From A Pastor Prays for His People by Wendell C. Hawley

Holy God, Lord most gracious,
We are in great need and you have extended your beneficent invitation:
“Come unto me, all you who are heavy laden.”
That describes us: we are overloaded with the cares of our existence.
We are creatures of need, but there is a problem . . .
What we see as our need is not the way you see it.
We see our need as more money,
we see our need as better health,
we see our need as a promotion,
as greater respect from our family,
as less anxiety—less stress—less pressure.
You see our need as prioritizing:
Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.
We confess that really, deep down, we don’t love you with all our hearts.
Lord, we see our sin. Forgive us.
We want to love you first and foremost.
Help us to experience the joy of love unblemished, a life lived to please God.
We pray that we will know you, whom to know is life more abundant.
We want to join with the psalmist in saying,
As the deer longs for streams of water,
So I long for you, O God.
I thirst for God, the Living God.
Amen.