“But He did not accept Cain and His gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.’Why are you so angry?’ the Lord asked Cain. ‘Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.’” — Genesis 4:5-7

Obeying the Father: Not my will, but Your will be done!

God gave humanity a vast amount of freedom and authority on earth. Yet these gifts depend on man’s using his will to do God’s. Using our will for anything other than God’s will ruins the image and likeness of God within us and stifles His purposes for our lives—purposes of goodness, fruitfulness, creativity, truth, joy, and love. Adam and Eve’s rebellion distorted God’s image in mankind and attacked God’s plans for the earth.

How did this rebellion occur? Satan tempted Adam and Eve to disobey God, and they chose to agree with Satan’s purposes rather than God’s. In sinning, they cut off communion with God. Humanity no longer partnered with God to fulfill His purposes, leaving the world at the mercy of a renegade authority opposed to God’s plans.

Jesus found himself in a garden and handled it differently. Faced with a reality His humanity wished to avoid, Matthew 26:38-39 says, “He told them, ‘My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.’ He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, ‘My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine.’”

Man disobeyed in the garden, but Jesus obeyed in the garden by submitting His will to God’s!

Prayer: Father, thank You that we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Please help me to pray in communion with Your will, in righteous standing with You because of Your Son. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Read Matthew 26:38-39 | Genesis 4:5-7

– Pastor Ted Winsley, Chaplain of the Philadelphia Eagles