If my people, which are called by my name,
shall HUMBLE THEMSELVES, and pray,
and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways;
then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin,
and will heal their land.
II CHRONICLES 7:14
Governor George W. Bush Shares His Faith
In an interview with Charisma magazine and another
interview with the Christian web site, Crosswalk.com,
Governor Bush spoke at length about how he rededicated his
life to Christ, and how his Christian faith guides his moral
and political beliefs.
Speaking about his decision to rededicate his life to Christ,
Bush told Charisma, "When you admit you're a sinner,
it is recognition that there is a need. And that need,
for me, was met through Christ. You can be a sinner and live
under a bridge. Or you can be a sinner and be the governor
of Texas. To me it is an understanding that the human
condition requires a power greater than self. In 1986 I came
to that realization. I had been raised a Christian, but my
faith was reconfirmed in a much more powerful, personal
way - because I sought, and I found." An encounter with
Billy Graham "lit a spark," Bush said, but that spark was
fanned into a flame through his involvement in Community
Bible Study. "That's when I began to read the Bible every
day. Now I seek God's guidance. But of course, as a
politician, I am mindful of the fact that my faith doesn't
make me better than anyone else," he said.
His rediscovered faith makes a difference in his life as Bush
told Charisma "I am more mindful of the needs of
others. I also have a certain confidence about my life.
It is not dependent upon material success, or electoral
success for that matter," he said. "I am going to fight
like heck and give this campaign my best shot, and I hope
I will be the president. But should it not work out, I
understand that there is a force greater than myself - and
it gives me great comfort."
Bush told Crosswalk.com about the role his faith plays in
his political life. "My faith is an integral part of my
whole being, that's what faith is," he said. "I don't think
you can separate your faith from who you are. Secondly,
I'm in the middle of this really interesting run for the
presidency. I rely upon my faith as an anchor, as a home,
as a spiritual home that is very comforting. I find great
comfort in the Bible and in prayer. And the interesting
thing that's happened to me in the campaign is the number
of people who walk up to me, like right here in Eastern
Tennessee, and say, 'we're praying for you.' A powerful part
of America is the willingness of our people, the American
people, to pray for the country and pray for leaders I think
that makes America so unique in the world."
Bush also told Charisma about his commitment to the
pro-life cause. "The battle has not been lost," he insisted.
"The battle for life begins with changing the culture. We
need to convince people of the preciousness of life. If
we do get a better understanding of the preciousness of
life, then people will start making better choices. And I
don't mean just the life of the unborn. I'm talking about the
life of the elderly. I'm talking about teaching our children
the value of life. The 1999 Columbine massacre was really
an issue of teenagers who didn't value life - kids who would
walk into their school and take somebody's life. That was a
clear sign that this country needs to have a renewed
understanding of the preciousness of life."
Bush asked Christians to remember him and his family in
prayer as the election draws near. "You could pray that God
will protect my children," he said. "My biggest worry about
running for president is not about me; it's about my family.
We've got two 18-year-old daughters who mean a lot to us,
and their daddy is running for president. People are going
to say ugly and hurtful things. Secondly, I pray for peace
of mind and wisdom. The power of prayer is real. It's
comforting ... prayer helps me keep perspective. I'm not
so anxious to be the president that I will say whatever it
takes to win. I think that has to do with my faith and how
I was raised. To me, faith is a long walk. It's not a moment.
It's a walk."
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