How well am I doing?   Wait, let me ask the opinion of my friends.   Of course, hardly anyone would respond in that manner - or would they?    When it comes to achievements, measurable achievements, we have the stats to prove where we rank in our profession, sport, etc.  But why is it that we care so much what others think of our lives?    So many things we are told by others that we cannot do- dancing, singing, drawing -  that we accept those estimates of our abilities and stay away from trying to do creative activities, and thereby never know the joy of expressing ourselves artistically.    In other words, one should not try unless he can perform in the style of the "stars" -  that's the only acceptable standard.   No one wants to be laughed at, so we probably don't even do those things in private, for fear of being found out to be "no good at it." I have a real problem with this standard being applied - for several reasons:   For one thing, the current popular "art" is not necessarily good - just popular, and that popularity can come in spite of the poor quality, music being a good example currently.   Another reason is that we place an unnecessary burden on ourselves when we ask others to approve of us or are afraid of rejection because we try to please others.

There is another area, though, that I deplore this "measuring up to others' standards.   That is the area of religion....Christianity, basically.   There is a definite trend toward hiding our true devotion to God, if we think that devotion will be misunderstood or rejected and made fun of by the public.    There is an old, wrong-headed description of what a Christian ought to be: that is to ask the unbelieving non-Christian how he thinks a Christian ought to live.    There is so much wrong with that idea, yet many, if not most, would subscribe to it.    The effect of that "standard"  being employed is that Christians are much more concerned about pleasing men than they are about pleasing the God they profess to belong to and love.    Besides all that, a person who does not believe in God and does not understand spiritual things will be dead wrong most all the time.    It's not a matter of common sense, or else people with common sense would automatically qualify as believers.    Actually, living for God is nearly backward from the common sense ideas of life

"If you are a Christian, then you ought not to do..." is the opinion of the unbeliever.   Just how he arrives at that opinion, he never questions.    But are there things we "ought or ought not" do as Christians?   The Apostle Paul says, " all things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient".  He also says that we are not to allow people to pressure us in the observance of certain days, etc.   Today, the dogma of political correctness allows for lewdness and impoliteness, but not intolerance.    Christians are judged, yet told not to judge, slandered yet are subject to character assassination purely on the basis of their belief in Christ.   It is a no-win situation to try to please those who dislike your core values and your identity with Christ.   Gauging ourselves as Christians by the opinions of the world will produce a fruitless spiritual life and remove the joy and enjoyment of God from us.   We cannot live without Christ, who is our life.

Coram Deo.  What does it mean?  According to the definition I received at R.C.Sproul's Ligonier site it was this:  "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."

These were some of my thoughts concerning that definition:  First, it always amazes me how I can live so long and study so much and still be so ignorant.  I had never seen or heard this phrase before.   Second, I realize that there are relatively few people in comparison to Earth's total population who ever consider God at all; but all people everywhere are living in the presence of God and don't know it - or hope that it's not so.   In the book of Romans we are shown that there is no excuse for not knowing that God is there and that He is the Author of all creation.  Still, men are hoping to find that the Cause is not a cause or a person at all, but a series of random, uncaused events.   Third, the authority of God is something that even some Christians waver on.   The idea that God is the sovereign Lord of all the universe and that nothing is not in His control and under His authority, is too frightening for men to want to comprehend.    Yet on both these points, the presence and the authority of God, the truth is that they are real and unchanging for everyone.

Third, living to the glory of God is something that we think of as how a believer in Christ ought to live.   Our desire should be to please Him, to love Him, to honor Him, and ultimately glorify Him by all that we think, do, and say.    How often have I not lived up to those ideals.   Yet they are more than ideals to be achieved.  They are the reality of the spiritual life of the born-again believer.   The fact that we don't see ourselves doing these things - feeling like doing them, is an indication that our physical and mental life is not catching up with our new nature.   Whatsoever is born of God does not sin, the Bible says; so the problem is not with God's new creation, but with the fact that we are having trouble "seeking those things that are above, where Christ is."    But, we are not two persons.   The person that we are in Christ, the redeemed child of God, is our true identity and we have to let go of that old person - even the "good" part of him that we always hoped would become the ruling part.   The talents and learned abilities that God has blessed us with and our looks and personalities are tools for living in this present life, but the phrase "coram Deo" must be the ruling principle for using those tools.    Our success in this life is not really to be measured by our fame, our wealth, or our personal relationships.   Naturally, we think that the more of those things we have, the happier we'll be and the more that God will be pleased with us.   Yet we all know of many who achieved great "success" only to become the unhappiest, and to end their lives in disaster and disillusionment.

