I would like to welcome everyone to the first of many installments of A Father’s Shadow. This idea was thought up as every Sunday morning, I am at my church bright and early setting everything up, but of course my little boy who is 3 years old, always likes to follow me wherever I go. Many times I find myself turning around and tripping over him because he is directly right behind me. As much as I love him, it can become annoying at times, but it only makes me think about how we are the same way with God. We do not recognize how much we are like our Father in heaven, but at the same time it can seem daunting. After all, we are made in His likeness and image (Gen. 1:26-27).

I do want to highlight this fact: as much as this world tries to deny Him, we all follow in His footsteps. We create as He created everything on this earth (Gen. 1). We love others as He loves us. We are so much like Him that it is absurd that we can even grow to deny Him as the creator of the heavens and the earth as well as our Heavenly Father. In the same light, there is no doubt that my 3 year old boy follows in my footsteps. Even after all the mistakes that I have made in my life, he still longs to be just like me.

Why A Father’s Shadow? Because no matter how many times we try to hide, there is always someone like our kids right behind us following our every move. This will only highlight our imperfections and allow us to see who not only who we really are, but it will also move us to become someone better and someone who can actually guide these little ones in the right direction. It is our responsibility as parents, especially as fathers, to shape and mold these children in the way that they are to go (Proverbs. 22:6). This is even true for the spiritual fathers within the church.

I pray that you continue on this journey with me as we deal with matters of being, not just a father, but as a parent who wants to raise up a child who fears God.