I am with you always, even to the end of the age. – Matt 28:20
Do not fear, for I am with you…..-Isaiah 41:10
My mother tells a story of many years ago when I was very young. We lived in a small town outside Chicago. She and my aunt decided to they would take their combined brood of 6 children into downtown Chicago. To make this trip we would ride a bus from our small town.
Side note here: I do vaguely remember this trip. I remember hearing the song “Downtown” sung by Petula Clark being played on the bus. Not realizing at the time it was the radio and the song was newly released and very popular at the time, I thought the song was played specifically because we were going ‘downtown’. Oh, the things our minds can tell us 
I digress, back to the story.
Being 1964, (I assume because of the above digression) I was 5 years old, as was one of my cousins – I proudly remind him I am 2 days older than him. He and I got so interested in the window displays we continued walking together along the street and gazing in the various windows, excited as children of that age often are.
Little did we realize we had walked ahead and away from my mother and aunt. At one point we stopped to point something out to them, only to find they were not at our sides!
While we had a short moment of fear, we found out we were not out of our mother’s view. They stayed back to see when we would realize we walked away, but they never let us our their sights; which I am sure was not easy with 4 other children tagging along too.
Sometimes it feels like God is not with us, that He has abandoned us. Because of His Word, I don’t believe that happens.
We let go of His hand, wandering off by ourselves, checking out the world around us. No, He has not left us. He is watching, waiting for us to reach back for His hand. “I am with you..” he has promised.
I do not remember the exact consequence of our wandering off, but I do know there was reminder that we are not to leave mom’s side. Why would they do that? Because of their love for us, to teach us the right way.
Just the same, there are consequences to stepping away from God. “For the Lord disciplines the one He loves”..Heb 12:6. There may be a discipline, but there will never be abandonment.
Are you not feeling God’s presence? Matthew 6:21 reminds us “where your treasure is, there your heart will be.” Turn your heart back to God, reach out to take His hand. He’s waiting.