[1 John Series 4] The Heavenly Courtroomနမူနာ

We will never be alone

In the second chapter of 1 John, the apostle says that in Jesus we have an Advocate. Paraclete, the Greek word from which “advocate” is translated, means one who walks alongside of. It conveys the idea that Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, walks alongside of us for the rest of our lives.

Thanks to the permanent company of the Holy Spirit inside of us, we know that we always have a friend in Jesus. He bore all our sins and griefs. It means that He is right there in the heavenly courtroom to say, “This man, this woman . . . is redeemed because of My blood that was shed over their sin.”

Every one of us has felt loneliness at one time or another. But did you know that 40% of adults in America report feeling lonely most of the time? More and more Americans report that they don’t have one close confidant or friend. Notwithstanding all the social media and all the connection we now enjoy, people are feeling lonely. Single adults? Lonely. Married people? Lonely. Widows and widowers? Lonely. Old and young? Lonely. You can go to the mall and be surrounded by people, but still not have a single friend. We need somebody who cares about us to walk alongside of us. Jesus is your Advocate. He is the only One who never leaves you alone. If today you are feeling lonely, without any friends or anyone who cares if you are still breathing, Heaven is bringing you a message: Jesus is the One who walks alongside you.

When Abraham Lincoln died, in his pocket he had five things. Among them were some worn-out newspaper clippings. One reported on a speech in which the speaker said, “Abraham Lincoln is one of the greatest men of all time.” In the midst of a difficult season, Abraham Lincoln kept a quote in his pocket saying he was one of the greatest men of all time. Maybe he felt encouraged by knowing somebody was on his team.

If you’re a believer in Jesus Christ, in your heart you carry more than an encouraging quote. As we walk in this journey of life and the seasons of loneliness come, we can know that Jesus is right there for us. And not only that, He paid the price and died for us!