A Prayer about Being Known By God

You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. Psalm 139:1

Gracious God,

As we prayed yesterday, 

we are so thankful 

that you have invited us to know you, 

but we are even more thankful 

that you know us. 

We confess, 

we often fear being known, 

because we are afraid if someone really knows 

the whole truth about us, 

they won’t like us or love us. 

But you “discern our thoughts” 

and you know 

what words are forming on our tongues 

even before we do (Psalm 139:2-4). 

Given some of the thoughts and words 

that form in our minds 

and on our tongues, 

we are astonished that you still love us, Lord.

But indeed you do, 

for you demonstrated your love for us 

by sending Christ to die for us 

while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). 

As theologian J. I. Packer writes, 

“There is tremendous relief 

in knowing that your love for us 

is utterly realistic…

so that no discovery now 

can disillusion you about us…” (42).

Not only do you know us and love us and forgive us;

you know every detail of every lives: 

the number of hairs on our head, 

the number of e-mails piling up in our inbox, 

the number of diapers we will change today, 

the number of days in our lives. 

Because you are a God of the details, 

we can trust that your care for us is complete—

you never miss a moment. 

Knowing how you know us 

comforts us and energizes us 

to know you 

and love you 

and serve you 

and obey you. 

Knowing how you know us 

encourages us to seek to know ourselves, 

something we will pray about tomorrow.

In Jesus’ knowing and loving name. Amen.

Read Psalm 139:1-6; Galatians 4:9; Exodus 33:17; Jeremiah 1:5.