Power Plays

If you happen to know a bit about hockey, you understand that a power play is a particular time of advantage. One team has committed a penalty and as a consequence has one or more fewer players on the ice. The other team rallies their best offensive players and plays to optimize the advantage to score a goal. To hit the mark.

Today’s world buzzes with constant noise and chatter. Words have easily become cheap and empty; yet their potential remains sharp and powerful. Music, books, movies have a way of accessing into the beyond of our being. Words, lyric, rhyme, composition, story, even punctuation stirs my soul. And when I engage with words or plots of meaning, ones with its depth in ties of biblical truth, I sense my opponent shrink back. It moves me into moments of advantage. The winds turn and I sense the sails of my spirit catch the draft and I flow into the unseen power and energy. It’s in these times where I gain the upper hand against the world and over my enemy.

Power Plays are the music and lyrics, books and plot lines, movies and screenplays that draw me into worshipful union with my Creator, Savior, Friend. The result?

Advantage.

One song that recently has been incredibly effective to transition me into an atmosphere of advantage is “I CHOOSE TO WORSHIP” by Rend Collective. In this season of stirring darkness, unknowns, fear; this has so often shifted my reactive withdraw into anxiety and self-reliance into one of surrender and song. Check out these lyrics and take a listen. This a Power Play.

I build my altar right here and now
In the midst of the darkest night it won’t burn out
For You are perfect, no matter what
In the joy of the suffering I’ll sing it loud

I will praise You through the fire
Through the storm and through the flood
There is nothing that could ever steal my song
In the valley You are worthy, you are good when life is not
You will always and forever be my song

When the enemy says I’m done, I’ll lift my praises
When my world come crashing down I’ll lift my praises high
‘Til the darkness turns to dawn I’ll lift my praises
I choose to worship, I choose You now