Digging Deeper – Beautiful Feet Part 2
13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” 16 But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.
Romans 10:13-17 (NLT)
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,[a] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT)
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 8 And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.
2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NLT)
BEAUTIFUL FEET PART 2
In the Paris Olympics of 1924 (yes, this is the 100th anniversary), Eric Liddell was set to run the 100m and 200m races. Most people believed he would take gold in the 100m and win a medal in the 200m. But then Liddell found out that the heats for the 100m would be on a Sunday. Although Liddell said he didn’t have a problem with others competing in the Sunday heats, he felt he could not.
Eric Liddell was born to missionary parents, and his faith had been strong throughout his life. He chose his convictions when deciding whether to compromise his beliefs or achieve world renown. Many people were angry at his choice, calling him a traitor or unpatriotic, but Liddell stood firm. He switched to the 400m. The 400m race was not his specialty, and many thought he would not have the stamina for the second half of the race. Liddell, however, knew where his stamina came from and trusted God to carry him through. He said, “Well, when the gun goes, I go as fast as I can, and trust to God that I’ll have the strength to do the second half.”
The results were striking. Not only did Liddell win the gold in the 400m, but he also set a world record. He became a sports hero not just in his homeland but worldwide! But what came next was not a professional contract or lucrative endorsements. Just a short time after the Olympics, Liddell announced that he would return to China as a missionary. He spent the rest of his life teaching, writing, and preaching. Even at the end of his life, while a prisoner in a Japanese prison camp in China, he served and taught others, especially those like himself, who were separated from their families.
His last words, spoken to his friend and fellow missionary shortly before he slipped into a coma, were, “Annie, it’s complete surrender.”
While in China, he wrote a Chinese pamphlet outlining devotional thoughts and Bible readings to use throughout the year. In it, he said this about the church’s witness in the world:
“The church is His voice in the world, announcing the good news about God, calling men and women everywhere to repent, and inviting them to enter the Kingdom. Every individual in the church shares this responsibility. We are called to witness. Are we doing it? Jesus went about doing good. The church should do the same, for it is called to an active ministry of loving service. Social reform, just and better conditions, righting wrongs, lightening people’s burdens—these are all part of the work of the church, and in it, every individual has a part to play.”
Liddell lived out his part. He did what God had called him to do in the Great Commission. Have you thought about your part in that call? Notice in Liddell’s quote that everyone has a part to play.
Eric Liddell lived out the Great Commission in his life and his death. Pray today and ask God to show you where He can use you to take the good news to a dying world, whether in your neighborhood or on the other side of the globe. Then, just do it!
Chris Boggess is the Next Generation/Family Pastor at NorthStar Church. He grew up in St. Albans, West Virginia, and still cheers for the Mountaineers. He and his wife, Heather, have two grown children and one granddaughter.