Seventh-day Adventist® Church

If you asked me to recount the storyline of "Chariots of Fire" you would get little information. What I do remember is that it was about men of faith and principle.

Given that the Olympic Torch took a route along a beach in Scotland today, re-enacting a scene from the film, and given comments have been made on the BBC website accompanied with pictures, seemingly showing some pride in the connection with the 2012 Torch, the beach, and the 1924 Paris Olympics, I thought I would refresh my memory of the story.

A true story, and indeed one of two men of faith. Harold Abrahams, a Jew, experiences anti-Semitic despise at Cambridge University, but went on to get a place in the British Olympic Team. He lost the 200m race but won at 100m. He defied those with prejudice, and won gold. Noteworthy is that Abrahams converted from Judaism to Catholicism a decade after his win. Being persecuted as a Jew gave him determination to win gold. If he had converted earlier in his life, would he have had the same determination?

Eric Liddell was a devout Christian. Born in China to Scottish Missionaries, he is challenged by his sister over his devotion to God having missed a prayer meeting while out running. This faith challenge stayed with Liddell when he travelled to Paris as part of the British Olympic Team only to find his race was on a Sunday. Being a Sunday keeper, he chose to forfeit his chance to run, instead taking a preaching appointment at a Church of Scotland congregation in Paris.

Lord Andrew Lindsay, having already won silver in the 400m hurdles, offers Liddell his place in the 400m race. Despite being a 100m runner, Liddell wins gold in the 400m race.

Along the way Liddell gathers global interest as his religious beliefs took precedence over his national athletics. He then returned to China as a missionary.

The film is due for re-release on 13 July in 100 cinemas nationally. It comes out on Blu-Ray and DVD too on 16 July, and is on stage in London from 23 June.

But so what? What made this film the 11th best British-made film? Was it the cast, or the set? Was it that two men stood for principle? I would like to think that these men's trust in God had something to do with the film's success.

As we consider ways of encountering the presence of God during the 70 days of the Olympic Torch relay, let us consider the Scripture passage allegedly used by Liddell in his sermon that Sunday:

Isaiah 40 (NIV)
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

It's time to seek God. It's time to renew your strength. It's time to run after God. It's time to put your hope in God and seek His presence.

-Pr Nathan Stickland