'When I run, I feel his pleasure'

I believe that God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. When I run, I feel His pleasure.

The movie Chariots of Fire had the Scottish Olympian athlete and rugby international Eric Liddell say these words. Whether he did or not - and an evening using Google has been unable to clarify this for me - these words are so powerful that they have stuck with Liddell's name ever since.

They are not flippant or self-justifying words - not at all. Neither were they just the result of his endorphins kicking in.

Liddell was the man who refused to run on a Sunday at the Olympics in the 100 metres, an event he stood an even chance of winning; and was to give himself for missionary service in China where he would die in a labour camp. When he said 'I feel his pleasure' - if indeed these were his words! - he was expressing what we would all like to believe are true: that the creator is deeply delighted when his creatures do what they are made to do, and do so in honour of him.