Craig Clouston

 Stick Close Now

April 1

There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

Mason and his men scanned the jungle with practiced eyes. His platoon had come under heavy fire west of Dalat, South Vietnam. They were just twenty clicks north of Ho Chi Minh City. 

Everyone’s safety depended on trusting your life to the man on either side of you. Looking at Sgt. Bowman, Mason gave him a one arm up, hand in front of the face, two fingers pointing to his eyes, then extending them toward the jungle in a flat, arching motion, ending with a closed fist. 

They would hold here until the scout returned. Bowman moved closer to Mason. “Whaddya think, L.T.? Seems too quiet.” 

Bowman barely heard the lieutenant’s reply. “We hold tight for now. Majors’ll be back soon. Stick close now. I want everybody close enough for visuals. No matter what you see or hear—nobody moves until I give the order. Pass it on.”

Majors returned two hours later. The VC had pulled out. There’d been seven of them, and he’d found indentations from the bipods of two fifty-caliber machine guns. 

Mason signaled the men to gather. “Okay, small fires for coffee and beans. Put ’em out and get some rest. Mitchell and Byrnes, you have first watch.”

†

There is a bond of trust in the military that transcends almost all others. To share your life with family brings closeness; to have shared the fight for life and for the freedom of others brings inseparable devotion. 

As close as those bonds are, there is one closer: an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. And the reason it is the closest bond of all is due to His unyielding faithfulness to us. 

Our undying love will, at times, fail us and others. We are well-meaning people, yet fallible. Jesus, however, will never fail us.

His love is unconditional; His mercy freely given; His grace goes as deep as necessary. He is constantly seeking to bring us under His protection. And in Him, we truly find a friend Who does stick closer than a brother.

Prayer

“I am weak, Lord Jesus. And so thankful that You are not. Draw me into the deepest part of Your love and protection. Stick close to me now, Lord. Amen.”