Led by the Father

For years, one of the greatest stumbling blocks I faced as I tried to follow after God was underestimating my sin, God’s love, and the impact of Christ’s work on the cross.

Despite my best efforts, I knew I could never measure up to the standard of righteousness set forth in scripture. Frankly, sometimes I didn’t even want to. But I figured that was the whole point of Christ’s sacrifice. To provide cover for my sin so that I could gain access to Heaven.

But my sins were more than just broken rules. My sin alienated me from a holy and righteous God, and I was powerless to make things right. And though each offense was an act of rebellion that separated me from Him, God’s love was such that He was not content to leave me there. God intervened to restore what I could not.

Christ’s work on the cross accomplished so much more than forgiveness of my sin and a place in Heaven (though even that was more than I deserved). Christ was not a tragic figure on the stage of human history, but God-made-flesh on a rescue mission. His death and resurrection was a battle fought and won to reconcile me to God.

When He who had no sin bore my sin on the cross, His righteousness and his sonship was credited to me. Forever. Unconditionally. Irrevocably. In Christ, I am more than a flawed individual granted forgiveness. I am a beloved child of God.

So I follow not a distant, detached God, who frowns over my failure to perfectly obey His rules, but a heavenly Father who knows me, loves me, and tenderly leads me along the paths that are best for me. Following after Him is not a matter of slavishly striving in vain to adhere to a list of commands, but submitting to the authority of a wise and loving Father.


"But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of the Son into our hearts, the Spirit calls out, 'Abba, Father.' So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir." -Galatians 4:4-7


Romans 8:14-17, Colossians 1:12-14