Chariots of Fire: Building on Ordered Foundation - Anglican (Matthew 7:24-27)

Imagine a young Eric Liddell, his heart racing with the anticipation of race day. The air at the Paris Olympics in 1924 is electric, charged with the dreams of countless athletes. Yet, for Eric, the race isn’t merely about speed; it’s about something far deeper. He carries with him not just the hopes of a nation but a profound faith, anchored in years of disciplined practice rooted in Scripture, prayer, and community.

As he laces up his shoes, he recalls the quiet mornings spent in his father’s study, pouring over the Psalms, the pages worn from constant use. Each verse, like a stone, forms the foundation of his life, a bedrock upon which he stands firm against the storms that life will throw his way. He understands well the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:24-27, the parable of the wise man who built his house upon the rock.

But Eric’s journey doesn’t end with triumph on the racetrack. After the Olympics, in the face of an even greater challenge—imprisonment in a Japanese internment camp during World War II—his rock-solid foundation proves unshakeable. The rituals of daily prayer and the shared faith of fellow prisoners become lifelines, maintaining his spirit even in the darkest of times.

Just as a house built on firm ground stands against the fiercest winds, so too does a life steeped in the means of grace—daily devotion, communal worship, and acts of service—weather the tempests of life. Eric Liddell’s ordered life, shaped by years of steadfast practice, teaches us how to build with intention. So let us lean into those same means, trusting that in doing so, we too will stand firm, come what may.