begins to squeeze until his captive is reduced to a mass of paralyzing, suffocating fear.

After the exodus from Egypt, the children of Israel had plenty of snake trouble. They lived in a desert area very unlike Ireland (think all brown versus all green). Despite God feeding them, providing water, and leading them in the wilderness, they rebelled against Him and murmured and complained about Him. God sent fiery serpents to bite them and many died (Numbers 21). But He also provided a divine snake-bite kit. He told Moses to make a serpent of brass, lift it up on a pole and tell the snake-bitten people that all they had to do was look at it and they would live. (How could you hang a brass serpent on a straight pole? Obviously, there would have to be a cross-piece to hold it, so Moses held up a cross.)

Jesus said, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up: that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him” (John 3:14-15 NIV).

What a simple antidote for a deadly problem! Look at your sin and what your sin has caused. Then look at the remedy God has provided: His only Son lifted up on a cross.  Look up and live! But not everyone did, then or now.

I guess some people—unlike us Irish—don’t mind being knee-deep in snakes.

Shamrock Potato Prints

St. Patrick’s Day wouldn’t be complete without some shamrocks (or potatoes for that matter).

Supplies:

• potato
• small heart cookie cutter
• knife
• green paint
• paper for stamping

Cut about 1/4 off the length of the potato. Then insert the heart cookie cutter as deep as it will go. Use your knife to cut cleanly around the heart shape.

Dip your stamp in some green paint and you are in the shamrock business! Three hearts make a shamrock. Add a stem using a paint brush.

Learn about how St. Patrick used shamrocks to teach about the Holy Trinity in this post.

Janna Widdifield: I’m a writer by trade, a crafter by choice, and a mother by God’s plan. I combined those gifts to create a blog called Mustard Seeds—Growing a Big Faith in my Little Sprouts. The blog was born out of my desire to teach my children about the Lord though creative activities and crafting. It reflects our daily life–sometimes mundane and routine, sometimes creative and inspirational. I live with my husband and three young children in Colorado where I enjoy camping, gardening, crafting, reading Golden Books, watching Mary Poppins and making pie.

I am Patrick, a Sinner

“I am Patrick, a sinner, most uncultivated and least of all the faithful and despised in the eyes of many.” Patrick of Ireland

Patrick of Ireland would not recognize the world of 2010 compared to the one he lived in around 387 to 461 A.D. If Patrick were alive today, I cannot help but think he would be a bit put out with the title of saint and the celebrations held in his honor. Patrick of Ireland lived a life consecrated to Christ alone, a life given to see his glorified Savior.

Today parades are underway, Irish whiskey flowing, shamrocks shining, leprechauns leaping, and many are wearing green. Celebrations such as these bring little honor to a man who gave his life to see souls saved from hell. His life was much more than it has been degraded to in today’s society. Most do not know his powerful testimony–a man of God whose life is much more compelling than legends.

Growing up in an affluent home in the Roman province of Great Britain, Patrick’s life was filled with servants and carefree living. He was not a believer in Christ. Patrick’s life changed in an instant when he and other boys were kidnapped by Irish raiders who came into town. This practice was not uncommon and deeply feared among citizens. One thing was clear: no one kidnapped ever returned–ever. Patrick’s captors sold him as a slave to a farmer in Ireland. For a 16 year old who had never known hard work, the treatment was doubly harsh as he was not prepared physically for his new life. For six years he tended sheep with rags barely protecting his body and starvation always close at hand. It was during this time that he came to know Christ. Much like David of the Old Testament, Patrick used his time as a shepherd to know God intimately. He learned God’s voice and how to depend upon Him for everything. After six years in captivity, the Lord spoke to Patrick in a dream instructing him to go to the coast where a boat would be waiting to take him home.

Patrick faced two major obstacles: death if caught escaping and a treacherous 200-mile trek. Stepping out in faith, he began his dangerous journey with no map, guided only by the Holy Spirit. As God had said, a boat awaited. When he asked if could go with the boatmen, the leader said no. Dejected and wondering what to do, he began to pray. As he was praying, one of the boatman called out for him to join them.

Patrick was the first person his village knew to return home from captivity. His old life, while comfortable, could not hold him. He began once more to hear the voice of God, this time calling him back to Ireland. The once young captive now returned to Ireland to share the Gospel that would set captives free from sin and death. Anointed by God, Patrick often felt unqualified because of his lack of formal education in the scriptures. Despite his insecurities Patrick led thousands to Christ. His method of evangelism was scorned and he was viewed as a radical by church leaders outside Ireland. Attempts were made to bring him in line with church form and tradition, but he resisted.

Patrick is believed to have died March 17, 461. It is interesting to note that following his death, while the rest of Europe was plunged into the Dark Ages, Ireland experienced its Golden Age of learning. During his ministry, Patrick placed emphasis on learning to read and write Greek and Latin and using abbeys and churches as schools. Following his death scholars, artists, and men of learning came from around the world to Ireland. It was during this time that beautiful illuminated manuscripts were created and advancements were made in science, math, and astronomy. Patrick is called a saint, but  he probably wasn’t too interested in titles. His life was lived to promote Christ, not himself. If he were alive today, he would be evangelizing a lost world–probably along a parade route. Praise God for sending Patrick to Ireland and using him to share the Gospel that affected generations of families. Pray today for the lost in your country–and how you can be a modern-day Patrick.

“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Luke 16:15

“If I be worthy, I live for my God to teach the heathen, even though they may despise me.”

“Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me.” – Patrick of Ireland

An excellent family dvd to learn more of Patrick of Ireland is Patrick starring Liam Neeson as narrator and Gabriel Byrne as the voice of Patrick. I checked it out at the library and was impressed with the compelling docu-drama.

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