In the 26 verses of John 17, Jesus speaks about "giving" 17 times. The importance of relinquishing what we hold is clear. But because of the goodness of God, in His Kingdom, surrender means giving up something lesser to gain something greater. Everybody has a place of authority or control. God is calling us to release these areas of authority so that He can give us something greater in return. After all, it's because of Jesus' surrender that we are redeemed. Lord, help us to surrender!