He has so many resources and so much power that people come to him for help from all over the world. To keep his location confidential, all I will say that he lives in the most wonderful town you can imagine. It is so amazing that most people would give everything they have to live there too. Beautiful scenery, amazing weather with a sort of peace and excitement that fills the air at the same time. It is a peaceful, well guarded and gated community that is actually more like a great big family. There are restrictions though and not everyone can live there. The community managers are very particular about who moves in and they have a clear screening process. Sadly, I have to admit, I have never actually seen it but he has often described it to me with a proud smile on his face.
Through all the requests for help and the many conversations he has had with so many people, some treasured relationships have developed. He is the most powerful and successful defense attorney the world has ever seen. He has been brought in to represent world leaders, presidents and the wealthiest of the wealthy. His credentials are flawless, and I think, his character sets a standard that can never be equalled. Because of his integrity he regularly takes on the cases of those who cannot afford the same representation as some of his wealthy clients. He has a passion for those who are beaten down, poor, taken advantage of, or mistreated. When such people come to court, those who witness the case say he defends them with no less skill or effort than he does those of high calling. In fact, I have heard it said that he treats those cases with even more enthusiasm and passion than most.
Once he got called to a meeting from an authority who is about as high as one can get. During that meeting he was asked by that person to take on such a case as has never before been deliberated. My friend said the authority was convinced he was the only one who could handle it. He told me it was going to take years to prepare for it. He said there were so many little things that had a bearing on the outcome that his research would be the most difficult he had ever taken on. I wondered why in the world he would want to take this on. He had everything any of us could ever want, so why bother? He certainly didn't need to do this, I just didn't get it. Then he told me that the case was against a large group of people who could not afford the kind of attorney they needed. Things looked very bad for this group of people. They were accused as a group, would be in court as a group but the way this was set up was that he would have to plead the case for each one as an indivudual. It had to be done that way because while each of them were charged with breaking the same law, their individual crimes were of different levels.
I had no idea how he was ever going to do this, let alone survive all the hard work and research not to mention the time this was going to take.
He told me I wasn't going to hear from him for a while because he would be traveling doing his research. Those charged were not from one area making it necessary that he travel and live out of his suitcase for quite some time. He told me we would get together once again when the trial was over and he got settled back home.
We have yet to get together but I have gotten updates along the way. He left his home some time ago and has lived in the many places of those accused. He had the chance to meet their friends and people who could tell him about them so he could collect good background information. He was hoping to find out what each of these persons lives were like and maybe understand how they lived so he could represent them better. He was happy about the way things went most of the time. He did say there was one really bad thing he had to deal with. When some of the officials he counted on backing him when he went to trial heard his plan, they more or less wanted no part of him. He did say he was pleased that his closest friends have hung in there with him even though he admitted his plan seemed a little crazy. He added that he had an uneasy feeling that even they would back away from him when things got tough.
Years went by and his research and preparation piled up. As the time passed our conversations got a bit strained. It was like there was something he was hiding from me. I tried to get information from him but he acted as if he really didn't know what I meant. It was really weird. I hoped I hadn't done something to ruin our friendship.
Weeks passed and as the trial date neared I just wasn't myself. I don't know if there was something wrong with me, or if I was just too stressed about life or if I was concerned about my friend. Life just got strange.
It seemed like life was running at hyper speed and as I thought back, it all seemed like a blur. All the sudden it all came crashing to a stop. Before I knew it I discovered I was one of those people he was defending. I was shocked. I was going through life doing my thing when all the sudden I found myself in the court room with a bunch of other people.
One by one we were called before the judge and our crimes were read for all to hear. My friend pleaded with the judge on my behalf as he did for those who came before and after me. He talked about all the external circumstances that caused me to live as I did. He offered a list of all the good things I had done hoping to balance out all the bad. It was horrible, the list was incredibly lopsided. As I heard the debate and the charges, my heart sank and I felt doomed.
The judge paused and found me guilty. After hearing the case against me, I had to agree. All I could do was hope for mercy and a light sentence. The sentence came back, death! I bowed my head and began to cry. I sobbed and choked on each and every breath. I felt as if the courtroom disappeared and I sat there lost with only the cold bitter feeling of the death which was to come. I have never felt such hopelessness and despair. I wished I had kept all those promises I made about how my life would change. I had run out of time. I wished I could go back and make things right but that was impossible.
The court guards came forward and took me by the elbows. As we turned to walk from the courtroom, my friend the attorney jumped up and asked the judge if he could have one final word. The judge said. "go ahead, but make it brief." My friend told the judge all about me. He talked about all that he saw in me. He talked about how much he loved me, even in the midst of my crimes. The judge seemed to understand but said the law was on the books and that was how it had to be. He seemed compassionate but firm. My friend then softly spoke, "I will take my friends punishment for him, I would rather suffer and die so that he would not have to." He went on to say, "This man means so very much to me and I love him that much."
I have never felt such love. My throat became sore from holding back the gasps for air as I sobbed even harder than before. Tears rushed from my eyes, over my cheeks onto the floor, as the water from a lake high in the hills rushes over its banks, down over a cliff falling far to the darkness below. My knees grew weak and I collapsed to the floor in a heap of noodle-like arms and legs. Every ounce of energy and strength I have ever had was gone. On one hand, I now understood helplessness while on the other hand I now understood what real love is. My friend, who pleaded on my behalf, showed me love in a way I would have never understood. My friend did everything he could do to save me. He pleaded on my behalf with everything he had. Determined to save me, he took my crimes upon himself, he took the punishment, the beatings, betrayals and mockery meant for me. If that was not enough, he took the penalty issued for me. He took my death penalty and died a horrible underserved death so that I might live with him in that great gated community I told you about earlier. I know now that they didn't inject him or electrocute him, they pounded nails thorough his wrists and feet and into a wooden cross. They stood him up and mocked him. He got all that was meant for me. Oh my God, what had I done. Then as his life neared it's end, he cried out to the judge, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do."
Yes, he took my punishment and the price of death for my crimes was paid. He was taken down and buried and three days later his friends went to where he was buried to find he was gone. Later, he showed himself to those who were closest to him and many others. He showed us that, just as he promised, he would defeat death so that not only would the price be paid for our crimes but he would rise from the dead so that we too would share eternal life with him.
My friend certainly has interceded for mighty and powerful people but he has also interceded for lowly people such as me and he has not lost a case that he has ever defended.
By the way, in case any of you are ever in need of someone to intercede for you, "for all have fallen short of the Glory of God," the name of my friend is Jesus Christ. He is much, much more than my friend. He is my Savior. Happy Easter.