As fathers, we are called to lean on Him, learn from Him, and love like Him, so that our children might catch a small but meaningful glimpse of the Father we all need.
The joy of the Lord is our strength because it is rooted in Him, not in us. It’s rooted in His character, His promises, His saving work, His fatherly care, and His unchanging disposition toward His people in Christ.
When Christ died on the cross, He bore the curse required for our disobedience (cf. Deut. 21:23) so that through faith in Him we can receive the blessings merited by His obedience (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21). It’s for that reason that the Law of Moses was never intended to be a means of justification. But that’s not to say that Mosaic Law was inherently bad. On the contrary, the Law is good—if one uses it lawfully (cf. 1 Tim. 1:8).