Walking the Prayer Labyrinth

When I saw on our Lake Louise retreat schedule that we were to walk the Prayer Labyrinth, I wasn't too impressed. I had seen this sort of thing before...I was happy to try it, but I felt sure that I would just be walking around in circles. If given the choice, I would much rather connect with God out in the woods, or by the lake. But I was totally unprepared for my experience in the Prayer Labyrinth, and absolutely entranced by the mystery of it. From the moment I stepped onto that path, I knew that I was meeting God. With every step I took, and every turn I made, I felt the undeniable presence of the Holy Spirit, convicting me and challenging me as I journeyed, not just along this painted path, but on the road that we call life. I could hear the sound of the log fire in the grate, the soft music as it played, the shuffling of others as they meandered along this same winding road. I could see candles as they flickered, the feet of others as they passed me by, the hands of those raised in prayer. I could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit, the emotions of my friends as they made their own way on this journey, the energy in the room as God Almighty stooped down to meet us. And all along, all I wanted to do was reach the center of the Labyrinth. I truly yearned to be in that place of peace and calm, where others where. But it took me a long, long time to get there. Many times I thought I had reached it, only to discover that the path took me away from the center, out towards the edge again. And when I finally stood in the middle of that Labyrinth, I did not want to leave. For the longest time, I was unable to tear myself away. But as in life, I knew that I must journey back. I set out to return to the real world, but I knew that I was not returning alone.
How often do you get to meet with God in such a powerful way? Find a Prayer Labyrinth. Walk a Prayer Labyrinth. Prepare to meet God in that sacred place. It will impact your ministy, your life, your heart, and your soul. I know that I can still meet God in the woods, but the Prayer Labyrinth at Lake Louise was an experience that I will never forget.
This is what the Lord says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls." Jeremiah 6:16