“Isaac went up to Beer-sheba and there the Lord appeared to him; … he built an altar there and called upon the name of the Lord.” (Gen 26:23,24,25)
The Latin phrase “Coram Deo” means “before the face of God,” which is a Biblical teaching central to the Christian life. It teaches us that we’re always in God’s presence and our lives are under his watchful eyes and loving care.
This story of Isaac in Genesis 26:23-33 is a good example of what it means to live coram Deo. When Isaac arrived in Beer-sheba, he built an altar and called upon the name of the Lord. This act of worship shows us that Isaac was aware of God’s presence and that he was seeking to live in a relationship with Him. We should seek to do the same.
The name “Beer-sheba” means “the well of him who sees me.” This name is so significant because it reminds us that God is always watching us, and that we should always be mindful of His presence, in our lives. When we live Coram Deo, we are not only aware of God’s presence, but we will grow in our relationship with God, and have a desire to do the things that please Him.
Living “Coram Deo” is not a fear based life. Indeed – God is watching over you. His eyes are upon you because of His great love and care for you. The truth about the character and nature of God is seen in Proverbs 15:3. “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”
As believers in Christ, the truth about you is seen in Psalm 35:15 “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.”
How can we grow in living “Coram Deo?”
Word: Spending time in the reading, study, and meditation of God’s Word is one of the primary ways God has chosen to speak to us. Jesus said, ” … The words that I speak, they are Spirit and they are life.” – John 6:63. I can personally convey to you that when I’ve read the scriptures with a prayerful heart, I can “hear” in my soul, the Lord speaking to me. These are always rich times, and I feel urged by God to read the Bible … S-L-O-W-L-Y . Let God speak to you. This is one of the most important aspects of the devotional reading the Word of God. Rather than increasing in information, knowledge and theology, we will increase in the knowledge of God and a relationship with God.
Prayer and Worship: Prayer is best described as our heart and soul reaching out to God, talking to God, and experiencing God’s presence. Prayer is one of the primary ways for us to speak our requests, our needs, the desires of our heart, and our emotions before God. Matthew 8:7 literally means “Keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking.” Keep on in prayer
Repentance and Obedience: A life of repentance means that when we sin, we run to God for forgiveness of our sin. Our natural inclination with sin is to hide ourselves from God, like Adam in the garden. In hiding, we experience shame. But repentance means breaking our hearts before God, and confessing our sin to the Lord, seeking His mercy, and for His love and grace to wash over our souls.
Furthermore, the Christian life means seeking to live in obedience of God’s Word and commands. Jesus simplified this by saying, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” – John 14:15. I am always remembering a song by my friend, sung in Spanish, loosely translated, “Don’t permit me to stray far away from cross.” A love for Jesus will manifest itself in the desire keep close to Him. Indeed, a love for God will delight in doing the things that please Him. The love of God will keep us there, and a love for God will keep us running back.
Fellowship, Ministry, Serving: Fellowship with believers in Christ is not an option. God calls us to be joined to a church. Among other ministry responsibilities I’ve had as a pastor, I was the “Membership Pastor” for a large church in Brentwood, TN. Each week I spoke to those who had recently visited the church, between 20-80 people weekly, sharing membership class materials. One of my statements was, “You can join a church, by attending the classes and signing the membership form, but it is really God who “joins” you to a local church. May we be joined with other believers in Christ, where we can worship God in singing, listening to the Word of God preached, and bonding with other believers in Christ in the local church.
Ministry means serving. Serving brings us joy and helps us to get our minds off of ourselves. Ministry takes place in association with our relationship in the church. There are no “Lone Ranger,” ministers and servants of God, but every ministry should function under the covering of the local church. Much of the ministry of the church happens outside the walls of the church, and consider that – there are no small ministries in the church.
Living Coram Deo is a journey, not a destination. It will be with us until the end of our days.
I feel urged, and I ask you to do the same …. Ask God to help you to be mindful of His presence in all that you do. Living “Coram Deo” is a lifelong process of growing in our knowledge of God and His will for our lives. But as we choose to live our lives in His presence, we can experience His blessings and joy in all that we do.
When we seek to live our lives “Coram Deo,” we experience His peace, joy, and love. We can walk in the assurance of scripture, that Christ is always with us, no matter what challenges we face. (Heb. 13:5).
God is watching over you. He can’t take His eyes off you!
Image: “God the Father” – Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano (c.1459–1517)
