ON MY WAY TO CHURCH

   I was reminded again just this morning on my way to worship of the importance of keeping fit! Jillian and I had to detour around several roadblocks because there was a bicycle road race taking place. Bermuda holds several such races during the run of a year. Main Street was blocked off; side streets were blocked off, two way traffic was made one way and so on! We came across several racers on our way to church. They appear to be physically fit, easy to see in their bright yellow suits and all appeared to be having great fun. This is definitely a sport where one has to be in shape and where the more money you have to spend on a bike the better. It looks to be a fun sport and the few spectators here and there and the flag men on the corner all seemed to be enjoying themselves. While I don’t have a problem with bicycle racing I do have a problem with it being held on a Sunday morning when churches schedule their weekly worship service. The blocked off streets not only make it more difficult for people travelling to church but and even more importantly it means that participants and those who organize such races are unable to attend church themselves. Why can’t such races be scheduled in the afternoon or evenings? Why do they have to be held on primary travel routes? Why do churches have to compete with bicycle races? We compete with sporting practices on Sunday and in many areas we compete with stores opening on Sundays. We compete with a society who would rather do almost anything else on a Sunday but go to church.

  Does the name Eric Liddell sound familiar to you? Eric Liddell was once described as the fastest man in the world. He competed in the Paris Olympics in the summer of 1924. Eric was put forward as the one who would win the gold in the 100 meters. When it came time for the tryouts Eric refused to run? Why? The tryouts were being held on Sunday. Eric informed all that on Sundays he would not be found on the track field but in church. He refused the 100 meter but said he would enter the 400 instead. Big problem! Everyone told him that he didn’t stand a chance. Not only had Eric never trained for the 400 but he had a most unorthodox running style. The Scotsman would run with his head tilted back looking skyward and with his hands flying out from his side. HE DIDN’T STAND A CHANCE. Shortly before the race Eric was handed a little slip of paper with the scriptural reference 1 Samuel 2:30; “He who honors Me I will honor.” Eric Liddell went on to win gold in the 400 meters. Later in life he be­came a mis­sion­ary to Chi­na, and was im­pris­oned there dur­ing World War II. It is said that Eric’s favorite hymn was; “Be Still My Soul the Lord is On Thy Side.” He is said to have taught this hymn to others in the pri­son camp (where he event­u­al­ly died of a brain tu­mor at the age of 43).

I only wish that the racers and runners that I meet on a Sunday morning on my way to church would devote an equal amount of time in being spiritually fit as they do in being physically fit. SUNDAY MORNING IS THE TIME TO GO TO CHURCH NOT RUN RACES.