London 2012 Olympics: The Christians Are Coming

According to the Associated Press the film that portrayed the true story of a Christian missionary and runner Eric Liddell, who refused to run on Sunday, will be played across Britain this summer. The classic film "Chariots of Fire," which title comes from the Christian anthem "Jerusalem," will be released on July 13, 2012, two weeks before the Olympics Opening Ceremony. Just recently the Olympic committee decided to remaster the film for the 2012 London Olympics as part of the London 2012 Arts Festival. The film was released in 1981 which won an Oscar the same year. The film's producer Lord David Puttnam says the film is about "guts, determination and belief."

During the 1924 Paris Olympics, Eric Liddell was scheduled to run the 100 meter race but it was to be held on a Sunday. Liddell said in the film "God made countries, God makes kings, and the rules by which they govern. And those rules say that the Sabbath is His. And I for one intend to keep it that way." And he refused to run on Sunday. Instead he ran the 400 meter race that was not held on Sunday and finished first. breaking both the existing Olympic and world records. On the day of the race an American Olympic team messenger gave him a slip of paper with the Bible verse from the first book of Samuel, chapter 2 and verse 30 which states "them that honour Me I will honour," And God honored him, he won the Olympic Gold Medal for the 400 meter sprint. He did not know if he would do as well in the 400m as he would for 100m. And the 400m was much harder, but he was determined to honour God.

Eric Liddell knew what his gifts and talents were and used them for God's glory. When you know what your gifts and talents are, and that God gave them to you; God inspires you with a sense of purpose, contentment and the feeling that you can do the impossible. You can feel God's power as he works in you and through you. This is how Eric Liddell felt when he stated in the film "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure."

Not only was Liddell in the Paris Olympics but he was also in the spiritual competition, the Christian Olympics. Fighting the good fight of faith while running on his spiritual race track of the world. As every Christian, no matter what their vocation is in this world, they are running in the spiritual marathon to the finish line.