Oh Come Let Us Adore Him
Oh Come Let Us Adore Him
For God so loved the world, that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him, should not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3: 16
I lived on a farm in a valley at the foot of Gordon Mountain. The winding road through the valley was gravel, which followed Echo River. Further up the valley, as you drove by the hill we used for tobogganing, the power ended and the few homesteads existed on woodstoves, kerosene lamps and no running water.
As a young boy, every Friday night was Bible Study at one of the homes in our valley. I especially remember cold, clear, moonlit nights in December driving to one of these homesteads and singing Christmas Carols by lamplight and real candles burning on the pine Christmas tree. Dad played his accordion and Cy his guitar and singing were filled with joy, warmth and volume; being on key was not required.
I loved those evenings and sat, waiting for the Christmas tree to catch on fire. It never did.
The two favorite Carols were Oh Come All Ye Faithful and we always ended with Silent Night.
Ray was usually the one to bring the devotional and each year, he focused on our adoration of Jesus. He lived in light of heaven and Jesus’ second coming.
I was recently reflecting on what I could remember of those Christmas messages by Ray and can see his face beaming, tears in his eyes, as he peered out a frosted window to the moon shining on new snow. He talked about Jesus becoming one of us.
I would look at the elderly couple who lived very simply in this home and they would be nodding their heads and saying “Amen.”
Those were simpler times, though not easy, for the challenges of living through Northern Ontario winters, with minimal resources was real. Yet, people experienced God’s care, love and provision and they gave Him thanks with emotion. It seemed they lived their weeks for these Friday nights.
As I reflect, those Christmas Friday evenings focused on a few realities.
God understands us and is aware of our pain. Does He feel our pain? Yes, for, the Word became flesh, like us. That is why this elderly couple would hold each other’s hand and say, “Thank You, Amen.”
We have unbelievable hope for the future. At Bethlehem, God forever linked His future to our future. That means our future is as certain as God’s future is.
Because I live, you shall live also; John 14:19 (Dr. Darrell Johnson)
Ray often talked about what Jesus claimed for us. Because of His claims, we can have absolute trust in what He says.
I now think of these claims like
I am the bread of life
I am the light of the world
I am the way, the truth and the life
Before Abraham was, I am
If you are thirsty, come to me and drink
I will forgive your sins
Jesus is coming again. He made it sound like He would come before we finished the evening. It made me nervous, because, I still had life to live.
At this Christmas, let us follow the lead of the shepherds and magi and worship Jesus. May you picture that small dark cabin homestead on a cold, clear, crisp, moonlit Christmas Friday night and hear country folk singing emotionally, about the Word becoming flesh, “Oh Come Let Us Adore Him.”
Yes, Jesus is greater, than any issue you are facing or will face in 2023.
Even so come Lord Jesus.
Have a blessed Christmas
~Bruce
