Free to Follow

Bondage comes in many flavors. It entangles us, keeping us from freely following Christ. In this passage, Paul is referring to the bondage of legalism. This particular bondage draws us away from God toward our idealized practices of behavior. We begin to depend on our activities and habits instead of the Holy Spirit. This can happen even when we have clearly heard from God concerning something we should do.

Oftentimes, we begin to lean on that specific instance where we felt a strong leading from God. We can build a whole lifestyle around something we are sure God led us to do, drawing us away from following God’s leading in our lives.

Jesus walked in freedom, traveling from place to place hearing and following the voice of His Father. When God told him to go to Capernaum, He went, but did not assume that was where he would stay for years and years. He stayed close to the Father, leaning into Him and hearing from Him daily so he would know where and when to go next.

Paul walked in the Spirit similarly. At one point, he planned to go to Asia, but felt the Spirit hindering him from heading that direction. Later, he was given instructions to go to Asia. He listened to the Lord and followed Him daily.

We cannot assume God’s directives from yesterday will remain the same for us always. God may lead us to a different place, to head a different direction, or to do something new, pursuing a path we would never have expected or believed.

Stay close to the Lord and listen for His voice. Don’t depend on yesterday’s manna. He has new manna for today if you will only follow His lead.

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. John 10:3