Saint Patrick’s Day.
It’s about Leprechauns right?
And Green Beer, Cabbage and Parades.
Maybe it’s about dying the Chicago River green each year.
(source: All images from Wikipedia)
I have to be honest here. Until recently I never really knew much about St. Patrick beyond the fact that for some reason we are supposed to have Corned Beef Hash on this particular holiday. Oh, and that my mom used her Clover-shaped Jello mold to make us a special green after dinner treat!
So as I set out to research the history of this Holiday I was overwhelmed with the life of this amazing man of God.
.jpg)
Kidnapped from his family in Britain at the age of 16 and sold into slavery in Ireland, Patrick (his real name was Maewyn Succat) found that it was during his darkest moments that he began a true relationship of love, faith and obedience to God. He escaped captivity and returned home to his family forever changed and with a burning desire to return to Ireland to preach the Gospel. After many years of training he became a Bishop and was sent as a missionary to live among the Irish people and share God’s love with them.
He spent 28 years of his life traveling across the countryside of Ireland spreading the word of God and even endured imprisonment yet again, all for the sake of his Heavenly Father.
While researching St. Patrick’s life, I was reminded of another young man. A young man taken from his home and sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. And though his life was spared, he still faced many trials and tribulations. Like Patrick, he was even sent to prison for doing what God asked of him. Some may only know him because of his Broadway worthy “Technicolor Dreamcoat”, but Joseph’s life was no more a large-scale musical production than St. Patrick’s had anything to do with leprechauns! He went on to become the second-in-command to Pharaoh and was put in charge of all of Egypt.
Both of these men faced some of the greatest challenges a person can experience and at every turn their faith in God remained firm.
But, here is what I have found to be true in my own life.
When I have been in my darkest hours, battling despair and hopelessness, those seem to be the times when God is the most real to me. When I feel His presence filling me with strength and peace even in the midst of the hurt.
So, do you know when I feel the most distant from Him?
It’s not in the times of struggle.
It’s not in the times of struggle.
It is in the times when life just seems to be going along smoothly, one day rolling into the next with nothing too extreme happening.
How do I radically cling to Him when nothing very, well, radical is going on?
How do I radically cling to Him when nothing very, well, radical is going on?
Stay with me here.
I’m not saying I want to have more hardship come my way. Who would?
I just struggle with how to maintain that same level of closeness to my Heavenly Father when I am caught up in the day-to-day stuff of life.
Laundry, potty-training, helping with homework, laundry, doing the dishes, laundry.
One of my most favorite writers of all time is Oswald Chambers.
And, in his book My Utmost for His Highest, he addresses this very issue.
“Sometimes it is not the difficulty of life but the drudgery of it that makes me think God will forsake me. When there is no major difficulty to overcome, no vision from God, nothing wonderful or beautiful-just the everyday activities of life-do I hear God’s assurance even in these? We have the idea that God is going to do some exceptional thing-that He is preparing and equipping us for some extraordinary work in the future. But as we grow in His grace we find that God is glorifying Himself here and now, at this very moment. If we have God’s assurance behind us, the most amazing strength becomes ours, and we learn to sing, glorifying Him even in the ordinary days and ways of life.”
Will I glorify Him in the drudgery?
In the homework helping?
In the washing of dishes?
In the potty-training?
In the…gulp…laundry?
In the potty-training?
In the…gulp…laundry?
This is my desire. Because, let’s be honest, there will be far more ordinary days in my life than extraordinary ones. Far more plateaus than valleys or mountain-tops.
For me, right now, the real test of my faith is whether or not my life is as much of a reflection of my love for Him in the little moments as it is in the big moments.
Thank you for letting me share some of my heart with you today at the fence…
Thank you for sharing this…God has taken me from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows but what I have learned is that through it all He has been right beside me the whole time..I just needed to reach out to Him
This was a wonderful post, Vanessa. I found my old friend, Mr. Chambers, and pulled him out for a fresh look. I have been wanting a new devotional, completely forgetting I had a copy of My Utmost. Thank your for a wonderful post and a timely reminder. Have a great week!
I love this! I was shocked to learn that St. Patrick was more than a leprachaun! Such a beautiful story and how you compared it to Joseph. This is a powerful message that I needed to hear today…I need to be mindful of His presence even in the mundane…I have much to catch up on here at the Fence! Hope you girls are well!!
Such a wonderful post, Vanessa. I love not only the facts about St. Patrick but the quote by Chambers. (I also love that book)
You speak a great truth about the “mundane” times in our lives and great conviction with it!
What a wonderful post. I grew up in an Irish household…my grandmother came over from Ireland when she was pregnant with my father…marrried to an Englishman..and both families dis-owned them…she was Irish Catholic and he was Church of England. So, I had an Uncle Paddy too and we loved St. Patrick’s Day at our house..although NO ONE liked corned beef! lol
Wonderful, fun post today! xxoo Diana
Vanessa, thank you for this post. It touched my heart!
Mom
What a great post…Have enjoyed looking at all of your blog….Have a wonderful week
Being half Irish…this post makes me happy. Is it bad that I might put green dye in my Pinot Gris? ; )
Absolutely beautiful post, Vanessa!
I didn’t know that about St. Patrick either. This was a great post Vanessa. I know that I’ve really been working on thanking God for all of the wonderful blessings in my life during the mundane part rather than waiting until something’s wrong. It’s a work in progress!