I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Wednesday morning, the 30th of April, 2025, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

We go to the Gospel of Luke 5:16:

“So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.”

Who am I talking about here? I am talking about the Son of God, I am talking about Jesus Christ, I am talking about Immanuel - God with us. Now, if He had to do that, how much more should you and I be doing that? He did it often, not now and again. 

Oh my dear friend, I think this message is aimed more at me than it is at you! Contemplation - when you contemplate something. I looked up the Oxford Dictionary to find out the literal meaning of the word, “contemplate”. It means to look at thoughtfully, to think about, to think deeply and at length. It says that to contemplate is to look at, gaze at, stare at, view, regard, examine, inspect, observe, (are you getting the story?) survey, study. He contemplated. We need to ponder, you and I, how many times are we taking time out to think about the way forward? We don’t, do we? We just go for it, we wing it. It is one of my favourite things and I hate myself for it. There is no time left in the world to wing it. We need to concentrate on something called time management. Remember Jesus was never late, He was never early, He was always spot on time. 

We think about Lazarus, His friend in the grave. “Lord, if You had come, my brother would have lived,” but the Lord commanded him to be raised from the dead. You know, it is first the mountain, and then the ministry, or your work or whatever else. If you don’t spend time up the mountain, not a literal mountain, but time in the morning, praying, reading the word of God, and contemplating about what you are going to do that day, you will make some very poor decisions. Now, let us start to think.

I remember, very clearly, sitting at the banks of the mighty Zambezi River, which separates Zambia from Zimbabwe, about to go across that river on a pontoon with that 20-ton Mercedes Benz truck for six weeks, leaving my young wife and children back on the farm. I was contemplating things very seriously, crying out to God to protect my family and He did. We need to hear from God first before we make any decisions. 

Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day,
Goodbye.