ESOCS Devotional 7 April 2026 – Submitting to the Father’s Will
MEMORY VERSE: “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Mark 14:36 NIV
TEXT: MARK 14:32-52
Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. 34 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.”
35 He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. 36 And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”
37 Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
39 Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words. 40 And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him.
41 Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”
43 And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely.”
45 As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, “Rabbi, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
46 Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him. 47 And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
48 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? 49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”
50 Then they all forsook Him and fled.
51 Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, 52 and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.
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In the quiet shadows of Gethsemane, Jesus reveals both His humanity and His divinity. Faced with the unbearable weight of the cross, He cries out to His Father, acknowledging God’s limitless power – “Everything is possible for you.” Yet, in the same breath, He surrenders: “Not what I will, but what you will.”
This prayer is the ultimate model of submission. Jesus, the Son of God, did not cling to His own desires but chose the Father’s plan, even though it meant pain, betrayal, and death. His submission wasn’t passive; it was intentional, heartfelt, and obedient.
Submitting to God’s will doesn’t always mean an easy road. It may lead us through seasons of sorrow, uncertainty, or sacrifice. But like Jesus, we are called to trust that the Father’s plan, though often mysterious, is good, perfect, and purposeful.
True submission starts with trust, trusting that God sees what we cannot and knows what we do not. Moreover, when we submit, we find peace. We find strength. We find alignment with heaven.
Reflections
- Are there areas in my life where I am struggling to submit to God’s will?
- Do I truly believe that God’s plan is better than my own, even when I don’t understand it?
- How do I respond when God’s will leads through hardship or discomfort?
- What steps can I take today to surrender more fully to the Father’s direction?
Action Step
Spend time in prayer today asking God to reveal any area where you’re resisting His will. Write it down, and as a symbolic act of surrender, pray over it and commit to follow wherever He leads, trusting His heart.
Prayer
- Abba Father, I confess that at times I want my own way more than yours. Help me to trust you deeply, even when the path is hard.
- Teach me to say, like Jesus, “Not my will, but yours be done.”
- I surrender my desires, my fears, and my plans into your hands. Let your perfect will be done in my life, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Further Reading: 2 Samuel 23:1-8; Jeremiah 37:11-End; James 3:13-End
ESOCS Devotional 7 April 2026
