Is Jesus Adorable?

“They are adorable!”  I thought to myself about three toddler girls whose parents were attempting to take a photo in front of the church’s Christmas tree.  They are cute and attract attention.  I just want to hug each of them.  Adore is a Christmas word, too. One of the best known carols invites us to ‘come and adore Him.’ What does this mean for us? 

Adore comes from a word that once meant to ‘offer worshipful prayer!’   Now we use it as synonym for love and affection.

I adore my wife, using the word in the secondary sense.  No, I do not worship her, but I love her deeply. I tell Bev that I love her everyday- because I do!  I don't have to leave a note to myself - "Be sure to adore your wife!"  My words flow out of my heart- easily, often, and sincerely.  Does my love for her need to be protected and nurtured? Absolutely!  Life distractions, other temptations, and Satanic deceptions have destroyed many good marriages. Knowing that, it is my prayer and intent to keep our love fresh and strong. 

I adore Jesus.  In many ways, my love for the Lord is similar to my love for my wife - strong, enduring, life-defining, and in need of daily nurture!  But, adoration for my Lord goes beyond affection.  In adoration,  I offer Him worship in my words and actions.  Each day I must deal with temptations that, if given the opportunity, would dilute my passion for God! 

Can we honestly profess to adore Christ Jesus IF we never speak of Him or seldom speak to Him?  I think not. We may be fond of Jesus without speaking of Him. We may trust Him as Savior without speaking of Him, but we cannot claim to adore Him and remain silent about Him.  IF we adore Him, we will speak of Him.  The Bible says, "Your love, God, is my song, and I'll sing it! I'm forever telling everyone how faithful you are. I'll never quit telling the story of your love— how you built the cosmos and guaranteed everything in it. Your love has always been our lives' foundation, your fidelity has been the roof over our world." (Psalm 89  The Message)

Our adoration of Christ Jesus will be diminished if other loves are allowed to crowd in.  If we love our reputation, our job, our money, our house;  our love for Him will cool.  Adoration will disappear, replaced by affection, which will become token appreciation.  In the book of the Revelation, Jesus speaks the church in Ephesus. They broke His heart by allowing their adoration to change to religious expression.  He says to them, "You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first." (Revelation 2:3-5, NIV)

This Advent Season when you hear that carol, "O Come, All Ye Faithful,"  let it stir a renewed adoration! Open your mouth and give Him praise.  Sing and speak of His goodness. A word of caution is in order here. IF you don't adore Him, then don't try to convince yourself or someone else that you do with empty words or borrowed words! Jesus urged the Ephesians to remember their first love and to renew it.   Love can be made new. Do you know that love is first a choice, and second an emotion? Jesus warned that  "Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold."  (Matthew 24:12) If that's describing you, turn back to God.  Find a place alone with Him and confess that you have given yourself to another lover.  Turn back, renew your commitment to Him.  Then, accept the wonderful love of the Savior whose "unfailing love never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day."  (Lamentations 3:22-23)

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O come all ye faithful,
joyful and triumphant,
O come ye,
O come ye to Bethlehem.

Come and behold Him,
born the King of angels.

O come let us adore Him,

O come let us adore Him,

O come let us adore Him,

Christ the Lord.

Sing choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
O sing all ye bright hosts of heav'n above.

Glory to God,
All glory in the highest.

O come let us adore Him,

O come let us adore Him,

O come let us adore Him,

Christ the Lord.

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee,
born this happy morning;
Jesus to Thee be all glory giv'n.

Word of the Father now in flesh appearing.

O come let us adore Him,

O come let us adore Him,

O come let us adore Him,

Christ the Lord!

John Wade © Public Domain