Isaiah 54:6

Isaiah 54:6 says, For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.  Isaiah continues with the analogy of the people of Israel, and in the broader context the church, being the bride of God.  They had been His bride in their youth, so they still would be.  They had seemed to be forsaken because of their refusal to be obedient to Him, but He was calling them to be restored to their relationship as His bride.  As Christians, we are the bride of Christ, and if we stray away from His will in our life, this does not change.  Still, the benefits of being His bride may go away until we repent and return to Him in obedience. 

Verses seven adds, For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.  Isaiah said for a brief period of time God had forsaken them but that with great mercies He would gather them again.  He had forsaken them because of their rebellion and not just as an arbitrary action on His part, and even then, I believe, He continued to call out to them.  They just wouldn’t listen.  If we find ourselves feeling abandoned by God as followers of Christ, it will always be because we have allowed sin back into our lives and not because God has suddenly just abandoned us.  God will still pour His mercy out on us if we will only return to Him in obedience. 

Verse eight continues, In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.  God said in His wrath against the sins of the people who refused to listen to Him, He was hidden from them for a little while, but He also said that He would have everlasting mercy on them as their Redeemer.  As Christians, if we fall back into sin, God may be briefly hidden from us.  Sin separates us from Him temporarily, but He is still our everlasting Redeemer if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ.  When we become a born-again believer, nothing can ever separate us from God forever, since we are sealed to Him by His power.