Today is the day! We find ourselves on the doorstep of change once again. The 115th Congress was sworn in on January 3rd and today, we will inaugurate the 45th President of the United States.

Will you join with me in praying for our new President and his entire team, for a smooth transition, and for the Lord to guide him? Regardless of personal politics, one thing is certain; people of faith are called to humbly lift up their leaders before a sovereign God… from our President and his cabinet and senior advisors, to members of Congress, to our state, local, and municipal government leaders. It’s both a great responsibility and a great privilege. The Apostle Paul admonishes us in this way, “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior” (1 Tim. 2:1-3).

In his second inaugural address in 1865, Abraham Lincoln inspired our divided nation to find common ground, to seek together a future marked with unity and prosperity. He knew he needed to bring the nation together after a bitter period that exacted a great cost on America. His message echoes across the landscape of time and offers a measure of encouragement and hope: “With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds… to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”

So much is at stake for this country in the months and years ahead. May God remind us all of our deep and abiding Judeo-Christian heritage. From our first steps as a nation and throughout our history, with our successes and our failures, with the things we have done well and the things we have yet to grasp, this nation, its people, and our leaders have consistently sought the Lord’s favor, His grace, and His protection. I have shared this quote before, but the words of President Reagan seem so poignant to the times we now live in: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction… without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure… If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a Nation gone under.”

As I reflect on the most recent political cycle, I am aware there is much to be thankful for and to celebrate; and much work yet to be done. I am thankful for the freedoms we continue to enjoy… the freedom to vote and choose our leaders, the freedom to voice our thoughts and opinions without the threat of imprisonment, and the freedom to worship God. Pray for us as we continue to defend those freedoms in the coming year. Together, we will ensure American values and core principles long endure!