Christmas in Carols: O Come All Ye Faithful

“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.” (Psalm 95:6-7, NIV)

If you’ve been with me since the beginning of this little devotional site, you’ll know that every year, for five years, I’ve tackled the Christmas story in the weeks after Thanksgiving leading up to the big day. This year, I pondered how I could make my Christmas devotions different from what I’ve done in the past.

So what is something about the Christmas season that can immediately put a person in the seasonal spirit? For me, before we put up the tree or bake the cookies, before we wrap the presents or decorate the house, we all do one thing: turn on Christmas music. To me, Christmas carols can instantly get me into the Christmas spirit, bring all my childhood memories to the forefront of my mind, and help me remember that our Savior, Jesus, came to be with us in the flesh.

This year, I’d like to take each week to focus on a Christmas hymn and why it’s so unique to the Christmas story. In truth, these hymns do a lot for us in telling us about Jesus’ birth and reminding us why He came to be with us. Not only have they become beloved holiday classics over the centuries since they’ve been written, but they give us all an opportunity to worship Jesus together.

Anyone that’s been to my house will know: in our living room, hanging on the wall year-round, is a plaque that says, “Oh come let us adore Him.” This line is the backbone of possibly one of the most popular Christmas hymns, “O Come All Ye Faithful.” Translated from its Latin counterpart, “Adeste Fideles,” this hymn started appearing in the middle of the 18th century among Scottish Jacobites. Some say it was a call to arms for the cause that sought to see Bonnie Prince Charlie installed on the English throne. But whether the song was written as an allegory meant to inspire Jacobites to join the fight, or as a genuine means to worship the Lord and His birth, the hymn has become a staple of the season and is sung at Christmas services around the world.

For me, the reason this hymn hangs on a prominent wall in my home is because Christmas or not, the call to worship in that song is so important and should be seen and remembered year round. And not only should we remember to come and adore our Savior, who was born in flesh, lived, and died so we could stand under His blood redeemed, but we should also remember that the song tells US to come and worship. Not a singular I, not you alone, but US. All.

We are not meant to be alone. Although your relationship with Christ is individual and personal, we are not supposed to exist as a single member. We are called to be in community with other believers and join together in worship of our One God.

Honestly, that’s why it goes against the grain to be alone at Christmas time. For many, the holidays are hard because it reminds them of family lost throughout the years or relational fallouts that leave people feeling alone. But as Christians, we are called to be together. We are commanded by God to gather, be held accountable, and worship together. Bow together, kneel together, and glorify God together. When I am in the presence of other Christians I am stirred up to a new passion for the Lord. I learn more about the God I serve and I know I am not alone in a society that oftentimes doesn’t value the infant in a manger, the Savior on a cross, or the empty tomb.

“Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, Born this happy morning. Jesus to Thee be all glory giv’n. Son of the Father, now in flesh appearing…” (O Come All Ye Faithful, verse 3)

Together, we are reminded that Jesus was born. He was made into a man, yet fully God incarnate. He is worthy of all glory. He is Son of the Heavenly Father, finally appearing in the flesh after generations of waiting on His promises. And because of all this, we should have no other response but to turn together and adore Him. Not continue on in our Christmas season busy schedule, tossing Him the scraps of remembrance we happen to think of in the eleventh hour. Not a casual acknowledgement out of obligation or ritualism. 

Adoration. Deep love and reverence. That’s an affection and devotion that wells deep in your heart and pours out without request or requisite. Truly, our God came to us in the most humble of settings and methods. He came quietly and unassumingly on a night where most of the world missed His arrival. But His impact and His works are still reverberating in the world today and they are still bringing His church together.

This hymn reminds us that not only was God finally made flesh to dwell with us, but it calls us into unity. It beckons us into community with one another. It reminds us to reach out to those who are isolated at this time of year and invite them to worship and adore the common denominator over us all: Jesus. 

He is worthy to be praised for the manger, the cross, and the empty tomb. He is worthy to be adored for His shed blood and His Lordship made into flesh and bone. Yes, it’s a message we should remember year-round, but at a time of year when so many are struggling and missing loved ones, we should be ever diligent to this call:

Oh, come let US adore HIM!