Liddell

Eric Liddell - Going For the Gold

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."

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