In verse 5 the Lord says that He is our advocate with the Father, but what does that really mean? An advocate is someone who pleads on someone else's behalf. I love this visual, but I think it is important that we don't think of our Savior as standing between us and the big bad father. That is not the case at all. Rather he is working with the Father to shield us from the effects of justice, by taking the effects of justice upon Himself. In that way he really is like the hen gathering and protecting her chicks!