Always on My Mind - The Wesleyan Church

I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. (Phil. 1:4–5)

Willie Nelson’s voice is inseparable from a song recorded over 300 times. His version of “Always on My Mind” won him a Grammy Award in 1982, ten years and multiple renditions after Brenda Lee’s and Elvis’s recordings in 1972. The song still resonates with us. Loretta Lynn released her version in 2016, and dozens of others will likely follow. Usually, a song with cultural stickiness reflects on a great cause, shared heritage, or, like this song, a key aspect of the human condition.

Can you relate to this lyric’s premise, whether thinking about a spouse, friend, kids, or grandkids? For several years, writing projects have taken me to various countries and states, averaging around 200,000 air miles annually. However, in a sense my family is always with me, always on my mind—and usually only a nightly FaceTime away.

In the first chapter of Philippians, we find Paul longing to be with the church at Philippi he founded during his second missionary journey. A family of sorts. He envisioned FaceTime. Rather than connecting via Wi-Fi from a hotel, he was imprisoned—though it’s not clear where. And this longing was constant, “always,” and “from the first day until now.” The “joy” seemed to reflect deep times of ministry—including times of conversion and mentoring. Our deepest friends are often those from times of intense ministries—eternal partnerships.

Pray for ministry partners past and present.

Jerry Pattengale is a professor at Indiana Wesleyan University and the codirector and cofounder of the Lumen Research Institute. He has authored and edited over forty books including Faith Made Real (WPH).