From the Pastors Desk

Forgetting God

From the Pastors Desk - August 03, 2026

My friend, is it possible to forget about God in one’s life? I believe most of us would agree that it is possible. In fact, many people do. Some do it out of total disbelief. Some out of anger and indifference. Some just drift away.

Many of you are aware that I graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary. Asbury is a United Methodist Seminary. I was not a United Methodist but chose Asbury because I knew I would receive a sound education and the cost of living in Kentucky was cheaper.

It was at Asbury I first learned about John and Charles Wesley and their impact. John Wesley, like many before and after, was convinced that God enables us to grow in grace through the power of the Holy Spirit. Wesley believed that the Holy Spirit chooses to work through certain Christian practices which Wesly called, “means of grace.”

What are the means of grace? For Wesley, they included “prayer” (both written and extemporaneous), “searching the scriptures”, “the Lord’s Supper”, “fasting” and “Christian Conference” (which would involve spiritual conversation and fellowship). These, he believed, were instituted by Christ. There were other means of grace which also included “acts of mercy” one would offer to a neighbor.

Friends, if we look at our faith in God in terms of a personal relationship, we can see why God might choose to work in some of these means of grace. To have a relationship you and I must be in some contact with another person. The same is true of God. We need a real sense of God’s presence, of God’s character, past activity and future promises.

John Wesley believed that we know God through faith, and that faith was itself a gift of the Holy Spirit. Wesley also knew how hard it is to keep a lively faith due to the many things in life that distract us from God. This Wesley called “dissipation”—-our being pulled away from God by our work, recreation, responsibilities and entertainment, whether good or bad. We simply go through life forgetting God who then seems increasingly remote and distant.

Ask yourself, what is needed in your life and mine to keep our relationship with God real, fresh and growing? Do we need diligence, discipline and determination as part of our Christian faith? What happens if we don’t? I believe you and I head down the road toward forgetting God.

Wesley and his early followers became known as “Methodists” because of their methodical study and worship practices. They sought to keep their faith lively through methodical practices to counter the danger of dissipation. It consisted of three primary rules: ‘do no harm”, “do good to the bodies and souls of people”, and “attend to the ordinances of God”. (That is, instituted means of grace).

Friend, I don’t know about you, but what I do know about me is when I am not as disciplined or determined in my effort to stay close to God, I drift. God does not seem as real or as relevant. My spiritual life and my relationship with God suffers as I am prone to forgetting God.

Moses, as he tried to prepare the people of Israel before they entered the Promised Land, gave sound advice. “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live,” Deuteronomy 4:9.

I heard 13 people enjoyed a wonderful Lunch Away at the Desert Inn. Sounds like a great new activity we should put on our calendars. Any suggestions of where to go in August?- Eli