President Russell M. Nelson encouraged us in this year’s Christmas devotional message to “Come, let us adore Him.” It’s a familiar and beloved invitation often shared and sung during the Christmas season, but what does it truly mean to adore Him?
In the spirit of the season, let’s explore the definition of adoration as found in scripture and the words of timeless Christmas hymns and consider how we can come and adore Christ at this time of year.
What does it mean to adore?
Adoration is defined as deep love, respect, worship, or veneration. At its heart, adoration goes well beyond appreciation or fondness—adoration includes our acknowledgment of the extraordinary and divine.
In Luke, when the angels declared to the shepherds, “For unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord," this announcement was not just news. It was an announcement of this newborn baby’s divinity, a charge to recognize the arrival of the long-awaited Savior into the world, and an invitation to adore Him.
Why should we adore Him?
The call to adore Christ—and maybe the most well-known use of the phrase—is echoed in the beloved hymn “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” which urges us to “come and behold Him, born the King of Angels.” This classic hymn captures the essence of why we adore: we come to recognize and honor Christ as Lord and to celebrate the profound love that God has for each of us.
So many of the principles shared in President Nelson’s Christmas message are explicit and specific examples of why we should truly adore Jesus Christ, our Savior:
- “We revere the Babe of Bethlehem precisely because He later offered the incomprehensible, infinite sacrifice in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross of Calvary. This offering redeems each of us, as we choose to repent and follow Him. Then, as His crowning act on earth, He rose from the tomb on the third day, granting each one of us the unprecedented blessing of resurrection and life after death.”
- “No one on this earth loves you as He does. No one here understands you better or really knows your sorrows and weaknesses. No one on earth has the power that Jesus Christ has. No one here is more eager for you to become everything you can become. No one pleads with the Father on your behalf as He does.”
- “He is filled with godly power, and because of His grand atoning sacrifice, you never need to feel that you must face life’s difficult challenges alone.”
- “Jesus Christ has known you since the premortal realm. He knows and sees you now. He sees your joys and your sorrows. He has experienced each of them.”
- “He is our great Exemplar and our Advocate with the Father. Because of His restored gospel, all the blessings of His priesthood are available to all mankind as they come unto Him and are perfected in Him.”
How can we adore Him today?
Adoration of the Savior, especially during the Christmas season, means taking an opportunity to pause and reflect on the magnitude of what God has done for us. It is a time to revere and worship Jesus, not just for His birth but for His life, death, and resurrection—the totality of His work that brought salvation to all mankind.
As you sing carols, decorate your home, and gather with loved ones, don’t forget to put adoration at the heart of your Christmas. It’s a season to joyfully and reverently come before the manger, recognizing that the child born there is the Savior of the World.
Here are a few questions to consider as you intentionally infuse your holiday with the true reason for the season.
- How can you incorporate adoration and Christ into your Christmas celebrations this year?
- What aspects of the Christmas story fill you with awe and reverence?
- What elements of Christ’s mission and the plan of salvation are you most grateful for?
- How can you include more adoration in your personal or family prayers?
- How have you felt Christ’s love today?
