We sing it—or at least hear it or hum it—every Christmas season. It is one of the oldest and most popular Christmas carols ever. In fact, it’s one of the oldest and most popular hymns of any kind.
It’s “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” of course. Or, in the original Latin, “Adeste Fidelis.” It’s a familiar and much-loved call to worship the Savior who was born as a babe in Bethlehem.
But how do we do what the hymn says? How do we “come” and “adore Him?”
We can come to church, of course. That part seems obvious. But how do we “adore” Him? Is it something we can do only in a worship service? Or is it possible—especially during this special season—to “adore Him” as individuals, as families, as busy and active men and women?
Perhaps the answers can be found in the song itself:
Come and behold Him
“Come and behold Him, born the king of angels,” the hymn says. How do we do that? Sure, the shepherds and magi did that at Jesus’ birth, but how do we “behold Him” in the 21st century? We might spend a few moments gazing on an artistic representation of Him—a painting or a statue. We might pause at a manger scene and reflect on the king who was born in a stable. But we might also “behold Him” by closing our eyes in the midst of a hectic day and training our thoughts on His glorious condescension, His attributes, His works and His love.
Sing in exultation
“Sing in exultation,” the song says. One way to adore Jesus is to sing His praises. We do this when we gather with others in worship, of course, but we can do it almost any time. We can sing “How Great Thou Art” in the shower. We can hum “Great is Thy Faithfulness” as we shop. We can belt out “10,000 Reasons” in the car on our daily commute.
Give Him glory
Another way to “adore Him” is to praise Him, both directly and to others. The song includes the line, “Jesus, to Thee be all glory giv’n.” How do we give Him glory? We tell others how He’s answered our prayers. We praise Him in our prayers, for His Creation, His Incarnation, His sinless life, His atoning sacrifice on the cross, His resurrection and ascension, His constant presence, His unlimited power and more.
That’s how we “come” and “adore Him.” Regardless of the season, we can behold, sing about, and praise our wonderful Savior in numerous ways, in the company of the saints and in the privacy of our own hearts.