So, we all do live in the presence of God, whether or not we think so; and we all are under the authority of God, even if we "kick against the goads" so to speak.   But do we all glorify God?   God will have His way with all of us, so do we glorify Him even in our disobedience and ignorance of Him and His authority - does that mean that it's OK to sin?   The apostle Paul addressed this question: "should we sin more that more grace will abound?  God forbid!"     We can't defeat God's purpose by our exerting our will against His.   After having considered this coram Deo, I can see that we (I) need to let it become the ruling principle of life, our canvas on which we put the strokes of the paintbrushes of our (my) life.    Since the first two principles are inevitable, the third will follow for those whom God is calling - which we ought to believe would include everyone, if they will hear Him.

This  is something that gets cursory attention or is referred to on occasion - especially when a Christian friend is down in the dumps or really hurting. I think it gets used more as a reprimand than as an exhortation..."Don't you know that Christians ought to be happy?" Well, most of us just don't always feel happy, but maybe the joy of the Lord is more than just being outwardly joyful and exuberant?

I am remembering the kind of excitement and joy I would feel just before Christmas as a youngster.... the funny thing is that the presents we would receive were hand-made toys from our parents. It wasn't the presents, the tree trimming, the basket of oranges and apples that you could have - even between meals. It wasn't any one thing, it was just that it was Christmas.

Then there was, for me, the experience of a real encounter with the Holy Spirit as I had not known even though I had received Him when I first received Christ by faith. I remember being so full of joy and almost literally floating on a cloud for days - weeks, even - afterward. There have been other times when I've felt that same overwhelming joy!

But what of the times between those special feelings? Doesn't God want me to feel exuberant and excited as His child? And if He does expect that, how He must be grieved when I'm feeling low, or apprehensive, or just in a bad mood? We ought not to be unbelieving or worrying - that's for sure, and we certainly can grieve the Holy Spirit; but don't we know that God knows our hearts and our thoughts? For me, I think the answer to all of this is that the reality of Christ in our life always brings us back around. The Holy Spirit reassures us that we are His children (those of us who have been redeemed by His blood, that is). The joy of the Lord is something much deeper than our feelings. The joy He speaks of is His joy, not ours. It doesn't originate with us any more than our faith that we received from Him.

Staying in the Word and listening and speaking to Him, we need not remain in a state of gloom or pessimism. We need to be like the man who said, " Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!" He will help!

To whom do I owe my allegiance?  That is the question we all face everyday.  In this country, we still have the choice.  Is it right for a Christian to claim allegiance to his native land ( in our case, America)?  Is it right to be faithful to a cause or a political party?  Is our marital fidelity a statement of allegiance to our spouse or to our marriage commitment?  What about honoring our parents?  What about our allegiance to a labor union or to our employer? 

There are so many levels of commitments and loyalties that we subconsciously observe in our lives that we seldom even recognize them as allegiances.  Some Christian groups or sects regard any allegiance - even ones that are widely recognized as proper, such as allegiance to one's country as being idolatrous and therefore forbidden by God.

I believe that putting Christ first is right and proper for all Christians, but that does not mean that other allegiances are not allowable for us.  How we list others in order of importance can vary according to the place they have in our hearts and lives just so long as they are not first.  Sometimes we are criticized by others for the importance we attach to each of these allegiances because they do not see things in the same way we do.  And sometimes we find that we have attached too much importance to one thing when we should have not ignored another.

I love my country, my wife, my children and honor those in my church, my job. etc.   All of these.  But I love the Lord Jesus Christ and step aside to allow Him to have His rightful place as the highest priority and most beloved of all the loves  of my life.

How is it with you?