Advent Devotions
All are invited as we Make Room this Advent season.
A New Song
Today’s author is Prince of Peace member, Jean Olson.
(Based on John 4: 1-42)
As you read the following devotion, consider it to be a conversation between a SONG —The Road Home (Music: Stephen Paulus; Text: Michael Dennis Browne) and a REFLECTION by Jean Olson.
The Road Home
Tell me, where is the road
I can call my own
That I left, that I lost
So long ago?
All these years I have wandered
Oh, when will I know
There’s a way, there’s a road
That will lead me home.
Reflection:
For what am I looking? I see a solitary woman walking on a dusty road in the heat of the mid-day sun. She carries a water jar. Her destination is the ancient, ancestral well of Jacob. What is her story? She appears lost. Lost in suffering and depression. Or… could it be anger and resolution? She awakens from her thoughts when she notices a man — a Jew — slouched beside the well in exhaustion. A voice calls out to her: “Give me a drink.”
After wind, after rain
When the dark is done
As I wake from a dream
In the gold of day
Through the air there’s a calling
From far away
There’s a voice I can hear
That will lead me home.
Reflection:
“God’s gift to all of us is an open ear.” (Christ In Our Home, January 20, 2026) From afar, Jesus sees a woman approaching the well. The days’ journey, not yet over, has left him exhausted and parched. As the woman stops by the well, Jesus quietly asks her for water. “Can this be?” she ponders. “He didn’t command me to bring him water… Something is different about this man, this Jew. Something in his voice.”
Thus begins a dialogue between the woman of Samaria, and the man, a Jew. Questions fly back and forth between the two strangers about water that quenches thirst temporarily or “living water”. They debate over cultural and faith traditions. Pause! … Jesus re-directs the conversation. “Go call your husband and come here.” She answers immediately, “I have no husband.” Jesus responds, “You are right.” He goes on to reveal to the woman his knowledge that she previously had five husbands and presently lives with another man.
The woman did not hear condemnation in his words, in his voice. Only something “new”. I imagine her to sit down before him, with eyes wide open in amazement, as she confesses, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.”
Her ears have been opened! The woman listens as Jesus speaks of a time to come when all will “worship the Father in spirit and truth.” His words evoke within her the possibilities of forgiveness and hope. She confesses, “I know that Messiah is coming.” Jesus declares, “I who speak to you am he.”
Leaving her water jar, the woman — once “invisible” —runs back to the city to share her joy. “Come, see a man who told me all I ever did. Can this be the Christ?”
Rise up, follow me
Come away, is the call
With the love in your heart
As the only song
There is no such beauty
As where you belong
Rise up, follow me
I will lead you home.
PRAYER: “[The Lord] put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.” Psalm 40:3
Previously…
The Rose of Calvary
This past Sunday the Chancel Choir presented The Rose of Calvary, a cantata by Joseph M. Martin with narration by Pamela Martin. The composer’s intent, in his own words, was to “portray through music the ministry, passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Rose of Sharon.”
Rose
In the tapestry of creation, the rose stands as a resplendent emblem of beauty, intricacy, and profound meaning. Its delicate petals unfurl in a dance of elegance, whispering tales of love, resilience, and grace. As we contemplate the post-resurrection world through the lens of this exquisite bloom, we discover parallels that resonate deeply with the essence of Jesus.
The Rose of Calvary
“I Love the Rose of Calvary, God’s gift of hope, God’s gift of grace.” This is the opening line of the Easter cantata that will be performed on Sunday morning. Written and composed by James Martin, “The Rose of Calvary” tells the story of Jesus’ passion and resurrection, employing the creative imagery of flowers and gardens. Our post-Easter worship series, “Return to the Garden” was inspired by Martin’s creative work.
The Company We Keep
“Be careful of the company you keep.” These may not have been the exact words I heard from my parents as I was growing up, but the message was clear. And I’m sure I passed the same idea on to my sons. Who we choose to associate with can make a profound difference in our lives.