We have an Advocate, One who not only pleads our case before the great Judge, but One who also consoles us. And we often find ourselves in need of this merciful Defender. At any point we are susceptible to the wanderings and failings of our earthly nature. To the honest man, sin comes far too easily. To the proud man, it is non-existent. And to the guilt-laden one, it is always present - like a morning fog. With some, sin remains in the forefront, a gray reminder of our failing. With some, it is artfully hidden, covered by a feigned life. Yet, all of us need this Advocate our Lawyer.

John, the aging apostle, wrote,

My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.

Sin easily entangles; it weaves that tangled web around our freedom. And at any point we are vulnerable to its attack, though never at its mercy. At any point we may sin. But may we not. But if we do, we have an Advocate - regardless of the manner or timing of our failings.

Now this Advocate appears available to us based not on what we do, but as simply being one of those blessings that God has given us in Christ - a spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3). We have Him already simply by being a Christian. He is there for us, interceding. Yes, we may, at any point, approach Him, boldly with freedom and confidence (Ephesians 3:12, Hebrews 4:16) to receive what is needed. But we need not hire or beg for or employ this Advocate. He is there already and always.

You could say, we have a Lawyer on retainer - yet without the cost to us of such a luxury. You may have heard the words, “I’m going to call my lawyer!” from a person faced with a threat against their well-being. We can do the same. When we stand accused, our identity threatened by the voice of our enemy and the awareness of our failings, we simply need to state, “I’m going to call [upon] my Lawyer!” For Jesus is always there for us as our Advocate, our Defense, yes, our Lawyer.

If we swerve, if get off course, we have an Advocate. If we stumble, if we taste of the filth of this world, we have an Advocate. Fear not child, for I am with you. I am your God. I will help and strengthen you. What a blessing that is indeed. What a God we serve Who would deliver us from all our afflictions; not only the ones thrown upon us, but also as well, the ones we heap upon our own selves.

What a faithful and merciful high priest.

And how comforting to know that even if our children, our flesh and blood, swerve from the truth, walk in unrighteousness, forget who they are, and live in the lie that has been whispered to them, that they too have an Advocate. Even now, Jesus Christ lawyers for them. How much He must love us that He would plead our case before our Father.

When someone is apprehended under suspicion of a crime, they may exercise their legal right for representation and refuse to answer to the charges brought against them; they "Lawyer up". Today, or any day, if you stand accused by a crime or by an imagination, it matters not, call upon your Lawyer. And know this, even when words fail you, you are still being defended, for you have an Advocate.