This post was from a couple years ago – a reminder of God’s faithfulness that day, 17MAR
I Heard the Lord – Stop being afraid, for I AM with you.
They called upon me to go to the work audit – not just any audit but the BIG audit – that had the whole building all abuzz… whew… I knew it was a possibility to go speak, I even kinda wanted the opportunity.
I didn’t have extra time to prep, we’ve been preparing for weeks, years. I had 30 minutes warning, I knew the ins and outs and loose ends and such of my small part of the big puzzle, but did not know what they specifically wanted to hear, but I really COULD talk for hours on the subject at hand. Obviously the best advice for me and everyone was/is: ‘Just ONLY answer what they ask. Make it SHORT and SWEET and SAIL OUT of there.’
I felt the nerves but not the fear. I KNEW I KNEW WHAT I KNEW. So joyous and smiling, decked out in St Patty’s GREEN. I went in, of course, to be SMART, the SME, Subject Matter Expert, with a SMILE.
The St Patrick’s prayer populated my palm, it really did land in my hand, in the form of a STICKER. Yes in handing out a pack of stickers with shamrocks and secular St Pats sayings, whoda thunk there WAS one in there for me. God did. A sticker to stick to me. I needed that prayer JUST THEN…
Let’s say there’s no luck but the blessed HOPE when the Holy Spirit hits like a Mack Truck.
Jesus says No Fear, Only Faith.
I read the St Patrick’s Prayer as I walked toward the audit, read it over again and my step slowed, as it calmed me. I walked out of my ego, while reading it, the first lines, the middle lines, the last 2 lines are what really humbling, a chance to be whatever God needs me to be at that moment. This is God’s walk that allows me to NOT trip up when I take a trip WITH Him.
Let us show Christ Himself, by walking in to SERVE. It’s better to NOT stand out as unknowing then be a standout for knowing.
God saved me today in the God way. By taking my way out of His way.
Yay.
Amen
…
The sticker:
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.
…
Amen and here’s the whole prayer:
St Patrick’s Prayer, 5th century
I arise today
Through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth and His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.
I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.
I summon today all these powers between me and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.
Christ shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that reward may come to me in abundance.
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness Of the Creator of creation
Debbie Upper 