Olympians honoring the Sabbath
Image by Pierre de Coubertin
“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work.”
Exodus 20:8-10
Keeping the Sabbath Day holy is as important now as it was in Moses’ day.
While most Olympians compete on Sunday, there are a courageous few Olympians who’ve refused to compete on Sunday. Meet four Olympians who “remember[ed] the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”
Olympians honoring the Sabbath Day
Eric Liddell- Scotland
Eric Liddell competed in the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. Eric refused to run the 100 meter dash (his best event), because it was scheduled for Sunday. The other event Eric could compete in was the 400 meter dash. As Eric went to the starting blocks for the 400 meter dash, a man gave him a piece of paper quoting 1 Samuel 2:30, saying “Those who honor me, I will honor.” Inspired by this message, Eric sped through the 400 meters in 47.6 seconds- winning a gold metal and setting a world record.
Peter Vidmar- USA
Peter Vidmar competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Since an early age, Peter decided to not train on Sunday. Peter won a gold medal for his pommel horse routine (gymnastics), scoring a perfect 10. Peter’s the only American gymnast in Olympic history to have scored a perfect 10.
Noni Wharemate and Charmian Purcell- New Zealand
Noni Wharemate and Charmian Purcell competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Noni and Charmian asked to sit out for their team’s final basketball game because it was scheduled for Sunday. Their team respected their wish to keep the Sabbath Day holy.
“We are all missionaries. Wherever we go we either bring people nearer to Christ or we repel them from Christ.”
- Eric Liddell
Personal Notes: I remember choosing to not join the All-Star Little League baseball team because they competed on Sundays. I’m so grateful to be able to rest from work, school and sports on Sundays! I feel spiritually strengthened as I read scriptures, attend church, and do other appropriate activities on the Sabbath. I believe if we honor the Sabbath Day, the Lord will bless your life in countless ways.
God does honor His people..never puts them to shame Psalm 1.
God honors people of faith.
I agree with both of you- God will always help us if we rely on Him. I believe God acts with us according to our faith in Him. If we believe, God can work miracles for us, His children.
Wow, that would take a lot of faith and courage to stand up for what you believe, especially when the stakes are so high and the social pressures are probably very strongly against you. I believe that keeping the Sabbath, especially when it requires a lot of sacrifice, will ultimately yield the most blessings.
Where does it say that Sunday is the Sabbath day, if any people in the world would know it would be the Jews, who have been keeping sabbath for centuries it is Friday Sundown to Saturday Sundown. Keep it holy !
I respect your view- I personally believe the Sabbath day started being on Sunday after Jesus was resurrected on Sunday. Thanks for commenting!
There is no where in scripture that shows that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday. Do some research and see that Roman emperor Constantine changed the day of worship to Sunday in 321 a.d.Before he changed it Sunday was the day that they used to worship the sun. Hence the name. The apostles and early Christians kept the original Sabbath day holy and still is held by people today who have found the truth. I am not a Seventh Day Adventist. Just a man who has been blessed with an answered prayer of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. I have adjusted my life each time I am revealed some truth. Read what your Bible says about adding too or taking away from His words. What it says about following man’s tradition instead of our Lord’s. If we truly believe in the 4th commandment and ask ourselves, “what would Jesus do”? We know that he kept the true Sabbath day holy. That’s who I choose to follow. May the Lord bless you with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.
I appreciate your historic insights. Thanks Daniel!
Your welcome Alex. Glad I could help.