When a Faithful Witness is Found Within the Ranks of the Un-Godly - The Lord is Glorified!

“ Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” – Daniel 3:24-25

In a world full of treachery (unfaithfulness in covenant to God) and betrayal to the God who gave so much (John 3:16), how few there are who understand how to bear their cross that the Lord may be truly glorified (1 Corinthians 2:8; Romans 1:16; 2 Timothy 4:16-17).

A true story is told over 75 years ago of a godly man who did some remarkable things.

Eric Liddell of Scotland refused to run in a heat at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris because the race was scheduled on a Sunday, which his faith taught him would violate the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8).  Eric would not dishonor his God, nor His Word.

Because he obeyed out of love toward the Lord, what did the people of his country do?  they labeled him a traitor.

As we know from the Academy Award-winning film “Chariots of Fire,” Liddell, in obedience to the Lord, managed to negotiate an unheard-of switch from the 100m race that he had been scheduled to run to the 400 meters (Hebrews 2:4), for which he had not trained.

Liddell won that race and was showered with Olympic glory.

In the end, the Lord was glorified in honoring the very servant who honored His Word (John 12:26).  This was for all the world to see.  Eric was not a traitor to his country, but rather faithful to his God.

I must ask the question, who were the traitors?  The people who were angry with Eric for obeying the Lord.  If Eric had obeyed the people’s voice rather than the Lord’s, the Lord would have never been glorified.  Man’s extremities are the Lord’s opportunities, and so was the case here (Hebrews 2:4).

Eric followed in the footsteps of those who went before him in the faith (Hebrews 13:7):  Noah, Moses, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, King David, Eleazer, Gideon, Samson, Daniel, etc.

Conclusion: Instead of cashing in, Liddell turned his back on fame and fortune and followed his parents’ steps, becoming a missionary to China (Matthew 16:24).