Come, Let us Adore Him

“I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” –Psalm 34:1

Francis of Assisi penned this introductory line of a hymn, “All creatures of our God and King, lift up your voice and with us sing!” The invitation not only for people, but the moon, stars, sun, plants, animals; ALL creatures praise God! This Psalm is a resolution to bless the Lord and praise Him always. The God who created all things for His glory created my mouth to speak and sing His praise.

The feet carrying the gospel of peace boldly sends shockwaves in a world gripped in darkness by cosmic powers (Ephesians 6:12, 16, 19). Humanity uses the mouth for speaking their mind, an overflow of what is in the heart (Luke 6:45). We as followers of Christ may use our mouths to rebuke and correct, or even defend the faith. Do these words overflow from an adoration of Jesus Christ?

Often we point to our Lord’s command to love one another, yet this love of neighbor is second to the greatest commandment, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37). When you are in conversation about anything, are your words gracious and seasoned from a deep adoration of Jesus? Do I correct a brother or sister in Christ’s wrong, or perhaps watch the news and see a sinner with scorn, without blessing and praising the Lord at all times?

Do you marvel when you think of Jesus? Jesus is not to be reduced to merely a subject to be studied and contended for. Study of Jesus without adoration for Jesus sets a stage for our pride to act in the theater of the world set for an audience to applause us rather than Christ.

We adore what brings us pleasure. Psalm 16:11 says, “In Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Always rejoicing, always blessing and praising Jesus for He is our joy and pleasure. Paul commands, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things” (Philippians 4:8). We think about the excellencies of Jesus, we are warmed by thinking about Him and we adore Him. The qualities of Jesus are to be studied, but studied because these qualities are praiseworthy, for He is our joy and pleasure.

There is brilliance and warmth to the depths of your soul thinking about His rule as King, His power to rescue, and the wonders of His love! To shout God’s praise adds exclamation points to the sentences we speak. “I love the Lord Jesus Christ” is not simply a statement, it is an exaltation from a heart who adores Jesus above all else.

Our adoration of Jesus not only measures our health, adoration is our health. We adore Jesus in worship. Adoring Jesus who grants inner peace which surpasses understanding that guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus from being anxious (Philippians 4:6-9). Adoration of Jesus speaks to the health of our relationships. Adoration of Jesus stirs our mouths to rejoice always, letting our gentleness be known to all (Philippians 4:4-5).

We are to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. This is our “always” blessing and praise of our Lord. What is the beauty of Christ we are to adore? His wounds.

Spurgeon preached, “The wounds of Christ are his glories, they are his jewels and his precious things. To the eye of the believer Christ is never so glorious, never so passing fair, as when we can say of him, ‘My beloved is white and ruddy,’ white with innocence, and ruddy with his own blood.” (The Wounds of Jesus, 30 January, 1859).

This praiseworthy thought stirs adoration in the depths of our hearts.

Heavenly Father, we come as children before You. Needy, dependent, yet cared for and loved by our Father. We ask that our thought of You, our study in Your Word, might stir intense adoration for Jesus our Lord. Each stripe He endured, each sin He bored, and each thorn in His brow is beauty to rejoice. Our God has made peace with us through our Lord Jesus Christ. Our sins forgiven, our lives everlasting, our joy full, and our pleasures from Your right hand forevermore. With gratitude in our hearts we pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.