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CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

ERIC LIDDELL

“For them that honor me, I will honor,”
1 Samuel 2:30. KJV

Although this story is not about America, it illustrates that God intervenes in all places and in every generation.

Eric Liddell was the son of a Scottish missionary who won a gold medal in the Olympics of 1924. Eric was born in China, but he had come to Scotland for his education. He planned to return to China as a missionary when he had completed his education at Edinburgh University. Due to his speed as he played rugby, he was encouraged to become a runner and race for Scotland in the international competition.

One Sunday, Eric’s father preached on, “The Kingdom of God is not a democracy.” He said, “There is no discussion, no deliberation, and no voting as to which way to go, which road to take. There is no low road, only the high one, one voice, one absolute ruler, one benevolent authoritarian, demanding to be obeyed. Compromise is the language of the Devil.

Only obey, and you will be repaid in the creation’s most powerful coinage, the love of God. Seek the Lord and be exalted beyond your wildest dreams.”

Eric never took his eyes off his father. This was the kind of a man he wanted to be. When the church service was over, Eric saw two small boys kicking a ball and he asked them, “Do you know what day it is? The Sabbath’s not a day for football, is it?”

One day, after noticing Eric’s speed, his father encouraged him, “You’re a very lucky man, Eric. God would not want you to waste all that speed just catching the bus. You can praise the Lord by peeling a potato if you peel it to perfection. Run in His name and let the world stand back in wonder.” Eric followed his father’s advice and began running regularly. His eyes became fixed on making the British team for the Olympics.

Eric was chosen to represent the British, but then he learned that the heats for the 100 meter race were to be held on Sunday. He just couldn’t run on Sunday. He remembered his father’s warning that compromise was the work of the Devil.

And he also recalled how he himself had warned the boys about playing ball on Sunday.

When news of Eric’s decision reached the Olympic committee, the Prince of Wales invited him into their meeting with the hope that they could persuade him to run. The committee put all the pressure they could on Eric as they tried to get him to change his mind. They appealed to his national pride. They told him he didn’t have a choice. He had to run. He was accused of being impertinent. They pleaded with him to make this sacrifice for the country. Suddenly, there was an interruption. A teammate, Andy Lindsay, came into the room. He apologized for barging in and announced, “I’m fully aware of Eric’s dilemma, and I wonder if I could suggest a possible solution. I’ve already got my medal, so why don’t you let Eric take my place in the 400 meter race on Thursday?” Eric was embarrassed that Andy was sacrificing his own chance for another Olympic medal but decided he couldn’t turn the offer down. The headlines were soon across the world: “Athlete: I won’t run on Sunday; God before King; Liddell abandons ship; Scott runs from 100 meters; Lindsay makes way for Liddell.”

On Sunday, while the 100-meter heats were being run, Eric Liddell preached a sermon in the Church of Scotland in the center of Paris. “My text this afternoon is taken from Isaiah, chapter forty,” he said, and began to read. “All nations before Him are as nothing. They are counted to Him as less than nothing. He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth as vanity. Have you not known: Have you not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth faints not, neither is He weary? He gives power to the faint, and to them that have no might, He increases strength. 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.”

When it came time for Eric’s final race, he took his place and the French starter told the runners to get ready. The tension immediately shot up. Suddenly, a friend ran up and handed Eric a folded paper then quickly walked away. Eric unfolded the paper and read: “In the Old Book, it says, “He that honors me, I will honor.” Eric felt the stress drain from his body. Perhaps this was more than a sporting gesture. Perhaps it was God’s way of saying, “I will be with you.”

"Ready, gentlemen!” cried the French starter. “To your marks. Set.” The starter held his pistol in the air and then a loud shot broke the silence. Eric took the lead immediately. He swept ahead of the other runners. He was well in front at the first bend. Soon, most of the runners had fallen back and the race was between Eric and two Americans. At the halfway mark, Eric was three yards ahead of them. Eric’s head went back and his arms whirled with more intensity. One of the Americans stumbled. Now it was between Eric and Fitch, the world record holder, but he also began to fall back. The race was like a fantastic dream, with the result seemingly inevitable. Eric was ahead all the way. It was as if a spirit had entered his body, urging him on and giving him strength. He reached the tape in a new world record time of 47 3/5 seconds. The whole crowd, the French as well as the British, stood up and cheered. Once Eric had crossed the finish line, he trotted back along the track to help the injured American who had collapsed ten yards from the tape.⁹⁸ (⁹⁸W. J. Weatherby, Chariots of Fire, Dell Publishing Co., Inc., New York, NY. 1981.)

Study Guide

Chapter Twenty One

1. What does God promise to those who honor him?

2. How did Eric’s father describe the Kingdom of God?

3. What language did Eric’s father say was compromise?

4. What did Eric’s father say would bring the love of God?

5. What did Eric’s father say would make us exalted above our wildest dreams?

6. Why wouldn’t Eric run the 100 meter race?

7. How did the Olympic committee try to persuade Eric to run the 100 meter race?

8. What was Eric doing while the 100 meter race was being run?

9. How did Andy Lindsay provide an answer to Eric’s dilemma?

10. In Eric’s sermon, what did he say about running?