After six years of captivity as a slave in Ireland Patrick escapes and returns to his family in Scotland. But something wonderful had happened to Patrick because of his conversion to Christ – he did not hate the Irish, but instead he had a love for them.

He had seen the Druids in Ireland controlling the people, encouraging them to worship sacred trees, stones and even the sun itself. The Lord spoke to Patrick in a dream in which he heard, “ The voice of the Irish…We beg you, Holy boy, come and walk among us again.” He began to prepare for ministry to return to Ireland even though his family tried to persuade him not to.

In His providence God provided a way of escape for Patrick. He is also faithful to provide a way for you.

1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Did you know how Saint Patrick came to be in Ireland far from his home town of Dumbarton on the river Clyde in Scotland?

From his early confession we learn that, at the age of sixteen, he was captured by a band of Irish pirates, who sold him as a slave to a Druid chieftain in Northern Ireland. Until his captivity Patrick had no real experience of God or salvation even though he had been raised in a Christian home, where his grandfather was a minister of the gospel. Here are his own words, “I was sixteen and knew not the true God, but in a strange land the Lord opened my unbelieving eyes and I was converted.” He realized that God in His mercy had allowed his captivity to take place so as to lead him to a new and better life. With the sufferings of exile had come the understanding of salvation.