SA05 - “I Will Never Abandon You”!

Charlotte's story began long before she could even articulate the pain that would shape her existence. She was just a child when her father was snatched away by a cruel accident, leaving behind a deep fracture in her heart that she struggled to comprehend. In all honesty, the incident occurred well before she had the ability to form words and speak, nevertheless, she knew something profound was wrong. The memories she held onto were like fragments of a dream, fading and elusive, yet they carried the weight of a love she couldn't fully grasp.

As a little girl, she stood by the window, her small form shaded against the fading light, she would wait, her heart echoing with hope that one day, her father would return. But he never did. And with each passing day, the realization of his absence carved deeper into her young soul.

As she grew and eventually married, so did the despair that gnawed at her, coloring her perception of love with a tinge of anxiety. Her husband's frequent business trips became a trigger, stirring up emotions she struggled to contain. Each departure felt like another potential loss, reopening wounds she thought had healed.

In those moments between his kiss goodbye until his eventual return, the specter of loneliness loomed large, suffocating her with its grip. She would cling to the phone, desperate for reassurance, for a connection that could dispel the looming sense of isolation. But the words of comfort offered by her husband were like feeble attempts to suture a wound that refused to close.

The cycle repeated with each journey he embarked upon, a brutal dance of longing and resentment. As soon as he was gone, she would stand at the kitchen counter and wonder when he would come home. When he returned, weary from his travels, he was met not with open arms but with walls built from the bricks of her pain. The anger she harbored, a defense mechanism against the vulnerability of abandonment, pushed him further away.

Her husband, once a source of solace, now became a basis for strife, a reminder of the wounds that refused to heal. And as their relationship spiraled into disagreement, she found herself trapped, unable to find the safety and comfort that once was common in her marriage.

In the archives of ancient Israel's history, a shadow of abandonment loomed large, foretold by Moses himself as he warned of the nation's wayward path and the consequences of rebellion. Imagine the anguish of the faithful, witnessing their people stray from the path laid out by Jehovah, their lives violently veering off course due to the abandonment of those who turned their backs on their Creator. (Deuteronomy. 31:29) Similar trials befell the faithful Christians in the 2nd century that had to endure rampant apostasy as Jesus had foretold concerning the workers of lawlessness in Matthew 7:21-23.

Yet, amidst the darkness of abandonment, there glowed a ray of hope, for these trials were prophesied, allowing the faithful to take heed. Just as Jehovah provided for his people before they entered the Promised Land, so too did he offer guidance and reassurance to those who remained steadfast in their faith. Moses, in his wisdom, passed the mantle to Joshua, preparing him to lead the people forward. And in the early Christian community, Jehovah's promise echoed through the ages: “I will never leave you, and I will never abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5b)

So, what then should we do if we find ourselves, like Charlotte, consumed by the fear of abandonment? The answer lies in trust and obedience to Jehovah's direction. "Enter your inner rooms, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself for a brief moment until the wrath has passed by," instructs Isaiah. (Isaiah 26:20) In these moments of uncertainty, remember the unwavering love of Jehovah, who holds his faithful servants close, shielding them from harm. Like the apostle Paul, let us be convinced that nothing — neither earthly powers nor future uncertainties — can separate us from God's boundless love.