Chariots of Fire: Peace Through Ordered Prayer - Anglican (Philippians 4:6-7)

In the heart of the Scottish Highlands, there lived a man whose very name has become synonymous with both faith and athletics—Eric Liddell. Picture the scene: the sun rises over the rugged hills, painting the sky in hues of gold and orange, as Liddell, a world-class sprinter, prepares his heart and mind for a race. But it isn't only his physical training that sets him apart; it is his unwavering commitment to a daily rhythm of prayer and Scripture that grounds him.

In the quiet of early morning, as the world is still waking, Liddell kneels in his small, humble room, where the scent of fresh bread from the kitchen mingles with the crispness of the dawn air. He opens his Bible, the pages worn from countless readings, and he pours out his anxieties to God. This is not merely a ritual; it is a lifeline. In those moments, he embodies the promise found in Philippians 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything..."

As the day unfolds and the time for the race approaches, he carries with him a profound sense of peace—an unshakeable calm that has been forged through his discipline of prayer. His evening ritual, a time of thanksgiving, transforms the mundane into the sacred as he reflects on the day’s blessings, his heart swelling with gratitude.

In those intense moments on the track, surrounded by the roar of the crowd, Liddell draws from that well of peace. He runs not just for victory, but as an offering—a testament to a life shaped by prayer and liturgy.

This is what Anglican spirituality teaches us: that peace is not an escape during a crisis, but a profound certainty cultivated in the everyday. Just as Eric Liddell’s ordered spiritual life produced a peace that transcended the chaos around him, so too can our own prayers and rhythms invite the shalom—the peace that the world cannot give—into our lives. In this space of spiritual formation, we find the strength to face our own races, knowing that every prayer is a step towards deeper trust and unwavering peace.