Beyond my Ability

Last week, during a break between rainstorms, we took Ingrid’s sister and niece on a drive into the mountains near here.  For the first 16 kilometers, the road generally follows the course of the Ngao River.  It has a fair number of very steep, but relatively short sections.  I’ve been bicycling that portion quite a bit lately for exercise.

But as we turned off the main road, I noticed that our path was becoming quite steep for sustained distances.  As we entered the first such section of road I said that, in regard to my bicycling, this was “beyond my ability”.

I’ve heard that there are those who ride their bicycles all the way to the top—to a small park called Pa Tang.  But I couldn’t see myself ever doing that.  Some parts even seemed a challenge for our truck.

But the other day I decided to try to attempt at least the first grade.  As I thought, it was quite hard.  I think I was pedaling about 5 km/h (3 mph).  The threatening clouds had me thinking maybe I should head back before I got to the top of that first grade.  But then a smidgen of sunlight would break through the clouds and I would keep going. And then, after what seemed like forever (but was probably only 10 minutes), the road leveled off at the base of this hill that protrudes awkwardly from the landscape.

The hill at the beginning of the road to Pa Tang with the first steep grade marked.

Suddenly what seemed so impossible now is doable.  (Who knows, maybe one day I’ll even get to the top—there are only about 12 more kilometers of the remaining 13 that are as steep or steeper than that.)

Our work in Thailand is often like this.  Sometime it seems impossible.  Truth be told, it even IS beyond our ability.  But it IS NOT beyond God’s ability.

I think of a recent occurrence here in Wiang Kaen.  Samyo is a young Khmu man who was born and raised in the US.  He was on an Action Team that spent about 2 weeks in our area.  The locals would tell you that his Khmu language skills are not that great.  But one Sunday morning he preached in Khmu in one of the churches.  God gave him Khmu words to speak that he didn’t think he knew.  People listened with rapt attention.  Some people decided that they want to believe in Jesus.  Praise God that Samyo did not let his lack of ability keep him from speaking that day!

One day, Jesus was chatting with a wealthy person who wanted to know how he could have eternal life.  After giving him some advice, which the rich person was loathe to follow, Jesus said to his disciples, “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19:24)

Get through an eye of a needle!  I have trouble getting into the pants I bought last year!

The disciples must have been on the same wavelength as me, for they said to Jesus, “Who then can be saved?” to which Jesus responded, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)

Some things are, in fact, beyond my ability, but they aren’t beyond God’s ability.  The challenge for me is to walk the same path Jesus is walking so that I can see the impossible take place.