Coram Deo

So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it.  Pursue the things over which Christ presides.  Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed in the things right in front of you.  Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ . . . See things from His perspective. Your old life is dead… your real life… is with Christ in God. Colossians 23:1-3 MSG

In studying Ecclesiastes, we discover that work and purpose are God’s gifts to us. Called to work, we are also encouraged to enjoy this life given to us. The Chronological Study Bible notes, “Considering the uncertainties of the future and the certainty of death, Solomon recommends enjoying life as God’s gift”. Warren Wiersbe writes, “Those who really know how to enjoy life are the ones take life each day as a gift from God, thanking Him for it and serving Him in it.” This requires us to recognize the Source of our purpose and provision. Elohim, God who has absolute sovereignty, rises far above the illogical and irrational, transcends the unreasonable and unbelievable fractured parts of this world. This is how we can find joy in this often mixed-up life!

let's pray together...

Adonai ~

You are Lord; You are Father and Son and Holy Spirit, Creator and Redeemer and Counselor.  You are above us and below us, to our left and to our right, before us and behind us. You surround us with abundant blessings, and we are humbled by such generous gifts. You are in everything and everything comes from You.

 You see our hearts and our motivations, see all that we conceal from the world. You know our selfish ambitions, our pretentious vanities, our deceitful words. You hold our deepest fears, our greatest disappointments, our darkest thoughts. Behind our masks, we struggle with loneliness. Beside our idols, we long for more. Beneath our veiled hearts, we cry out loud. And You? In exchange for what we bring, You offer real forgiveness, real love, real life. You are Grace and everything happens through You.

You choose us for real life, a life defined in Christ. You reform our minds, renew our hearts, refresh our spirits. Taking holy threads of faith and hope and love, You weave a robe of righteousness adorned with purity and holiness. You wrap us in this exquisite tapestry, every detail shouts of Your majesty. You are Perfect Love and everything ends up in You.    

We come before this altar with servant hearts. Solitude surrounds us. Prayers rise to You, our Adonai ~ prayers of hope and possibility, prayers of thanksgiving and songs of praise. You are in every detail!  Defined in Christ, our souls are made new, for one purpose, for Your Glory! Let everything ~ everything ~ speak of Your Glory!  Coram Deo, let us live and work in Your Presence. Amen. ~dho