When I run I feel His pleasure ...

Today I would like to examine the legacy of another runner. Like Derek Redmond, Eric Liddell was an Olympic runner. I recently watched the HiDef version of his Olympic story (my all time favorite movie "Chariots of Fire") and wanted to share that experience with you. The video clip below is from that movie and is purely 9 minutes of glorious film making. It traces Eric Liddell's resolve (to not run on Sunday) before the British Olympic Committee, to his reading of Isaiah 40 (in church that Sunday) and finishes with his Gold medal win at the 1924 Olympics ... it is so inspiring.



Here are few of great quotes from the movie:
"Then where does the power come from, to see the race to its end? From within." -- Eric Liddell

"I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure." -- Eric Liddell

"The "lad", as you call him, is a true man of principles and a true athlete. His speed is a mere extension of his life, its force. We sought to sever his running from himself." -- Duke of Sutherland (speaking of Eric)
In Eric we see a young man preparing to run a greater race ... the race to fulfill his life as a missionary in China. I find it amazing that a man so young understood so much. Real life and power comes from within ... and we feel His pleasure when we run a life from within.

1 comment:

  1. AnonymousSunday, May 30, 2010 11:52:00 AM

    I wish more Christians would "get" this. There can be such a huge push for missionary work in the church that people miss the gift of pure athleticism. Instead of glorying in the beauty of what God has given some people as an athletic gift they shake their heads and say that the person is missing the point.. they should be missionaries! Being a missionary is beautiful if that is what God has called you to do, and in a sense that is what all Christians are called to do. But can we just see the beauty in sports and athleticism too? Christian athletes shouldn't be made to feel as though they are disobeying God, or missing His calling because they love sports. Maybe God made us athletic just because He wanted to and watching us move in that genre gives Him pleasure. And then yes, through that gift we glorify Him and hopefully point people to Him.

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