Prayer preceded submission and sacrifice. 

"They came to a place named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, ‘Sit here until I have prayed.’ And He took with Him Peter, James, and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. And He said to them, ‘My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.’ And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began praying that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by. And He was saying, ‘Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will (Mark 14:32-36 NASB).”

Removal wasn’t the will of the Father. Jesus submitted to Abba Father.

“No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it back. This commandment I received from My Father (John 10:18 NASB).”

Circumstances were under the Father’s authority.

“So Pilate said to Him, ‘Are you not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?’ Jesus answered him, ‘You would have no authority over Me at all, if it had not been given to you from above; for this reason the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin (John 19:10-11 NASB).”

Our sins sent Jesus to the cross.

“For Christ also suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit (1 Peter 3:18 NASB).”

Published articles in Mature Living Magazine, Devotions for the Deaf, The Secret Place, Coosa Journal, Mary Hollingsworth's The One Year Devotional of Joy and Laughter, Jo Krueger's Every Day in God's Word. http://www.pamforddavis.com
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