I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Friday morning, the 22nd of December, 2023, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We go to Proverbs 18:24:

"A man who has friends [a]must himself be friendly,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

As I send this message to you, it is still very dark outside. I'm about to leave to visit an old friend who lives about an hour-and-a-half drive away from here. I'm talking about Simeon Bhengu, the man that started farming with me over 40 years ago! 

Quite a few years ago, he decided to move to be closer to his extended family; I'm so excited to see him again. He's expecting me, and we will sit down and talk about things we have been through together. About the fires on the farm that we fought, about the droughts that we went through together - The floods that just about washed the farm away and about personal tragedies in our lives where we lost family members. Friendships are built over many, many years. They are built through trust, love and hardship. They are very precious. Please do not neglect old friendships. This is the time of the year to pick up that phone and speak to your friend - Just say: "I just wanted to tell you I love you, and I appreciate you." 

I'll tell you one little story about Simeon. He looked after the farm for me when I was away on a campaign, preaching the gospel. I came back expecting to find the tractors planting the maize crop, but nothing was happening in the shed. The tractors were standing still, silent. Dust was blowing across the field, and there was no rain. He came into the office early in the morning, like you always did before the staff arrived, and I was very bleak. I said: "Simeon, where's the rain?" He said, "It's coming." I said, "But Simeon, all I see out there is just dust." He said, "You've just come back from a campaign..." I said, "Yes, we had an amazing time. We saw people give their lives to Jesus, broken hearts mended, marriages restored, and healings taking place..." He stopped me in my tracks, "So you had faith to go and pray for all those people in the campaign but you don't have faith to trust God for the rain?" I repented in front of him straight away and said, "Simeon, you are so right. Get the tractors out, get the planters hitched up, let's go. Let's plant the crop!" We planted, literally, in the dust. The rain did come, and we had an excellent crop.

Spend time with your friend today; by the way, His Name is Jesus Christ. He's the friend that sticks closer than any brother. Have a good chat with Him today; He wants to hear from you. 

Jesus bless you and goodbye.