On this president’s day, we look at several recent US presidents who looked to God for guidance.
Jimmy Carter was very open about his faith. He is a long-time Sunday school teacher who also served for a time as a door-to-door missionary. He read his Bible daily while in office and made prayer an important part of his life.
In an interview with Christianity Today, Carter said, “there’s no way I could ever separate my Christian belief from my obligations as a naval officer, as a governor or as President, or from my work now.”
Ronald Reagan also took his faith seriously. He said, “I believe with all my heart that standing up for America means standing up for the God who has so blessed our land. We need God’s help to guide our nation through stormy seas. But we can’t expect Him to protect America in a crisis if we just leave Him over on the shelf in our day-to-day living.”
George W. Bush did not shy away from referring to God in speeches and in public discourse. He believed God had a specific calling on his life.
In a speech during the Iraq War, Bush said, “As we continue to fight against terror, we ask the Almighty to protect all those who battle for freedom throughout the world and our brave men and women in uniform, and we ask Him to shield innocents from harm. We recognize the sacrifice of our military families and ask God to grant them peace and strength. We will not forget the men and women who have fallen in service to America and to the cause of freedom. We pray that their loved ones will receive God’s comfort and grace.”