Those words have been running through my head today, perhaps because our church choir is singing the Christmas worship song, Adore, at our Christmas services this year.
These words make up the refrain of the beautiful carol, O Come All Ye Faithful, which we hear and sing at this time of year. Many of us even sing the refrain by itself, and not just during the Christmas season. As both of these songs played in my head, I thought about that word–“adore.”
We adore our spouses (at least, we should!). We adore our children and our grandchildren. And, we even find our pets “adorable.” So what does the word “adore” mean?
In the dictionary, there are three definitions for the word “adore.” It can mean to be very fond of. It can mean to regard with loving admiration and devotion. That is what it means when I say that I adore my wife or my children and grandchildren. But the very first definition given for the word “adore” is to worship or honor as a deity or as divine. That’s what it means when we sing, “O come, let us adore Him.” We are worshiping and honoring Jesus Christ and acknowledging Him as God.
One thing that really caught my attention in the dictionary entry for “adore” was the etymology of the word. The word “adore” comes from the Latin word “adorare.” That word breaks down like this–ad meaning “to” or “toward” and orare meaning “to speak, pray.” Interesting!
So, when you think about the origin of the word, if we adore Him, we should do so with our mouths. It is a verbal act. It is not just looking at Him lovingly and admiring Him from afar. It means we should open our mouths and speak of our love and worship and the joy that He brings using words and song, just as the Word tells us in Psalm 100:2.
Seek the Lord, and when you find Him, open your mouth in praise and adoration for the King of kings and Lord of lords–the one true God.
A Worshiper's Journal 