But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 1 John 2:1b (NIV)
Many of us in legal practice are in the representation business.
It is truly inspiring to know that the principle of advocacy lies deep in the purposes of God for salvation and the life of his people.
You know the old joke - ‘yes, there are lawyers in Heaven, but only one is practising. He’s in the defence business. He’s good. He’s never lost a case’.
Who would not want this advocate on their side?
‘Parakletos’ is one of John’s great biblical words, a word with a distinctive legal background.
In his epistle it is best translated ‘advocate’ - someone who gets alongside us, pleads our case, speaks up in our defence, gets us through.
Jesus does that for the believer.
He is our ultimate role model, our pattern, our inspiration in any advocacy.
But in John’s gospel the same word is also used of the Holy Spirit.
Here He is the constant, light-giving, truth-revealing, strengthening and enabling presence of Jesus with us. He lives in us, helping us moment by moment. He helps us become Christ-like in our work and relationships, courageous in our witness.
What wonderful, dual, unceasing, advocacy on our behalf!
Christ is our advocate with the Father; the Holy Spirit makes real - every day - Jesus' promise to be ‘with us’ always.
Prayer
Lord, thank you that, in Jesus, we have, representing us, the supreme advocate, who has dealt with our past, secures our present and guarantees our future. Give us unshakeable confidence that we have the best!
Thank you too that we may rely on the daily filling of your Spirit - the Spirit of truth, comfort, wisdom and courage, as we seek to draw alongside others and to reflect you in the daily pressures and challenges of our legal work.
To your glory.
