An Olympic run wasn’t his most important race.
Eric Liddell was born to run. From childhood, his physical
abilities brought honor and fame—culminating in a gold medal at the
1924 Olympics.
But it was another run that really mattered: the race of life
mentioned in Hebrews 12 (“. . .and let us run with patience the
race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and
finisher of our faith. . . .”).
Eric Liddell’s commitment to God was so strong that he once skipped
an Olympic qualifier because it was held on Sunday. His scrupulous
faith was chronicled decades later in the movie Chariots of
Fire. At the height of his fame, Eric traded track
shoes for hiking boots, taking the gospel message to the vast land
of China. His life there was cut short, but the shadow he cast was
long—with millions still finding challenge from his faithful
example.