Michael Sprague
Capitol Commission Chaplain
Mandeville, LA
Chariots of Fire won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1982. It depicted the true story of Eric Liddell winning the gold medal in the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, France.
In one scene the twenty-two-year-old Eric explains his passion for running to his disapproving sister, who thought running was a waste of time compared to entering missionary service in China.
He said, “When I run, I feel His (referring to God) pleasure.” Liddell knew God had made him fast for a reason and the Olympics were his calling in 1924.
What you might not know, was that after winning the Gold Medal, the mission field in China and suffering for Jesus’ sake was Liddell’s next calling.
His missionary service in China ended up in a POW camp in 1944 during WW2. Winston Churchill negotiated his freedom from that camp but this famous prisoner of war gave up his freedom to allow a pregnant prisoner to be released.
Eric Liddell died a few months later at that camp. Chariots of Fire ends with these brief words about Eric’s life after the Olympics: “Eric Liddell, missionary, died in occupied China at the end of World War II. All of Scotland mourned.”
As Liddell prepared for his big race, the 400-meter, he was given an anonymous note: “It says in the Old Book, ‘Him that honours me, I will honour.’ Wishing you the best of success always.” With this special encouragement, he won gold.
In an interview, he said, “The first half, I run as fast as I can, and the second half, I run faster with God’s help.”
Everyone has a calling. Os Guiness has said of our callings, “Instead of, ‘You are what you do,’ calling says: ‘Do what you are.’”
Using Eric Liddell’s inspirational “When I run, I feel God’s pleasure” statement as a template, how would you fill in the following: “When I ____________, I feel God’s pleasure “.