February 27, 2010

  • Olympics.... disqualification and withdrawal...

    At the end of the Olympic games in our backyard (Vancouver) I must say that there were many things that happened at these games. Some great and others not so great. The disqualification of the Dutch speed-skater Sven Kramer caused a lot of reactions world wide...

     

    In 1924 another Olympic athlete did not win the gold medal. Not because of a discqualification, but because he was forced to withdraw before the race began!

     

    The 1924 Olympics were hosted by the city of Paris. Athlete Eric Liddell was a committed Christian and he refused to run on Sunday, with the consequence that he was forced to withdraw from the 100 meter race, his best event. The schedule had been published several months earlier, and his decision was made well before the Games began.

     

    Liddell spent the intervening months training for the 400 meters, an event in which he had previously excelled. Even so, his success in the 400m was largely unexpected. The day of 400 meters race came, and as Liddell went to the starting blocks, an American masseur slipped a piece of paper into Liddell's hand with a quotation from 1 Samuel 2:30, "Those who honour me, I will honour." Eric Liddell ran with that piece of paper in his hand. He not only won the race, but broke the existing world record with a time.

     

    "I believe that God made me for a purpose,

    but He also made me fast.

    When I run, I feel His pleasure."

    Eric Liddell

     

    A story made famous in the film, Chariots of Fire, see a synopsis below, with music by Vangelis.

    Later in life, this Olympic champion became a missionary in China. During World War II, he was captured and imprisoned in a prisoner of war camp. In that camp he taught a hymn (his favorite hymn) to the other prisoners in the camp to provide comfort and hope, to strengthen their faith. In the midst of change and tears, disappointment, grief and fear, Liddell remembered and taught others that the Day was coming when this earth would be gone, and Jesus Christ would reign forever.

    Be still my soul

    Be still my soul - the Lord is on thy side;
    bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
    leave to thy God to order and provide;
    in every change - he faithful will remain.
    Be still, my soul - thy best thy heavenly Friend
    through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

    Be still my soul - when dearest friends depart,
    and all is darkened in the vale of tears,
    then shalt thou better know his love - his heart,
    who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
    Be still, my soul - the waves and winds still know
    his voice who ruled them - while he dwelt below.

    Be still my soul the hour is hastening on
    when we shall be forever with the Lord,
    when disappointment - grief and fear are gone,
    sorrow forgot - love's purest joys restored,.
    Be still my soul - when change and tears are past,
    all safe and blessed - we shall meet at last.

     

    The scripture reference of this hymn is found in Psalm 46:10:

    "Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth."

    The hymn-writer, Katharina Amalia Dorothea von Schlegel (born on October 22, 1697), was the outstanding figure the Reformed church in Germany. Little is known of her other than she was a Lutheran. Schlegel contributed a number of lyrics to a collection of spiritual songs published. Although she wrote many additional verses for this hymn, most hymnals use just three stanzas. She died about 1768. Be Still, My Soul was translated into English approximately 100 years after it was written by Jane L. Borthwick, a devoted religious and social worker in the Free Church of Scotland. Borthwick was born in Edinburgh in 1813, a noble supporter of home and foreign missions.

    Olympic athlete and champion Eric Liddell died in prisoner of war camp in 1945, a few months before the end of the war.

    “We are all missionaries.
    Wherever we go, we either bring people nearer to Christ,
    or we repel them from Christ.”
    Eric Liddell

    In the Vancouver Olympic Games we heard about disqualifications, but not about a forced withdrawal to honor our Father in heaven.

     

    The games are almost over. We did not win a race. But we may say with the apostle Paul "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."  (2 Tim 4:7)

     

    The games are almost over. We did now win the gold of this earth, but we know that "everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable." (1 Cor 9: 25)

     

    It is good to excercise and participate, to compete and try to win, but only when we have our priorities in order: "Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1 Tim 6: 12)

     

    May God bless you as you continue to run!