(This is a continuation from the past two weeks, we will continue our journey through a prayer labyrinth)
We have just left the holy of holies and spending some precious time with God. We have shared our concerns with him and he has spoken to our hearts through his Word and his Spirit.
It is time to take our personal, one-on-one experience with God into the world. As we leave the holy of holies, we have a lighted candle to carry with us into the darkness, but we need to make a stop first and reflect on our motivation.
Psalm 139
1 You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.
19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
20 They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
There is a mirror situated below this Psalm and it is there for you to look at yourself and see yourself as God sees you. He created you, He loves you and He knows that before you can love others, you need to love yourself. As you look into the mirror, notice that there may be flaws, but God doesn't see them. Since you are a new creature in Christ, He sees only a righteous person - a reflection of Christ.
As we move out of the labyrinth and into the world, we go as disciples of Christ. He asked us to go into all the world and make disciples, but how do we begin? Imagine that you are getting ready to plant a seed. You have the soil, which is a good foundation to begin the process and you are equipped with good seed which is God's Holy Word.
Plant your seed in the soil, remembering that wherever you go, you are to plant seeds for the Lord. He will do the watering and His Spirit will produce the fruit. All He expects us to do is plant seeds. As you plant your seed, pray for someone who doesn't know the Lord.
Take your candle as you move on to the next station. Notice that there are many unlit candles before you - these represent those who are lost, those who are sick, those who are grieving or lonely.
Ask God's Spirit to speak someone's name to your heart who needs a prayer. As you light a candle from your own candle, pray for that person.
We have made our way through the Prayer Labyrinth and are ready to leave, but before we do, there is one more stop to make.
Imagine yourself on a sandy beach. The tide has receded and the beach is smooth with no footprints on it, yet. Now, step out onto the sand and notice your footprints. Think about the impression that you leave wherever you travel. Are people seeing Christ in you? What sort of legacy are you leaving behind for future generations?
Go with God into the world and be a blessing to others.
I hope you have experienced God in a new way through this prayer journey. God wants to meet with you everyday. What we've experienced here can be done anytime, anywhere - to enter God's presence, we only have to prepare our hearts and be ready to respond to His heart.
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