Do you know the phrase, “Coram Deo”? Those who live “Coram Deo” - in the presence of, and face to face with God – often receive a word from Him because they are simply paying attention. Their lives are attuned to His promptings and they're actually expecting Him to speak. While others can hardly believe that God speaks to anyone at all, those living “Coram Deo” openly acknowledge His work and His word because they've seen His hand and heard His voice. They were paying attention.
God can, and does, work around our physical laws. He created it all; He can do with it as He pleases. And sometimes He works through ordinary events with extraordinary timing to carry out His purposes. Those who lean toward self-sufficiency seem to rarely seek God's help. And so, many times His work is fulfilled through those with less reputation and visibility … those you might least expect … but those who were paying attention.
The first two chapters in Luke's gospel are an amazing study in those who were listening and expecting. Zechariah paid attention, worked through his doubting, and became the father of John the Baptist. His wife, Elizabeth, acknowledged God as the One who blessed her with great favor. Mary, the mother of our Lord, paid attention, received the message of the angel Gabriel, and birthed the Messiah. Simeon was paying attention when he sensed the presence of the Lord's Christ right beside him in the temple courts. Then there's Anna, the prophetess, who knew for certain who that Child was, and she spoke words of blessing over Him.
Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus …
Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept
from recognizing him … He said to them, “How foolish you are, and slow
of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken” … beginning with
Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all
the Scriptures concerning himself. (excerpted from Luke 24: 13 – 27, NIV)
How often Jesus appears – walking right beside us, in our trials, even in our worship! - and we don't recognize Him. Why is that? Are we too self-centered? Too focused on our problems? Too concerned with logistics and technicalities? Disinterested? How foolish we are!
The word translated “explained” in the passage above, literally means to interpret or translate with excitement and authority. How do you like that! I'm sensing that Jesus really does want to explain the things that puzzle us, that confuse us, that perplex us. We just have to listen.
As the story continues, we're told that these disciples on the road to Emmaus had their eyes opened and they recognized that it was indeed Jesus who was with them. Was it in the sharing of the bread? In His intimate words with the Father as He blessed the meal? Did they see His scars? We're not told, but I know this: I want to be alert, listening and looking for all He has to say and explain to me.
It's easy for us in the 21st century to look back at these stories from scripture and marvel at how the people seemed to have missed it all. We sit back and think that with the centuries of prophetic utterances, they should have been right on top of things, fully aware of the coming of the Messiah and fully prepared for His arrival. After all, they'd been given the circumstances of His conception, the city of His birth, and then when He actually arrived, all sorts of miraculous occurrences heralded His appearance.
And still, most folks missed it.
But after all this time, we really haven't changed much. How often in the middle of today's frantic pace we totally miss God's activity in and around us because we just aren't paying attention. We've probably all been guilty at one time or another of waiting for God to act in a particular way (maybe even being certain He would act in a particular way), only to be astounded, confused or disappointed when He didn't. Like those in the original Christmas story, or those on the road to Emmaus, we either had it all figured out, or we were so overly concerned with our current situation, that we couldn't see God working. Or it's just possible that we were the slightest bit proud of our handle on God's activity – our spiritual radar, we felt, was right on track. And then God acts in a way that seems to come from out of the cosmic left field. Or worse, we feel like He hasn't acted at all. We get frustrated, discouraged and (dare I say it?) angry.
And we miss it.
I'm convinced that what God has spoken to us through the prophets is not so that we'd be dazzled at how He knows the future. It's more so that we'd be comforted in the fact that He has a plan. And His plan includes you. It really doesn't matter where you are or what you've done; who you are or who you've been. God is working out a divine strategy in your life and the Bible's list of those who've fit into this plan is, underneath the glossy surface, less than sterling.
Abraham was a liar; Jacob was a deceiver; David was an adulterer; Solomon was a polygamist; Jeremiah was a whiner; Jonah was a self-absorbed coward; Thomas was a doubter; Peter was a loud-mouthed bigot; Paul was a persecutor of the Church; and Rahab … well, we all know what Rahab was. Yet each of these characters fit beautifully into the rich tapestry that God has been weaving since the foundation of the world. His words through Jeremiah -and by extension, to us – reveal more than just the all-knowing authority of the sovereign Creator of the universe. They display His intimate involvement in our lives:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you
and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)
Many of you reading this are, at this moment, in the middle of rehearsals and preparations for Christmas. Christmas is, of course, a wonderfully natural time to reflect on the miraculous deeds of God on our behalf. Our senses are quickened, our emotions are heightened, and our worshipful responses come more easily. But living “Coram Deo” isn't restricted to any one season. Rather, it's a way of life. I don't know about you, but I'm beginning to see God in a million little ways as He works His plan in me. This Christmas, as you celebrate the eternal plan of redemption through the sending of Jesus, the Messiah, don't miss the plan He has for you. Your destiny is secure and your future is bright. Be aware … be very aware!
Don't miss it.
