WHEREAS, The President of the United States takes an oath of office to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution, and therefore the citizens of the nation; and
WHEREAS, The members of the armed forces are serving under the president’s constitutional charge as the Commander-in-Chief, an office deserving of respect in light of the vital leadership role he fulfills and the gravity of the decisions he must make; and
WHEREAS, In following the president’s command, many members of the military are serving in areas of extreme danger in order to carry out their assigned missions, and their families are making great sacrifices for them to do so; and
WHEREAS, Our nation is currently engaged in a global war on terrorism, and our military is fighting against a determined and fanatical enemy that is threatening the liberty and security of our nation and of the world; and
WHEREAS, The determined efforts of President George W. Bush and the sacrificial actions of our military personnel have resulted in Afghanistan, formerly under an oppressive regime, and Iraq, formerly under a brutal dictatorship, holding free and democratic elections and developing their own constitutional governments; and
WHEREAS, The Bible commands us to pray for government leaders and all those in authority so that we may pursue living God-honoring lives in peace and security (1 Timothy 2:2); now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Greensboro, North Carolina, June 13-14, 2006, pray that our Heavenly Father will give President Bush the wisdom, strength, and courage needed to fulfill his duties as our Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and as the leader of our nation in such difficult times; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we express our profound appreciation for our president, who professes his faith in Christ and values the efficacy of prayer; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we also express our appreciation for the military chaplains, who encourage service personnel to seek God in prayer; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we encourage all Southern Baptists to pray without ceasing for the president and all of our military personnel, especially those who are serving in areas of great danger (1 Thessalonians 5:17); and be it finally
RESOLVED, That we not only continue praying for all our military families, but that we also continue ministering to them in the name of Jesus, especially those grieving families of military personnel who have paid the ultimate price for our national freedom, remembering that Jesus laid down His life for us and paid the ultimate price for our spiritual freedom (John 15:13).