I remember the teenage moment even today, when I went before the congregation and SURRENDERED my life to God. What I don't remember,  are ALL of those myriad of things that I was told that I needed to give up or SURRENDER to God that I might fully enter into heaven. Heaven?  I'm way too young to be thinking about heaven- or hell!

The real question is what specifically are we being asked to SURRENDER to be kids of the king?

We are not to surrender our brains, logic, common sense, and identity with the divine Spirit that resides with us and is our guide through this life. We're not to give up the fight that belongs to us and try and pawn it off to some cosmic consciousness out there somewhere. But, we are to surrender; not to the DISSERTATED theological authorities, but to the divine Spirit within.

We need to surrender our selfishness, our animalistic tendencies, the many addictions that are engaged to protect our insecurities, and our miserly life style that holds back from giving to those that have needs.

We have been created in love and too often we surrender all loving nature to the fear-based religious cultures of the day. Yes, we need to surrender that attitude that says people can't be engaged and attracted to a cause without peppering them with fear and guilt. The greatest power isn't a negative one, but a positive force: that awesome power being unconditional LOVE. Rewards are promised to those who OVERCOME, not those who look in the mirror and cower before their sinful nature.

We are awesome and wonderfully made. Don't let any person or church authority tell you differently. SURRENDER to the "image of God" that's within all of us.