Spiritual worship

If you are old enough to have seen the film Chariots of Fire, you will remember the words attributed to Eric Liddell. “God made me for a purpose but he also made me fast and when I run I feel his pleasure”. Can a physical act like running give pleasure to God? Paul seems to think so.

Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual act of worship.

Romans 12:1

Pleasing God is not judged by what anyone else says about our performance. Indeed, it is not even about the trophies we might win. It is doing the best we can with our talents that pleases God. The Christian who understands what it is to use their talents for God’s glory should, rather, be the most committed player in the club because they have the fundamental privilege of doing it for the Lord who gave them those talents. As Christian sportspeople we must be people who give of our very best in all circumstances, win, lose or draw. I will not be a quitter and will always drive to get the very best out of my performance – whether it is a cup final or a training session. This is what "taking care" of the world of sport for God actually requires of us.

South African Olympic swimming Gold medallist, Penny Heyns, has said: “Swimming has in some ways been my ‘classroom’ where God teaches me so much about his ability and [to have] faith in him. I love the sense of satisfaction that I get when I’ve done a swimming workout or race, and know that I gave my whole being and heart to God in every moment of the swim. It’s the best worship I can offer him. I remember once before an important race I was so tired that I just thought, ‘I am going to swim up and down and praise the Lord and worship him through my talents’, hoping that I could just produce a half decent time”.

As another South African said, “How you handle fame, success and failure and your perspective on life, is what glorifies God, not the trophies and prizes and acclamation”.

(Peter Pollock, The Myth of Success, in Today September 1999)

But Paul does not leave it there. He continues:

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2

As a Christian in the world of sport you are called not to conform to the pattern of this world. The morality of modern world is often what can I get away with. Let’s push the officials to the limit and see how far they let us go. You have to work out what this means in practice in your sport and situation but Paul’s instruction not to conform to this world’s standards, certainly applies to you. Paul also says “be transformed”. This transformation is not the Christian’s own doing, but the work of the Holy Spirit. However, we have a responsibility to let ourselves be transformed, to respond to the leading of God’s Spirit. We are to be transformed by God, not conforming to the world. Now that means representing Christ in your sport. You operate to God’s standards, not the etiquette of the game around you. You cannot pull someone’s shirt because everyone does it. That attitude is conforming to the world, not being transformed by God.

This is a lifetime’s work. But “do not conform” is something we need to hear again and again. It must ever be a great part of the content of Christian exhortation. As Christians we have always to confess that to a painfully large extent our life is conformed to this age. This means standing out for Jesus in the club because you live by God’s standards and do not conform to the world.

As a Christian you are to go and love people, even your enemies, even the right-back who kicks you or the boss who makes the credit for what you do. If we have been given the talents to play, what better option is there before us? If we have been filled with the Holy Spirit, we will grow in the situation. It isn’t going to be easy. You will be stretched, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually when you play sport? Will you lose your temper? Will you swear or hit back at someone? The way you behave in difficult situations will make an impact. As people look at the Christian, they will be thinking, “She loses with dignity. She gives everything she has. When we lose she is gutted but she always has a sense of what is fair” Or when you break up a fight or refuse to hit back, your team-mates will notice.

Perhaps in a one-off game, people might say, “She does not care. She was straight to the opposition when we lost”. But over a year or two years, people will notice. They will know that you want to win. You want to maximize your talent. You want to be as good as you can. But if it does not go well on that particular day, you lose properly.

Stuart Weir