Enjoying the warm sunshine, I sat poolside enjoying my latest read as I couldn’t help but listen in to the interactions of the nearby family.

Approaching lunchtime mother announced that she was going to get some lunch for them. As mom started to leave her small daughter began to cry, “Don’t leave!” As a good mother who’s heard this before, she comforted her little girl, “Mommy always comes back.” The muffled sobs continued and so did mom.

The concerned mother repeated these same words ever so slowing and more intently, “MOMMY ALWAYS COMES BACK!”

The tears ceased as the import of her mother’s words sank in. Mom is merely going away temporarily. Although there may be some time alone. Mom ALWAYS comes back.

The fear of separation and abandonment will now be put on “hold” with the reaffirmation that mom’s love and presence will indeed be there, if not in sight.

How much are we like this small fearful child when, at times we may feel isolated….isolated from each other and isolated from God?

We are communal creatures meant for interaction, communication, and love with each other and with our creator. And when this Presence is threatened we may feel abandoned, lonely, and frightened.

We may even feel terrified that this loneliness is a permanent situation. But that is not the case.

We have reassurances through the years from those that have gone before us. From the Old Testament, the ancient psalm 73 reminds us, “Yet I am always with you….” And in the New Testament, Matthew, chapter 28, Jesus instructs his disciples, “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” God will be there for us!

We know intellectually that God is our loving Father caring for His precious children but sometimes, like this small toddler at the pool, we panic forgetting what we have learned in the past.

So let’s use this affirmation to comfort and encourage ourselves throughout our days, “GOD ALWAYS COMES BACK”, no matter what the situation. And in reality He never really left us!!