Persist With Passion Until Your Work Is Finished

"And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake." (1Thessalonians 5:12-13 NKJ)

Many people celebrate St. Patrick’s day without knowing who the man really was and what he did. In fact, the Roman Catholic Church has never canonized him (i.e., declared him a saint). And this holiday celebration is mostly Irish culture having nothing to do with "St. Patrick" or what he stood for.

The man behind the holiday, Maewyn Succoth, was born in a Christian family around A.D. 390 in Wales or Scotland. At age sixteen Maewyn was captured and forced into slavery. During his slavery, he dedicated himself to Christ. After about four years of slavery, he heard a voice, which he believed to be God, telling him it was time to go home. So Maewyn escaped and returned to Ireland where he reunited with his family.

Maewyn accepted God's call into ministry and went to France to study and prepare for ministry. After several years of study he was ordained as a Bishop and had a dream in which the children of Ireland stretched out their hands to him. So once again, Maewyn returned Ireland, this time as a missionary under the Gaelic name of Daorbae (enslaved) and eventually became known as Patricius Daorbae.

His work to advance Christianity in Ireland is what promoted his reputation. His obedience led him to evangelize an alien people although he suffered homesickness, hostility from the pagans, and even betrayal and accusation from fellow clergymen. God’s empowerment, however, allowed him to obtain protection from local kings, win numerous converts, encourage women toward chastity, establish monasteries, advocate the abolition of slavery, and teach a pagan nation the divine truths of the Triune God. He courageously acted upon the belief that every nation would hear the Gospel. He believed that once this dream was realized . . . Christ would return.

Because there are no snakes in Ireland (and never have been), many claim he drove the snakes out of Ireland. Yet, in a figurative sense, he did chase them away because through his ministry the snakes of pagan worship were driven from Ireland.

Famous scientist and inventor, Thomas A. Edison wrote, "The first requisite for success is the ability to apply your physical and mental energies to one problem incessantly without growing weary." It seems that the man Ireland called St. Patrick knew and practiced this principle in the 5th century. We should honor and celebrate the ministry of this man of God who focused his physical and mental energies on the Irish problem of paganism and delivered an untold number of people from its slavery.

Dear Father, thank you for your faithful servants, of all time, who labor among us. Enable us to always highly honor and respect them for their works' sake. I pray this in the name of Jesus. AMEN

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