We sing praises, O God,
for you are the giver of so many gifts,
gifts that are good and beautiful and true.
Your blessings summon us to live in the wide expanses of grace.
So, we come, offering our gratitude and praise.
Sung response: Take, o take me as I am,. . .
You know our hearts, our minds, our very selves;
You have known us from the moment you formed us;
You watch over us all the days of our lives.
You know the deep feelings of love and compassion;
You know the deep groaning of our spirits as they yearn for life,
life in all its fullness and joy.
You know the deep questions that haunt our nights and our days.
More than all that,
you know the holy purposes
for which you made us.
You know the good you intend for us.
You know the future you have planned for us.
We shall be restless until we find our rest in you.
Open our hearts, our minds, our spirits
to your life-giving presence.
(sung response “Take, O take me. . . )
You search us out to find us when we wander far from you.
In our moments of honesty,
we admit that we defend ourselves against you:
we are afraid of the demands you might make upon us;
we fear that you might ask us to give up attitudes and actions that give us a sense of security and control,
we are unsure of the kinds of people you might ask us to love.
In our moments of honesty,
we long to know the salvation and freedom that you promise.
Take those moments of honesty
and open us to your transforming, liberating Spirit.
(sung response: “Take, O take me . . . )
We pray to you, O God,
for you are the giver of so many gifts,
gifts that are good and beautiful and true.
Your blessings summon us to live in the wide expanses of grace.
So, we come, offering you our very selves.
(sung response: Take, O take me . . . )
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