Thoughts for the Day

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments. Whoever says, ‘I have come to know him’, but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says, ‘I abide in him’, ought to walk just as he walked.

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

In the Armed Forces when someone allegedly commits an offence, whether this is a serious misdemenour like going absent without leave or falling asleep while on guard duty, a Cour Martial is held. Since 2006 and 2009 many rules have changed, and such a procedure is now tri-service, ie the same for the Navy, the Army and the Air Force. In the past it was sometimes enough for a Commanding Officer to simply nominate a subordinate officer with no legal experience to act as an Advocate for a prisoner. Now all such personnel are trained legal experts. The most senior is the Judge Advocate General who is appointed by the Queen. He is not responsible to anyone, unless it be to the Queen. However, unfortunately despite the grand historic title he does not act as an Advovate, unless we can say he supports prisoners by ensuring the system works effectively!

The writer of the First Epistle of John uses the image of an Advocate to talk about the work of Jesus. When we sin, he says, we are brought before the highest court - before God, in other words. But we are not alone because we have an Advocate who has lived as a human being, who has seen the trials and tribulatiions of those around him, and who has himself been tempted. Alongside us stands the most experienced of Advocates, in the form of Jesus Christ, and he has already paid the penalty for our sin through his death! Be assured that our true confession will be forgiven, and we can have no better Advocate than God's Son.

Lord Jesus Christ,
may we repent of our sin:
those little weaknesses that we ignore;
the pride and wilfulness;
the deliberate sins;
the times we forget others;
and our selfishness and self-centredness.
As our Advocate we ask Your help
to see ourselves as You see us,
so that we may start afresh once more
and make the changes needed.
Amen.