Bush Thanks God for Blessings at 53rd Annual Prayer Breakfast
Less than 10 hours after delivering his fourth State of the Union address, President Bush attended the 53rd annual prayer breakfast with members of Congress and world leaders, Thursday, February 03, 2005.
“We thank God for his great blessings in one voice, regardless of our backgrounds. We recognize in one another the spark of the Divine that gives all human beings their inherent dignity and worth, regardless of religion,” said Bush, as he opened up his address to the thousands of dignitaries.
Bush gave the example of President Abraham Lincoln in emphasizing the importance of prayer for the men in service.
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“In November 1864, after being reelected to his second term, Lincoln declared he would be "the most shallow and self-conceited blockhead on Earth if he ever thought he could do his job without the wisdom which comes from God and not from men." Throughout a terrible Civil War, he issued many exhortations to prayer, calling upon the American people to humble themselves before their Maker and to serve all those in need,” said Bush.
Bush also gave tribute to the Christian and faith-based relief organizations that have been working alongside governments to provide aid in post-tsunami South Asia.
“Look at the list of organizations bringing relief to the people from Indonesia to Sri Lanka. They're full of religious names: Samaritan's Purse, American-Jewish World Service, Baptist World Aid, The Catholic Medical Mission Board. They do a superb job delivering relief across the borders and continents and cultures,” said Bush.
“Today, millions of people across this Earth get the help they need only because our faith-based institutions live the commandment to "love thy neighbor as thyself." Often, that means remembering the people forgotten or overlooked in a busy world: those in Africa suffering from HIV/AIDS, young girls caught up in the global sex trade, victims of religious persecution,” he added. “In these great moral challenges of our times, our churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples are providing the vision that is changing lives.”
“Through fellowship and prayer, we acknowledge that all power is temporary, and must ultimately answer to His purposes. And we know that affirming this truth is particularly appropriate in the heart of a capital built upon the promise of self-government. No one understood this better than Abraham Lincoln,” said Bush.
The National Prayer Breakfast, which is held every February in Washington D.C., began in 1953 under the auspices of the (Christian) Fellowship Foundation. The Arlington, Virginia-based group has a membership that includes several prominent members of the United States Congress.
