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| “How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.” |
| —Psalm 139:17a NLT |
Certain popular songs have become strongly attached to certain recording artists. For example, Willie Nelson has a huge catalog of songs he has recorded over the years. But, the song “You Are Always on My Mind” has certainly become one of the songs that most people think about when they hear Willie’s name.
I confess that I’ve never really been a fan of Willie Nelson’s, even though I number country music among the wide range of musical genres that I enjoy. I prefer the smoother arrangement of this song recorded by Michael Bublé. I like the softer and more tender way that Bublé sings this number.
In case you’re not familiar with the song, written by Johnny Christopher, Mark James, and Wayne Carson, here are the lyrics:
Maybe I didn’t love you
Quite as often as I could have.
And maybe I didn’t treat you
Quite as good as I should have.
If I made you feel second best,
Girl, I'm sorry I was blind.
But you were always on my mind.
You were always on my mind.
Maybe I didn’t hold you
All those lonely, lonely times.
And I guess I never told you.
I’m so happy that you’re mine.
Little things I should have said and done.
I just never took the time.
You were always on my mind.
You were always on my mind.
Tell me.
Tell me that your sweet love hasn’t died.
Give me.
Give me one more chance to keep you satisfied.
I’ll keep you satisfied.
As you read through these lyrics, you quickly recognize that this is a song that attempts to justify a relationship characterized by neglect and regret. The lover admits that he (or she) has not appeared to do or say the things that would build the relationship into one of commitment and ever-growing depth. But, the lover justifies that even though he or she may not have done what’s right, the lover always had the object of his or her love in mind.
It’s really a rather puny concept—justifying bad behavior by good thoughts. It’s sort of based on the cliché “It’s the thought that counts.” But of course, in real life, it is not just the thoughts that count. Rather, it’s the kind of genuine action that proves the depth of one’s love for another.
In spite of these shortcomings, the song does evoke a certain romantic quality that Bublé captures in a far better way than Willie Nelson does—at least in my opinion. I actually like the song, even if, in this instance, I write critically about it. It has a lovely melody and the royalties that Johnny Christopher, Mark James, and Wayne Carson receive for their labors are well-deserved.
In contrast to this, the kind of love that God shows to His children is supercharged with action. God is the giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17). He is the source of all the goodness in our lives. Most of all, He is the One who has redeemed us from the penalty of our sins through the sacrifice of His one and only Son, Jesus. Could he have given us any more indication of the depth of His love for us?
In addition to His mighty acts in our behalf, it is also true that God always has us in the forefront of His mind. He thinks about us with tender mercies and bountiful love. King David captured this very present reality in Psalm 139:17-18 NLT:
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!
As we begin a new day, let’s remember that God always has us in His thoughts. Wouldn’t it be a good idea, in response, if we always had Him in the forefront of our thoughts, as well?
