When Speed Becomes Worship

In the summer of 1924, Scottish sprinter Eric Liddell faced a decision that baffled the British sporting world. A devout Christian, he withdrew from his best event — the 100 meters at the Paris Olympics — because the heats fell on a Sunday. The press called him a traitor. Teammates urged him to compromise.

Instead, Liddell entered the 400 meters, a race he had barely trained for. Before the final, a team member slipped a note into his hand with a line from 1 Samuel 2:30: "Those who honor me I will honor." Liddell won gold and set a world record.

The 1981 film Chariots of Fire captured his conviction in a line that has echoed through churches ever since: "God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure."

That sentence captures something every believer needs to hear. Purpose is not about doing what the world expects. It is not about proving yourself to the crowd. Purpose is found where your God-given gifts and the Father's delight intersect.

The Almighty did not create you to fit someone else's race. He shaped you for a particular lane, with particular gifts, for a particular calling. And when you step into that calling — whether it is teaching, serving, building, or simply loving the person in front of you — you will feel His pleasure too.