Last night I had a Taekwondo belt test. Since I've only been practicing for about four months, most of the students testing with me were young.
Very very young.
In fact my son, who is visiting for the weekend, joked that he was worried one of the parents would ask him, "and which one is yours?" by which he would have to reply, "that one" and point to the old man towering over the other students!
During the test we have to break a wooden board. Not an easy task to do.
There was this one young girl who was having trouble doing it. She tried over and over again. Even with the other students and parents cheering her on, she could not break the board in her own strength.
Finally, Master Kim came and stood beside her; he said, "ready?" then together they punched effortlessly through the board while the whole class cheered her victory!
This morning that image made me think of the verse, "I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Phil 4:13 (NIV)
Just like that young girl, we cannot accomplish what we need to do in our own strength, Even though we try, over and over.
But when the Lord is standing by our side, we have access to a power that allows us to live a life of victory!
"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Cor 15:57 (NIV)
