Advocate

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

-1 John 2

             In the past two weeks Fritzi has had her first real health concerns in nearly two years. At 93 years old, she is doing pretty well! Two weeks ago tonight she had a mild heart attack along with her Afib which is causing her heart to race and for her to be short of breath. She also had double 

pneumonia and began to aspirate her food meaning some of what she eats is going into her lungs. Long story short she has a hard road ahead of her. This past week Fritzi sprained her wrist badly and then also had a very emotionally upsetting experience at rehab. She has been through the ringer and recovery will be a hard fight, but she is still ready to fight!

         Over this time and through the sleepless days I have seen what it means to be an advocate. This is really the first time since becoming her POA where I have had to advocate for her physical, emotional, and spiritual health on nearly a daily basis. I am eternally grateful for the amazing nurses and aides at Lewis Gale and Warm Hearth whom I know and can trust with her care. But there are still so many decisions to be made and so much to keep in order, there is simply no way she could be doing all this for herself at 93! I am also so thankful for her home care aides who have stepped up and helped pitch in however possible... these people are angels in my life. 

       I don`t write this to vent about how emotionally and physically draining the past few weeks have been but rather to share this incredible picture worthy of awe in what it means to be an advocate. I have heard many times in my life that Jesus Christ is my advocate and known of scripture that calls him just that. But I had yet to see a clear picture of what that means in my life. 

And if you put together verses 1 and 2, surely the answer is that Christ is our attorney and his portfolio is his propitiation. He stands before his Father in heaven, and every time we sin, he doesn't make a new propitiation. He doesn't die again and again. Instead he opens his portfolio and lays the exhibits of Good Friday on the bench before the Judge. Photographs of the crown of thorns, the lashing, the mocking soldiers, the agonies of the cross, and the final cry of victory: It is finished.

The advocacy of Christ and the propitiation of Christ are part of one saving work, because the portfolio of Christ the advocate is Christ the propitiator. What he pleads on our behalf in heaven is the ongoing effects of his own death.

-John Piper

          On a daily basis, whether I ask or even realize it myself, Christ is advocating for me. He is defending my selfish and ungrateful heart before the throne of God. It is does depend on what I do or do not do. It does not depend on how good I am or how bad I am. It depends solely on the sacrifice of Christ that I trust to be sufficient in all things to forgive and justify. 

Celebrating National Donut Day in the ER

         When Fritzi thanks me and tells my I am her Engel (Angel in German) I have this amazing picture of how Christ is doing this for me, always. I am so thankful that I have an advocate who stands and speaks on my behalf though I am poor and broken and undeserving.