SPEAKER: DAVID TAN
TEXT: GENESIS 17:1-3
GENESIS 17:1-3 When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” Then Abram fell on his face.Living in an enduring relationship
‘Walk’ is a figure of speech, a metaphor, for “the way we live” and it always implies a choice we make every waking moment of our life. Noah walked with God (Gen 6:9); Enoch walked with God and he was taken up to heaven (Gen 5:21-24). In every instance, this walk is an ONGOING journey that is undertaken by the person and God, as if they were traveling side-by-side together.
It refers to an enduring relationship, for we can’t ‘walk’ together unless we are friends. As every relationship has expectations, so as God invites Abram to walk with Him, he adds: “Be blameless.” So walking before God is not just a destination, but a direction, or a particular way we live. The more we love God, the more we will live to please Him. Paul says: “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Eph 4).
Living in the face of God
Coram Deo is the Latin expression that means living “before God’s face,” which is what Abraham is expected to do. It means to live in the reality of God’s world and his sovereignty. He is ever present, ever seeing, every minute, every hour, every day – not just when we are involve in church activities. This is both a fearful reality and a comforting presence. For though we do not see God, He sees us and this is both an encouragement to righteous living and an assurance of security that only God can provide.
To live before God’s face is to live in God’s favour. Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
Our Lord blesses when we seek to live to please and honour him. When King David sinned, he would cry, “Do not hide your face from me.” (Ps 102:2) Sin blocks God’s face. Jesus hung on the cross because he bore our sins. God turned his face away from his Son so He can turn His face towards us in grace. Therefore to live in the face of God is living a transparent and honest life. We examine our lives daily, confess and repent where necessary. Where there is confession and repentance, reconciliation begins, and we find forgiveness and wholeness.
Living before God’s face also means God sees all the suffering or injustices inflicted on his people. As Paul’s conversion story illustrates (Acts 9:4) God sees the evil His children suffer as if they were committed against our Lord personally. Thank God that we can commit our fears to Him and trust He will act and deliver as He wills for His name’s sake.
Living as redeemed sinners
The only way to a healthier and meaningful life is to live gratefully as a forgiven sinner. Many of our emotional problems have roots in a withdrawing or hiding from God, as Adam and Eve did when they first sinned. But as we face up to our sin and accept God’s gift of grace in Christ we experience freedom. Walking before God is the way God transforms us and makes us good, as CS Lewis reminds us.
Conclusion
God is inviting us to live Coram Deo before his face. We can’t see God’s face, but when we look at Jesus, it is God we see, and it is the face of love, grace and mercy. It is not a small thing to live before God - It is a privilege as well as a responsibility. Abraham himself made many bad decisions and sinned. Yet he continued to walk before God, and he was counted righteous and honoured as God's ‘friend.’ Let’s seek God’s face, choose now to walk with Him, and live.
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