Dear President Obama,
Today is truly a landmark day. It feels trite to even write about it because the press coverage has inundated us with reminders of what a shift this marks in the turbulent race relations this country has experienced throughout our history. I am proud of the advances we have made.
I did not vote for you, but I believe in a Sovereign Lord who appoints leaders. I will respect your position and your office. I do not hold ill will towards you, but instead I pray for you.
I pray that you will submit to the authority of The One who put you in office in the first place. There will be constant public opinion polls, water cooler chatter and talking heads espousing their views of your performance. I pray that the approval you seek will be from God alone.
I pray that you will remember the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr and Abraham Lincoln, the two leaders you seem to seek to emulate the most. I pray that you will embrace their quest for equal rights. I pray that you will come to understand this as a call to protect ALL LIVES equally--including the unborn lives in this country.
I pray that you will be protected from the lies and the enemy, the intoxicating ill-effects of power and the human tendency to think of ourselves more highly than we ought.
I pray that the astounding swell of public support that you have (both from the media and many citizens of our world) will not go to your head but will, instead, go to your heart. I pray that you have appropriate confidence, but that you do not believe the hype about yourself. May you be a leader people follow not because they have to, but because they want to.
May your wisdom and strength come from the Lord. May your heart be tender towards the love and will of our Father.
I pray for your marriage and your family--that despite the intense glare of the media spotlight you will be able to have a home that is a haven of love, peace and rest.
May you be a leader who models integrity--who stands for things that count.
In short, I pray you don't blow it. But when you do make the inevitable mistakes, I pray you will be able to own up to them.
And finally, I pray that you will find your identity...not as a black man, a mixed race man, but as an American...and more importantly, as a dearly loved child of God placed in this position at this time for specific purposes. May you find your purpose and embrace it.
For more letters to the next president, click here.
31 comments:
Very well said.
Well said Jmom...my sentiments exactly.
Wonderfully written and well said!
This made me tear up. As usual you are quite eloquent.
You should be saying the prayer at the inaugeration today...this is absolutly beautiful!
God Bless You...
Tanya
Amen!!
I'm printing this out for Dinner Table Talk tonight. I've wanted to express these thoughts to my children about my feelings.
You took the words right out of my mouth. So much better than I would have said.
These are my thoughts exactly, though I could never write them as well as you did. Thank you for sharing this....I'm also going to share it with my kids.
AMEN!!
Very eloquently spoken.....I had many of these same thoughts on this very historic morning.
wonderful prayer, that's how i feel. :)
I get together with my Beach Buddies tonight and I want to remember to share this. Very well said!! Thank you.
That is amazing. I have thought of many of these things (though not so eloquently) because I choose to support him even though I did not vote for him. I am determined to pray for him as his term begins. I know that God has things in control.
Excellent post, thank you.
Beautifully said! You have a way with words.
Beautifully written- I hope you're sending him a copy. I'd love to e-mail sometime- I also minister to girls and am currently writing a book for older high school/college-aged women. I'd love to get some insight from you. My e-mail - tracikeel@comcast.net
Take Care!
Traci
Amen!!
That is really good! I am so impressed! You need to send that in! : )
This is a wonderful well written, well expressed letter to our new president. My sentiments exactly!
Well said!
beautifully written, I'm going to link to it on my blog. .
Thank You! Very well done!
:::applause::: Well said!
Love this and agree! You should send this to him.
I am just curious, did you write a letter to George W Bush when he took office too? I'd be interested in reading that one too if so.
A great post! I share your feelings.
I did not write one to W. I actually got this idea from a sermon series I heard. (the one referenced in the link to other letters at the end of the post.)
Beautiful! I hope you will send it and by some miracle, it will be read by this new president.
I agree with you completely.
AMEN! :)
Beautifully written. I hope you send this. If I were president (hahahaha), this is the sort of letter I would keep in my desk draw to pull out whenever the going gets rough.
Thanks for your response! Hope you didn't read my comment with any kind of negative tone. I was just curious. Your children are so precious!
Beautifully written! My 5 year old little girl was so disappointed when "our guy" didn't win the election, but we have been encouraging her that even though we didn't vote for President Obama- he is now our leader and we need to respect him and certainly pray for him.
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