Friends- Part Eight

Friends defend friends! My year-younger brother, Dennis, is a dear friend. He and I still speak for a few minutes nearly every morning. One expression of Dennis’ defense of his older brother occurred when we were in elementary school. Roger, a slightly older and of more combative temperament, decided to pummel me for a reason I forgot a long time ago. I was not much of a fighter, physically, at least, and was soon losing the quarrel rather badly. Dennis, the better athlete and apt at combative arts, stepped into the fray in my defense. A few well-placed hits, and Roger retired from the fray!

While walking this morning I mused on the second stanza of a Gospel song, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Life experience informs us of our frailty, imperfections, and sheer foolishness. The Holy Spirit and Word lead us to honestly confront our sin and accept personal responsibility for our own decisions, behavior and attitude. We learn that we need an advocate, someone to represent us. Jesus, friend of sinners and defender, is the One who presents our case.

“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:1-3)

The Authorized Version says, “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

If we represented ourselves, we would lose every case. When we allow Jesus, our defender-friend, to represents us, He wins every appeal!