How to Pray for MissionariesSample

Day two

GIVE THANKS (Col 4:2)

Prayer is often linked with thanksgiving in the Bible. One of the best-known examples is found in Phil 4:6-7, where Paul urges us not to be anxious about anything but to bring everything to God in prayer with thanksgiving. 

He says something similar in his letter to the Colossians—'Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving’ (Col 4:2). And he himself regularly begins letters with gratitude for his friends (Rom 1:8, 1 Cor 1:4; Phil 1:3; Col 1:3; 1 Thess 1:2). 

So when we pray for missionaries, it’s a good idea to begin by thanking God for them. Sometimes, when we are faced with pressing needs, it is easy from the very first sentence to start asking for things. Actually, it is only polite to begin all our prayers with thanksgiving. 

P-R-A-Y is a simple anagram for structuring prayer times. In other words:

PRAISE—REPENT—ASK—YIELD 

Of course, sometimes a critical situation may require us to begin by asking, such as in the case of serious accident. On other occasions, like falling over a cliff or something, a short request on its own will do very well. (‘Help!’) 

But when we are lingering before the Lord, praise and thanksgiving are the best way to begin. As God’s Word puts it, ‘Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!’ (Psalm 100:4).

 We can begin by thanking God for what godly ministers have accomplished in the past (Psalm 99:6-9). Think of the huge contribution missionaries have made in terms of education, social welfare, fighting against poverty, caring for widows and children, translating the Scriptures and so on. We ourselves owe much to the missionaries who first brought the gospel to Europe all those hundreds of years ago. 

In Australia, there is currently a renewed interest in Aboriginal culture and the need to record indigenous languages Although it is rarely acknowledged in secular circles, much of the linguistic work has already been done by Christian organisations. This is another major cause for thanksgiving. 

Then we can thank God for what the missionaries we know personally have accomplished. This will mean studying newsletters, mission reports, emails and the like and, even better, making personal contact and learning from them first-hand of their achievements. Whether great or small, they deserve our encouragement. 

What next? 

• Think of missionaries you know and thank God for them by name.

• Make a list of relevant particular actions or qualities for which you can give thanks.