God’s Love, Part 1

Genesis 37: 1-4

“Jacob settled in the land where his father had lived as an alien, the land of Canaan. 2 These are the descendants of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a helper to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives, and Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children because he was the son of his old age, and he made him an ornamented robe. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.”

Jacob did not learn from his parents mistakes.  Isaac’s favorite child had been Esau.  Rebekah’s favorite had been Jacob.  This caused a terrible rift to exist between the two sons.  And Jacob committed the same error with his children.

Jacob loved Joseph more than his other children and gave him gifts that displayed this favoritism before them.  As a result, they hated Joseph and could not speak to him without contempt.

Human love is flawed.  I am sure that Jacob loved his other children.  But the son that he had conceived and raised in his old age, his last child, had a special place in his heart, and he could not hide that fact.

Divine love is perfect.  God loves all of His children, and gives them all the same kind of love…

 a love that is sacrificial, unfailing, and never ending.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)