Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane in the final hour before His arrest. Peter, James and John were close by and the other disciples were a little further away, probably at the gate to the garden. In Jesus' first prayer He asked, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." Now the second time He prays, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."
 
Jesus was freely expressing His desire not to be separated from His father, but He was also gladly expressing His commitment to submit to Father God's will. Godly submission is always an active choice to place personal preference under the higher priority of God's Sovereign purpose. God does not force us to submit, but He will urge us to do so. When we make that choice it is an active personal decision, often against a background of sacrifice and contrary to our fleshly desires. Submission is a personal internal battle, and Jesus won that battle.
 
The disciples, on the other hand, had fallen asleep. They had been commanded to watch and pray, to engage with Jesus in the spiritual battle; but they failed. Their sleep was not an active choice; it was the ultimate in passivity. Instead of supporting Jesus and preparing themselves to meet the temptations ahead by praying, they gave up the struggle of watching and praying to satisfy their bodily need of sleep. There was no point in Jesus urging them once again to submit themselves to Father God: they had opted out of submission. They would be useless to Jesus and would have no spiritual muscle to resist temptation when it came to them.
 
Submission is greatly misunderstood. Some think that it means doing what anybody else wants them to do, without glad or willing participation. Some see it as demeaning, while others stoically suffer abuse although it is not their choice. Sleeping is a means of escape, either through tiredness, drink or drugs – a state of passivity without responsibility. Such people are easily overcome by temptation and contribute little to gospel ministry. It is time to wake up! Choose to submit to God's will, whatever it is, and be glad to sacrifice so that He may be able to use you. Ephesians 5:14-21 gives practical advice. We must train ourselves to submit gladly, otherwise we will be spiritually useless and fall into sin.