Liturgist:           I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.
All:                      Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.  (Psalm 86:11-12)

Father, we never want to hear you say these terrifying words to us: “I never knew you.” Please help us to know you truly and to love you deeply as you designed us to do, because you have poured your love into our hearts by your Holy Spirit. Break down every wall and every barrier that we put in the way of knowing you. Seize the attention of our hearts from the distractions that we allow to seduce us away from knowing you. We long for your truth to set us free from every hindrance so that our hearts would be united and whole to know and honor you.

Liturgist:           I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, . . .

Lord, please help us be doers, and not just hearers, of your word. When we stand before you as our Judge, we pray that our lives will show the fruit of truly knowing you, the fruit of love that is more than merely being sentimental or doing thing that are convenient, but rather real love that sacrifices when it isn’t convenient or pleasant, the fruit of your character expressed in us as we do our jobs for your glory with skill and devotion, as we welcome strangers generously, as we care for the sick, as we forgive and bless those who hate us, as we visit those who are prisoners, as we care for and adopt children, as we serve a friend who suffers.

Liturgist:           I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, . . .

Father, please be our rock that holds firm when life’s storms put our faith to the rest: when marriage is hard, when friends disappoint, when children wander and won’t listen, when parents and leaders fail, when everything in us wants to give up and surrender to bitter anger, we pray for your strong, patient love to hold us fast, to calm us and give us courage to trust you and to love as we have been loved by you.

Liturgist:           I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, . . .

We pray for those who do not know you, for family and friends, for co-workers and neighbors, some of whom have attended a church and who think they know you but do not. Please open their eyes and hearts to think, to see, to understand, and to embrace you as their true Creator and Savior. Please make us your loving ambassadors in their lives. Help us adorn that good news with humble love. Help us to listen and share and discuss the truth for the sake of love and with a manner of love and a motive of love.

Lord, pray for the coming of your kingdom in all its fullness using the words that you taught us, saying, “Our Father…