Over the next few weeks we are going to take a journey through a prayer labyrinth. Join me as we take this spiritual journey reflecting on God and Jesus and our relationship with God through His Spirit. Prayer labyrinths were a common feature in many medieval cathedrals. They were marked out on the floor for people to walk through slowly, for a time of contemplative prayer and reflection. A prayer labyrinth is a pilgrimage that draws the participant inward for a time of reflection and then back out into the world. Many churches have set up labyrinths on the grounds around the church. I helped set one up in a church auditorium a number of years ago and had a labyrinth of sorts set up in the woods near my home for a family gathering. They can be adapted for use in any setting. Labyrinths are used as a means to enter into God's presence and reflect upon how our time with God can be used as we live out our lives here on earth. Moses kneels before a Holy God. As we begin our journey, we enter into a time of stillness before God. An angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in the flames of fire from within a bush. As Moses approached the bush, he heard the voice of God call his name and he said, "Here I am." "Do not come any closer," God said, "Take off your shoes for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Exodus 3:5 Before we enter into the labyrinth, we need to focus our attention completely on God. He is holy, He is eternal, He is our maker and our redeemer. Whenever we approach God, we need to be mindful of His power and might. Often, people don't have a fear of the Lord, but it's important to give Him the honor He deserves. Offer God praise for who He is and what He has done in your life. When your focus is on God and your mind is set on Him, you are ready to begin the journey. The first place we stop on our journey is the foot of the cross. As we think about Jesus and the sacrifice he made for our sins, we are reminded of our baptism. Visualize a drop of water representing the cleansing that comes through the blood of Christ. Thank Jesus for his sacrifice which has made it possible for you to enter into God's presence. A drop of water represents our baptism into Christ Jesus. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me." Jesus is the way to eternal life, the way to the Father. After we have given our hearts to Jesus, we can approach the throne of God because we have been cleansed of all unrighteousness. As our journey continues, we need to take a moment to turn off the noise of the world. Each one of us is bombarded almost constantly with noise. Whether the noise is a result of living in a large family, listening to the radio or watching television, we need to remember that when it is time to focus on God, all outside distractions hinder our time alone with God. "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Psalm 46:10-11 Spend time quietly before God - listen for His leading and give Him an opportunity to speak to your heart. Next week, we'll move on through the labyrinth examining our hearts and our motives. Links for week 2 and week 3 of the Prayer Journey - http://marshamundy.blogspot.com/2011/02/casting-our-cares-upon-god.html http://marshamundy.blogspot.com/2011/02/sharing-our-faith-with-others.html