This morning prayer is for missionaries, the people who have left familiar places to serve God and others in unfamiliar ones. Pray it early, before the day’s meetings, visits or classes begin, and read it aloud as written or use it as a starting point for your own words. Either way, it gives you a way to bring a whole day of ministry to God before it begins.
Morning Prayers for Missionaries
Lord, I come to you this morning for those who have gone out to serve in places far from home. Give them rest before the day begins, and let them wake knowing they are not alone. Where the language still feels heavy in their mouths, give them patience with themselves and clear words when they need them. Where the heat, the noise or the unfamiliar food wears them down, give them strength for the ordinary hours.
Go before them today into the homes, clinics, schools and market streets where they will meet people. Open the ears of the ones they speak with, and soften hearts that have every reason to stay closed. Guard their families who are far away, and keep their marriages, children and friendships warm across the distance. Keep them honest, humble and joyful, and let their work be guided by your love rather than their own fear of failing. Amen.
A Shorter Version to Pray in a Moment
Father, be with the missionaries I think of today. Steady their hands, steady their hearts, and give them wisdom for each conversation they will have. Protect their health and their families, and let them see your faithfulness in small things before the day is over. Speak through them to the people who need to hear you. Amen.
Scriptures to Pray Alongside
Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait for the LORD will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint.
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Pray this verse for missionaries who feel depleted before the day has even started. Ask God to renew their strength in the hours they have not yet faced, and to lift them above exhaustion as they wait on him.
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
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Pray this passage as a reminder of the commission these workers have accepted. Ask that they would keep their attention on the task they were sent to do, trusting that the presence of Jesus goes with them into every day.
Psalm 121:7-8
7 The LORD will keep you from all evil. He will keep your soul. 8 The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in, from this time forward, and forever more.
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Pray this for the missionaries’ comings and goings, from their homes to their work and back again. Ask God to keep watch over their going out and their coming in, from this morning onward.
Romans 15:13
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
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Pray this for the missionaries who have grown weary of discouragement. Ask that the God of hope would fill them with joy and peace as they trust him, so that hope overflows in their work today.
Philippians 4:6-7
6 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
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Pray this for the worries missionaries carry about finances, safety, and the people they serve. Ask that they would bring each anxiety to God in prayer, and receive a peace that guards their minds through the day.
How to Pray This Prayer
Pray this prayer while your coffee is still warm, or while you are walking or sitting quietly before the rest of the house wakes up. If you know the names of particular missionaries, say them aloud as you pray, and pause for a moment after each one. Keeping a list on the kitchen table or in your phone can help you remember who to bring before God each morning.
You might also pray this with a friend, a small group or your church’s prayer team, taking turns reading lines aloud. Consider writing a short note of encouragement after you pray, so the missionaries know someone on their home side is holding them up. Whatever you do, keep the prayer short enough to return to during the day when a worry rises again.
A Blessing to Close
May the Lord go before every missionary this morning and walk beside them through each hour. May he give them clear eyes, a steady heart and open doors, and may they rest in his care wherever the day takes them.
