You may remember from prior labyrinth lesson posts that the Whites Chapel UMC in Texas was one of my favorites labyrinths from the December 2021 road trip I took with Andrew & Mikayla. As with my previous labyrinth walk (Double Play), there were two sets of lessons on this labyrinth walk. Today’s labyrinth lesson came from my walk into the labyrinth. These lessons occurred on December 8, 2021 in the early afternoon, around 12:45 p.m. While the sun was shining, I don’t recall it being particularly hot. This was my second visit to this labyrinth within just a few days time, and this time, Andrew and Mikayla accompanied me.
Whites Chapel UMC is located at 185 White Chapel Blvd in Southlake, (Dallas area) Texas.
Resolutions
Obedience is more than thoughts and good intention-
obedience requires action
When I think of the word obedience, I am instinctively resistant. I automatically assume that I will be forced to do something I don’t want to do. Consequently, this declaration wasn’t well received.
Oddly enough, and I don’t remember why, but I had notes from this walk referencing John 15:9-17.
My notes say John 15 – “Abide in my Love”.
John 15:9-17
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
I guess my take-away is that I need to focus on LOVE – loving people, being loving, and acting/responding in love and with love.
And, based on lesson #2 (see below), I apparently need to work harder to be more loving…
Minimal effort will not result in maximum blessings
Ugh– this was a hard one, mostly because it is true and spoke directly to my heart. We can’t expect to perform at our best when we don’t do our best or try our hardest.
Again, I had references to another scripture – this one was Ephesians 1:18.
In summary- do you best and reap the rewards.
Ephesians 1:18
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,
Prepare for your life to begin anew
Fresh start.
New beginnings.
Square one.
Tabula rasa.
I’ve commonly seen the phrase ‘every day is a new beginning’. It’s our reminder that when we have a bad day, it is only that- a moment in time. We can ‘start over’ and while it may not change the current situation, but we can reset our attitude, approach and mindset.
That can be as much of a fresh start as anything else.
