It almost goes without saying that when we think of the modern Olympics and Christians in the same sentence, we think of Eric Liddell, the Flying Scotsman. Eric was born in 1902 in China where his parents were missionaries for the London Mission Society. He attended Edinburgh University where he was hailed as one of their best track and field runners ever. He ran the 100 yards and the 220 yards for the university.

Liddell represented England in the 1924 Paris Olympics. His story has been made famous in the movie Chariots of Fire. There are some great scenes and some great quotes in this movie. One of my favorites is when Eric was talking with his sister Jennie. Jennie is worried that Eric is too busy focusing on running and not paying enough attention to his "real" mission in China. Eric tells his sister that he feels inspired when he runs. He says to her, "I believe that God made me for a purpose... (the mission), but He also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure." Eric learns that his heat is to be run on Sunday, he declared that he could not run on Sundays as it would violate his convictions regarding the Sabbath. One of the most moving scenes in the movie is when Lord Andrew Lindsey proposes to trade places with Liddell so that Lindsey would represent Great Britain in the 100m, while Liddell would instead compete in the 400 meter event on the following Thursday, thus averting his need to run on Sunday. In the movie, Liddell is seen in church on Sunday, quoting Isaiah 40: 31, "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

What many people don’t know is that after the Olympics, he followed in his parents’ footsteps as a missionary to China. It was there during World War II that he was interned in the Weishien Concentration Camp where he died while serving Christ Jesus.
Sally Magnusson, in her biography of Liddell, explained the secret of his radiant life: “Every morning about 6 a.m., with curtains tightly drawn to keep in the shining of our peanut-oil lamp… he used to climb out of his top bunk, past the sleeping forms of his dormitory mates. Then, at the small Chinese table, (he would sit) with the light just enough to illumine (his) Bibles and notebooks. Silently (he) read, prayed, and thought about the day's duties, noted what should be done. Eric was a man of prayer...”

That was his great secret. He knew how to devote his mornings to meeting with his divine Coach. There are many lessons that can be drawn from Eric Liddell’s life, but chief among them is this: Champions for God often devote their morning hours to spending time with Him. As Eric Liddell knew, when we begin the morning with God, we can enjoy His presence all day long. Henry Ward Beecher said, “The first hour of the morning is the rudder of the day.”

Going for the gold in our Christian life is spending quality time with the Lord. Just like Eric Liddell.

Pastor Tim