God Never Walks Away

We all have that one person who has always been there for us. No matter what we did, or what he or she did, we were inseparable. Then one day, something changed. Suddenly we no longer spoke. We no longer had the person by our side. We grieve the loss mostly because we can’t understand what happened. If only we had someone that would never walk away.

We do have someone. We have God. Saint Paul teaches us that nothing can separate us from the love of God, nothing. It doesn’t matter what we do. It doesn’t matter how many times we forget to talk to Him. It doesn’t matter that we make mistakes. God never walks away.

Brethren, we know that everything works for good with those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.  For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren.  And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to this?  If God is for us, who is against us?  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him?  Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?  It is God who justifies; who is to condemn?  It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  As it is written, “For thy sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8.28-39

Church history is filled with stories of holy men and women that once walked away from God, only to return fully restored by Him. There are also stories of those who never left Him but suffered at the hands of the enemy. In either case, God never walked away.

There are times in our life when we feel alone or without direction. In just those moments the words of Saint Paul can ‘shock us back to reality’ and comfort us. We may have lost our best friend from our childhood, but we still have God.

I pray that no matter when the feeling of being alone comes, because it will come sooner or later, that somewhere deep inside you remember that God is still there. Maybe the title of today’s blog drew some glimmer of hope in your heart.

Maybe you are reading this blog for the first time because you feel alone. Let me be the one to assure you. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. God never walks away. Find an Orthodox Church and stop by to light a candle and sit with God. His presence is waiting for you in the Church.

Just because we try to walk away from God sometimes, like the Prodigal Son, doesn’t mean we can’t walk back to Him. We can always walk back to Him. Don’t ever feel He won’t welcome you back. Don’t ever feel you are ‘too far gone’ to find Him again. He never left. He is right with you, right now.