The sacred ordinary

‘I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast and when I run, I feel his pleasure.” I first heard this quote when I watched the movie “Chariots of Fire”; a movie based on the true story of Eric Liddell, a Scottish athlete and Olympian Gold medallist born in the early 1900s. 

He was a fast runner and a man of faith and he did not separate the two.  He not only found personal pleasure when running but he also felt God’s pleasure when he did it too.  I am reminded that there is no separation between the sacred and the secular; nor should there be between who we are during the week and who we are on Sundays.  Eric loved both God and his running and he took delight in both; and sensed God’s delight too. 

Growing up, I often struggled to find congruence between the church service I attended on a Sunday and my life for the remainder of the week.  I grew to associate Christianity with church activities and a place rather than a 24/7 spirituality that involved all of life.  I now know that this is not the case and that my faith can in fact translate to the remaining six days of the week. 

I am thankful for the classic “The Practice of the Presence of God” written by Brother Lawrence.  Here was a Christian brother who knew God’s delight and presence while doing his daily chores.  I drew much strength and comfort from his reflections during times of what often feels like domestic drudgery and ordinariness. 

One of the most sacred times in my life is the week leading up to Christmas, when I listen to Christmas carols and spend the days baking.  I bake for our family, I bake for my extended family and I bake for others.  It is one of those times that I feel both personal pleasure and God’s pleasure in what I do.  Why is it that I do not find the same pleasure every night when I cook dinner?  Maybe I need to work on that!    

Like me, you may not be a famous fast runner nor live in a monastic religious community.  Perhaps, like me you are an ‘ordinary’ woman-or man.  Our ‘ordinariness’ does not exclude us from living a sacred life, every day of the week.  We too can find pleasure and know God’s pleasure doing what he has created us to both do and enjoy.   What is that you do that gives you a sense of pleasure AND a sense of God’s pleasure?

 Photo by Elijah O’Donell on Unsplash