The Fastest Man Who Wouldn't Move

In the spring of 1924, Eric Liddell was the fastest man in Scotland and favored for Olympic gold in the 100 meters. But when the schedule for the Paris Games was published, Liddell discovered that the 100-meter heats fell on Sunday, July 6. He would not run.

The pressure was immense. Some in the British press branded him a traitor to his country. Officials urged him to reconsider. Here was a man who could bring glory to his nation, and he was stepping aside over a conviction about the Lord's Day. But for Liddell — the son of missionaries to China, a man whose faith was woven into every stride — God's authority simply outranked every other claim on his life.

He entered the 400 meters instead, an event no one expected him to win. On July 11, at the Stade de Colombes, Liddell crossed the finish line in 47.6 seconds, shattering the world record and taking gold.

When Peter and the apostles stood before the Sanhedrin, they declared, "We must obey God rather than human beings" (Acts 5:29). Liddell's story puts flesh on that confession. Reformed theology teaches that God is sovereign over every outcome — and therefore obedience is never a risk. The One who commands is the same One who governs results. Our calling is not to calculate what faithfulness might cost us, but to obey and trust that the Sovereign Lord will write the ending.