Always On His Mind

• Brenda Lee's version had stalled at #45 on the country charts in 1972.

• Elvis Presley first made "Always on My Mind" famous, reaching number 16 on Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles chart in early 1973.

• The song was also recorded by Willie Nelson. Released in the spring of 1982, the song raced to number one on Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles chart that May, spending two weeks atop the chart. The song also did very well on Top 40 radio, peaking at number five on Billboard's Hot 100 chart.

In this song (Willie Nelson) looks back on a relationship that had turned sour due to his negligence. He tells how he wished he had done some things differently, but he says over and over again, “YOU WERE ALWAYS ON MY MIND.”

Many can relate to that song.

Illus: Dr. Odell Belger went to see a man who loved his wife dearly and was devastated when he discovered it was a one-way relationship.

She later left him. His love for her was so strong that for the next decade he set aside a bedroom to buy her expensive gifts at Christmas. He had them beautifully wrapped so if she came back to him she would be able to open them and enjoy them.

He told Dr. Belger that the first thing he thinks of in the morning is this woman, and she is the last thing he thinks of before he goes to sleep. He then said, I cannot stand the thought of her loving some other man.”

The reason I mention this song and this incident is because it is the perfect picture of how things are with God.

God is madly in love with mankind, but it is obvious that mankind is not in love with Him. But the truth is that WE ARE ALWAYS ON HIS MIND. WE ALWAYS HAVE BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE!

We can see this by observing what God has done and is doing.

(1) GOD HAD MAN ON HIS MIND IN CREATION

Look at Genesis 1:26-28. We read, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have DOMINION over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and OVER ALL THE EARTH, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”

Notice, God created man after He created everything else on earth. He wanted to get everything ready for him.

Now some environmentalists would have us believe that God created mankind and all the other creatures of the earth to share earth on an equal basis. But, that view is not scriptural.

Actually, the reason God created the creatures of the earth and the environment was FOR MANKIND.

It seems that when God Created everything He created, WE WERE ON HIS MIND!

(2) GOD HAD MAN ON HIS MIND IN THE SCRIPTURES

The central theme of the Bible is REDEMPTION. From the beginning of the Bible to its end, God speaks of the redemption of mankind.

Many will die and go to a Christ-less eternity, but it will not be because God did not provide a way of escape. It will be because THEY HAVE REJECTED THE GOD of the scriptures Who always had you on His mind.

(3) GOD HAD MAN ON HIS MIND IN CREATING HEAVEN

Look at John 14:2-3. We read, “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

This passage of scripture tells us that the reason God created this wonderful place called Heaven was... “...TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU...”

HEAVEN IS A REAL PLACE.

Let’s take a few minutes and talk about this glorious place called heaven that is prepared for us because we WERE ON HIS MIND.

It is recorded in the Bible that God raised the curtain of heaven and allowed a few men to peek into that glorious place. For example...

I. JACOB HAD A GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN

Because of his sinful activities, he became a FUGITIVE and had to flee for his life.

Alone and discouraged one night under the stars, he was sleeping with a rock under his head for a pillow. This was one of the lowest, if not the lowest point of his life. It was during this time that God gave him a vision of heaven.