"God answers my prayers everywhere except on the golf-course."
Honouring God
Those who honour me I will honour, but those who despise me will be disdained. 1 Samuel 2:30The context of this verse is the misbehaviour of the sons of Eli and his failure to take action. In the previous verse God asks: “Why do you honour your sons more than me?” God promises judgement on the family as a consequence.
The top verse is known – to people of a certain age – from the film Chariots of Fire, which tells the story of the 1924 Olympian, Eric Liddell. A favourite for the 100 metres, Eric withdrew from the event when he discovered the heats were on a Sunday and trained instead for the 400 metres in which he won gold.
The film shows another runner giving Eric a piece of paper with the words, “It says in the old book: “Those who honour me I will honour” and the words inspire him to run the race of his life. (The incident is historical but it was a masseur not a runner who gave him the piece of paper).
John Olley, writing on this passage says: “When we are in a group it is tempting to be more concerned about what they think of us than about God”.
The issue for you is unlikely to be Sunday sport – although it might be. In what area of your life in the world of sport, do you find it hard to honour God?