THE ADVOCATE

This morning, I am deeply moved by the thought that JESUS CHRIST IS OUR ADVOCATE.

As I worked in my devotion time from Isaiah 53:6, "We all have wandered away like sheep, each of us has gone his own way. But the Lord has put on him the punishment for all the evil we have done" [NCV], I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the idea that in all of my "wanderings," Christ was/is/will be there--begging God for me.

The entire idea of ADVOCACY came to my mind and spirit. Christ, our advocate.

First, I looked up its definition:

What is Advocacy? Dictionary.com defines it this way: "the act of pleading for, supporting, or recommending; active espousal."

Yes, He did that for me, continues to do that for me.

How do we know?

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." --I John 2:1 [KJV]

When I mess up, still, TODAY, tomorrow, He is there for me, the very One who paid a massive price for me, making intercession for me.

Ultimately, this ADVOCATE is also the One who paid a GREAT PRICE for me.

Shouldn't that have been enough? If it were me, or maybe even you, mightn't we be tempted to say, "Look, I paid the ultimate price for you. Isn't that enough?! That's all I had in me. You're on your own!" But, no, this Savior of ours, this Christ, CONTINUES to pay a price for us, continues to be an advocate for us!

I think, too, of Moses. He paid a great price--though not with his life--for the freedom of God's people. But once he freed them, they started griping. Instead of letting that experience make them incredibly more powerful children of the Most High God, it provoked them to become people of doubt, frustration, immaturity. And instead of leaving them all on their own in the desert, Moses pleaded with God not to smite them all. Why did he do that?!? You and I might have left them all to fend for themselves--ungrateful wretches...

Of course it's easy to forget that that's exactly where we ALL find ourselves today. Many times, by our actions, we might be described as "ungrateful wretches." Yet He continues to LOVE US, he continues to go to GOD on our behalf.

Hmm...

I don't know WHY He continues to have such love for us, such eternal patience, but this "wretch" is utterly and profoundly grateful for THE ADVOCATE.