Choose Life - SurrenderDecember

The power of choice we don't surrender is the power to choose who or what we surrender to. So let's make it a good choice... Choose Life!

But make sure you know what 'life' means, and where it comes from... it's always good to make informed choices :)
 

This song by Big Tent Revival speaks of where I have found Life...

A choice is set before you now
Living or dying, blessing or cursing
You know, the time has come around
To turn from your fighting
And rest in his mercy
Choose life, that you might live
The life that He gives
He gives you forever
Choose life, the way that it's true
From the one who chose you
Your father in Heaven
Choose life

Trust the Lord with all your heart
All of your soul and all of your being
Hold on, listen and obey
Surrender your life into His keeping

Choose life, that you might live
The life that He gives
He gives you forever
Choose life, the way that it's true
From the one who chose you
Your father in Heaven
Choose life

And the weight you're under
Will be lifted away
And the world will wonder
What happened here today
Then you'll stand right here and say

Choose life, that you might live
The life that He gives
He gives you forever
Choose life, the way that it's true
From the one who chose you
Your father in Heaven
Choose life

"I'll never Surrender!"

Surrender...
blender, tender, Fender, pretender, big spender... um yep, thinking of anything else but surrender is probably the normal response to that word!

Let's face it, Surrender is one of those 'I don't like it' words, one that puts us on the defensive immediately. The images I have of surrender usually include the bad guys who've taken hostage some poor innocent people finally coming out with their weapons down and their hands in the air to ensure they don't get shot as they surrender to the police...

It's always got something to do with showing your face as a bad guy and giving in to the law, or surrendering to your enemy because you have been rendered powerless before them. They win, you lose, give up. And so the resounding cry "I'll never surrender!" becomes either the line of stubborn villians, or valiant displays of strength and sacrifice of heroes.

Ok so surrender IS about that we have something to give up. But what is that something? It could be anything from an object to and idea, or your very self. Power, ownership and control  are usually entwined with those things.

My dictionary app agrees with me in its own words:

There is an underlying assumption or premise when we talk of surrender that we have complete control of ourself, our life and outcomes in our life. Thus, surrender sounds like we have to give up those things and by force. The fear is that we'll lose our self if we surrender.

What if the premise is wrong? What if we don't have complete power, ownership and control of our own lives?

What if the reality is that we all surrender something of our self to another thing or another someone on a regular basis and we don't even realise it?

What if by the very act of voluntarily surrendering our life to the One who made us we will actually FIND our complete self?