Coram Deo

Coram Deo literally means "before the face of God". It carries the notion of our living in the presence of God, under the authority of God and to the honor and glory of God. It is what each person was designed for by their Creator.

The following has been adapted for this blog:

Coram Deo captures the essence of the Christian life."

This phrase literally refers to something that takes place in the presence of, or before the face of, God. To live Coram Deo is to live one's entire life in the presence of God, under the authority of God, to the glory of God.

To live in the presence of God is to understand that whatever we are doing and wherever we are doing it, we are acting under the gaze of God. God is omnipresent. There is no place so remote that we can escape His all seeing gaze.

To be aware of the presence of God is also to be strongly aware of His sovereignty. When we recognize that if God is God, then we will indeed know that He is sovereign. Living under divine sovereignty involves more than a reluctant submission to sheer sovereignty that is motivated out of a fear of punishment. It involves recognizing that there is no higher goal than offering honor to God. Our lives are to be living sacrifices, offered in a spirit of adoration and thankfulness.

To live all of life Coram Deo is to live a life of integrity. It is a life of wholeness that finds its unity and worth in the majesty of God. A fragmented life is a life that is constantly decaying. It is marked by inconsistency, disunity, confusion, conflict, contradiction, and chaos.

Integrity is found where men and women live their lives in consistency. Which means we are the same basic way in church and out of church. It is a life that is open before God. It is a life in which all that is done is done as to the Lord. It is a life lived by principle, and by humility before God, not defiance. It is a life lived under the teaching of conscience that is held captive by the Word of God.

Coram Deo . . . before the face of God. That's the big idea. Next to this idea our other goals and ambitions become mere trifles."

May I challenge you to live Coram Deo today and each day. To recognize that you are already before the face of God when you rise in the morning. A friend of mine jokingly stated: “The Holy Spirit doesn’t kick in till after my coffee” (I know she was joking).

My dear friends we are always in the presence of the Almighty God, God Most High. And if we are His, we don’t get to wait till after our morning coffee to submit our lives to the Holy Spirit. To live Coram Deo is to live “knowingly” before His face at all times.

Are you aware of Him at all times?
Do you work like He's there?
Do you love like He's there?
Do you resolve conflict like He's there?
Do you give like He's there?

Coram Deo, living face to face with God.