"Because you have abandoned the Lord, He has abandoned you." Zechariah's words, quoted in the Second Book of Chronicles, raise important questions about our relationship with God. Does God abandon anyone? If someone abandons God, does God abandon that person in retaliation or in punishment?

Many passages in Scripture assure us that God will never abandon us (Deut 31:8-6; Heb 13:5). Jesus will not leave us orphans (Jn 14:18). These passages are usually accompanied by an exhortation to courage and an assertion that God is always present with us. Yet here we have Zechariah, a prophet, clearly asserting that God has abandoned Israel. Looking at the history of Israel we see a pattern: Israel sins, God punishes, Israel repents.

Perhaps Isaiah points the way to a good understanding of the answer to our questions: "I did abandon you for a little while but with great love I will take you back. In excess of anger, for a moment I hid my face from you. But with everlasting love, I have taken pity on you" (Isaiah 54:7). Saint Peter encourages us in words which read like a reflection on Isaiah's statement: Think of the Lord's patience as your opportunity to be saved.