1 John 5

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. (1 Jn. 5:20)

You, O Lord, are great and worthy of exceeding praise. Your great virtue and your wisdom are beyond comprehension. Humanity, though merely creatures, longs to praise you—the same humanity that bears the weight of mortality, the testimony of sin, and the reminder that you resist the proud. Still, humanity, this small part of your creation, inherently desires to praise you. You enkindle in us a longing to praise you because you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.

Lord, let me know, let me truly comprehend, whether I should first come to you in prayer or with praise, whether I am to know you first or I should pray before I know you. But who calls to you without first knowing you? For the one who tries may unknowingly turn to another, mistaking that other for you. Or should you be called upon first in order that you may be known? But how will anyone call upon you if they do not first believe? How will they believe without a proclaimer? But those who seek him will praise the Lord, for those who seek him will find him. Those who find him will indeed praise him.

Let me seek you, then, Lord, even as I pray to you. Let me call upon you even as I believe in you, for you have been proclaimed to me. O Lord, my faith calls out to you—my faith that you have given, that you have inspired in me through the incarnation of your Son and through the ministry of your preacher.
Augustine of Hippo was the most celebrated theologian of his era and one of the most influential theologians of all time. He became a priest in 391 and later became bishop of Hippo. Augustine’s writings have been studied since their first printing and have found a readership in every successive generation.
Cloud of Witnesses: A Treasury of Prayers and Petitions through the Ages
This comprehensive anthology combines prayers and petitions of the greatest figures throughout history to bolster the reader’s knowledge of prayer and develop their walk with Christ.