The Race He Didn't Run

Eric Liddell was the fastest man in Britain. Heading into the 1924 Paris Olympics, he was the heavy favorite to win the 100 meters — the race that would make him a legend. But when the schedule was published, Liddell discovered that the heats were held on a Sunday. For this son of Scottish missionaries, Sunday was the Lord's Day. And that was that.

His teammates were stunned. The British Olympic Committee pressured him. The Prince of Wales personally appealed to him to reconsider. But Liddell had already settled the question — not with defiance or pride, but with the quiet certainty of a man who had decided long ago that God's word came before his own ambition.

He withdrew from the 100 meters and entered the 400 instead — a race that wasn't his specialty. He trained hard, ran his heart out, and on July 11, 1924, Eric Liddell crossed the finish line in first place, setting a world record.

But here's what made Liddell remarkable: it wasn't the gold medal. It was the decision he made before the race even began. Obedience rarely feels like the winning strategy. It feels like giving something up — a title, an opportunity, an advantage you've earned. But Scripture whispers to us what Paris proved: those who honor God, God will honor.

Whatever race you're running this week, God may be asking you to run a different one than you planned. Obey first. Trust Him with the outcome.