Our Psalm this Sunday will be Psalm 15, which begins with two questions:

O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?
      Who shall dwell on your holy hill? (Psalm 15:1)

These questions aren’t about who can gain admission into the temple to worship God, but rather, “Who can live (sojourn, dwell) in God’s presence?” It reminded me of the Latin phrase CORAM DEO which means 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. All of life is religious or none of life is religious. To divide life between the religious and the nonreligious is itself a sacrilege (R. C. Sproul).”

This is where the answer of Psalm 15 goes, not a list of ritual requirements, but a character evaluation. The one who lives a Godward life, who lives before the face of God shall sojourn and dwell with Him. Never perfectly, of course! God called David “a man after my own heart” and we all know that David’s record was far from perfect. But, wherever God has made alive those who once were dead, there should be signs of life. James said, “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:17)

One way to prepare your heart for this week’s message would be to set aside some time to sit down with Psalm 15 and meditate on it through two lenses. First, read it like a mirror. To what extent do these verses find an echo in your heart and life and how do these verses lead you to prayers of confession? Then, read it like a window to Jesus. Reflect upon how each and every answer given to the question, “Who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?” was on display in the earthly life and ministry of Jesus recorded for us in the Gospels.

Darin Earley will be preaching this Sunday and Kenny will be leading our sung worship. Would you pray for each as they prepare? And let’s ask the Lord to make us humble and open to the work of the Spirit to help us live every facet of our lives before the face of God.

Whether you’re worshiping from your couch at home or a beach chair in our parking lot, let’s come hungry this week!