A White House
Briefing
March 31, 2003
A couple days ago I attended a two-hour White
House briefing aimed at updating national Christian leaders and
soliciting our prayers and the prayers of those we serve. It's
impressive to enter such a historic building and walk the same
halls that great men and women of the past walked down. It's
also impressive that so many national Christian leaders could
make the meeting on such short notice. We were asked to keep the
details of the briefing off the record but two comments were
made about the President that I know they would want me to
repeat.
A prominent member of the White House, and also a
long-time friend of the President, noted the importance of the
President's faith. The two attended a weekly Bible study for
years and the President rises every morning and reads his Bible
and prays before he takes his wife a cup of coffee (I can't help
but ponder the fact that someone as busy as the President makes
time to spend alone with God each day). He said, "The President
holds up well when making tough decisions because he knows the
purpose of life and doesn't worship the power of the office but
a higher power." For George W. that "higher power" isn't some
unknown force but Jesus Christ.
Another member of the Administration involved with
the Faith-based and Community Initiatives office made a crucial
comment when he said, "When discussing a tough decision with the
President he listens to all the options. And then he always asks
the same question: ‘What's the right thing to do?' He never asks
for a focus group or polling data. He simply wants to know
what's right."
That's why after the war in Afghanistan he said,
"There will not be a famine in Afghanistan." That's why he's now
saying, "The regime in Iraq will be changed and we will provide
relief for the people of Iraq and help rebuild the nation--for
the Iraqi people."
I found it especially interesting that this White
House realizes that we face a situation today similar to the one
faced in WWII in which we helped replace two evil
governments--one in Germany and the other in Japan. For forty
years we fought to replace the Communist regime in the USSR--and
we succeeded.
There will always be evil in the world and the fight for justice
and liberty will never be finished until the Lord returns. Time
and again we were told that the President requests and needs our
prayers. I want you to know that this administration is made up
of many men and women who love Jesus Christ and want to lead in
a way that pleases him. They are not pushy or obnoxious in their
faith--just deeply devoted. During this time of war--please join
me in praying for our President, other leaders, and our military
men and women.
Pray: For wisdom for our President and other leaders.
Pray: For safety, strength and courage for our leaders and
troops.
Pray: For strength and comfort for the families of our troops.
Pray: For a sense of God's presence with our troops.
Pray: For confusion and despair for our enemies and their quick
defeat.
Pray: For the Iraqi people and their safety and liberation.
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