The bible does not have good examples of earthly fathers. Abraham sent away his son because of his wife, Isaac favored Esau, Jacob favored Joseph. David, Eli, and Samuel refused to discipline their boys.

As a result we have nations birthed out of an orphan spirit. Jacob has 12 sons. He clearly favors Joseph above the other. His other 11 sons develop an orphan spirit. We all want the love of a Father. We all desire the acceptance and approval of our father and when it is not available we vie for it in different ways. This orphan spirit in Joseph’s brothers causes them to seriously consider murdering their brother. When Reuben talks them out of it (his motive was to return Joseph to win his father’s approval) they sell their brother into slavery. All of this because they wanted the father’s love, they didn’t feel loved by their father.

Some of us may have grown up with an earthly father who was distant or abusive or absent. We have a longing in our heart to be loved, to be accepted, to be protected. We search for this in various ways. Working too much, giving ourselves away, drugs, alcohol, porn. We desire the love of our fathers.

But here is the good news. You are loved, accepted, protected by your Heavenly Father. He is never distant. He is Emanuel, God with us. His eyes are on you. We are all His favorite, He disciplines us in love, He will never send us away. Your Father loves you. He loves you. He loves you. Meditate on this one fact. You are loved, cherished, accepted, favored by your Heavenly Father.

But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him. (‭Genesis‬ ‭37‬:‭4‬ NLT)