There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy. (Psalm 43:4 NLT)
In the following quotation the runner Eric Liddell in Chariots of Fire is talking with his devout sister Jennie who wants him to give up running and go back to China to be a missionary.
Eric: “I’ve decided. I’m going back to China. The missionary service has accepted me. [Pause] I’ve got a lot of running to do first. [Pause] Jennie, Jennie, you’ve got to understand. I believe that God made me for a purpose, for China. But he also made me fast. And when I run I feel his pleasure, To give that up would be to hold him in contempt. You were right. It’s not just fun; to win is to honor him.”
Today I would like to celebrate all those who have found their special calling and by excelling in that calling can feel God’s pleasure. Today I attended a meeting and found it like other meetings I’ve attended in the past—the discussion becoming increasingly over my head and passing me by. However, not all performed marginally at the meeting. In particular John Armbruster, a Parks & Recreation Manager for the City of Saint Petersburg, made vital contributions to the discussion showing acute understanding throughout and moving the discussion along without monopolizing it. In short, his graceful contributions were a blessing of illumination and clarification. It is a joy to watch runners like Eric and all those in other fields that have been true to God’s calling for them. It is not an exaggeration to say that they emit a sense of mastery, clarity, and beauty—of charismatic integrity.
Print Page
