Inspiration from Chariots of Fire

In 1924, the Summer Olympics were held in Paris, France. Great Britain had two fantastic runners … Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell. Liddell was called the flying Scotsman, and he had actually earlier beat Abrahams in the 100 meter, but because the 100 meter was being run on a Sunday, Liddell chose to scratch from the event and instead run the 400 meter, which was not his normal event.

The amazing story of these two runners, their training for the Olympic Games and their eventual victories in the Olympics was retold in the 1981 Movie, Chariots of Fire. One of my favorite scenes in the movie was when Eric Liddell the “flying Scotsman” was being challenged by his sister, Jenny, why he was spending so much time training for the Olympics and not moving forward with his plans to go to China on a mission trip. Liddell says, “God has made me for his purpose, but he has made me fast … and when I run … I feel his pleasure.” Eric Liddell went on to run the 400 meter race and he did it to glorify God.

Eric Liddell went on to be a missionary to China. In fact he died there in a Japanese Prison Camp at the age of 43 in 1945. And I am certain that he brought honor to God as a worshipper suffering persecution for his faith, but I suggest that he was also worshipping God through using his ability to run fast! You see … our first purpose to focus on during a Purpose Filled Easter is the purpose that God has created us to Worship Him to Please Him not just with attending a service once a week, but to live a life that pleases Him. We are called to Worship God in Spirit (Authentically); Worship God in Truth (Attentively to the Truth in God’s Word); but we are also called to Worship God continually (Always) in everything we do …

Let’s close by reading Romans 12:1 in the Message Bible:

1 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Romans 12:1 MSG