 Graham planted ‘a seed in my soul,’ Bush says By John H. Adams The Presbyterian Layman Volume 34, Number 1 Posted January 24, 2001 Soon after he announced that he would be a candidate for president, George W. Bush, who will become the nation’s 43rd president on Jan. 20, wrote a testimonial about his Christian faith that has been widely circulated on the Internet and in some publications. This is an abbreviated version.
And what he said sparked a change in my heart. I don’t remember the exact words. It was more the power of his example. The Lord was so clearly reflected in his gentle and loving demeanor. The next day we walked and talked at Walker’s Point, and I knew I was in the presence of a great man. He was like a magnet; I felt drawn to seek something different. He didn’t lecture or admonish; he shared warmth and concern. Billy Graham didn’t make you feel guilty; he made you feel loved. Over the course of that weekend, Reverend Graham planted a mustard seed in my soul, a seed that grew over the next year. He led me to the path, and I began walking. It was the beginning of a change in my life. I had always been a “religious” person, had regularly attended church, even taught Sunday school and served as an altar boy. But that weekend my faith took on a new meaning. It was the beginning of a new walk where I would commit my heart to Jesus Christ. I was humbled to learn that God sent his Son to die for a sinner like me. I was comforted to know that through the Son, I could find God’s amazing grace, a grace that crosses every border, every barrier and is open to everyone. Through the love of Christ’s life, I could understand the life-changing powers of faith. When I returned to Midland, I began reading the Bible regularly. Don Evans talked me into joining him and another friend, Don Jones, at a men’s community Bible study. The group had first assembled the year before, in spring of 1984, at the beginning of the downturn in the energy industry. Midland was hurting. A lot of people were looking for comfort and strength and direction. A couple of men started the Bible study as a support group, and it grew. By the time I began attending, in the fall of 1985, almost 120 men would gather. My interest in reading the Bible grew stronger and stronger, and the words became clearer and more meaningful. Laura and I were active members of the First Methodist Church of Midland and we participated in many family programs, including James Dobson’s Focus on the Family series on raising children. I have also learned the power of prayer. I pray for guidance. I do not pray for earthly things, but for heavenly things, for wisdom and patience and understanding. My faith gives me focus and perspective. It teaches humility. But I also recognize that faith can be misinterpreted in the political process. Faith is an important part of my life. I believe it is important to live my faith, not flaunt it. I could not be governor if I did not believe in a divine plan that supersedes all human plans. Politics is a fickle business. Polls change. Today’s friend is tomorrow’s adversary. People lavish praise and attention. Many times it is genuine; sometimes it is not. Yet, I build my life on a foundation that will not shift. My faith frees me. Frees me to put the problem of the moment in proper perspective. Frees me to make decisions that others might not like. Frees me to try to do the right thing, even though it may not poll well. I have a reverence for life; my faith teaches that life is a gift from our Creator. In a perfect world, life is given by God and only taken by God. I hope someday our society will respect life, the full spectrum of life, from the unborn to the elderly. I hope someday unborn children will be protected by law and welcomed in life. I support the death penalty because I believe, if administered swiftly and justly, capital punishment is a deterrent against future violence and will save other innocent lives. Some advocates of life will challenge why I oppose abortion, yet support the death penalty. To me, it’s the difference between innocence and guilt. In my church in downtown Austin, Pastor Mark Craig was telling me that my re-election was the first governor to win back-to-back, four-year terms in the history of the state of Texas. It was a beginning, not an end. ... “People are starved for leadership,” Pastor Craig said, “starved for leaders who have ethical and moral courage.” “It is not enough to have an ethical compass to know right from wrong,” he argued. “America needs leaders who have the moral courage to do what is right for the right reason. It’s not always easy or convenient for leaders to step forward,” he acknowledged. “Remember, even Moses had doubts.” “He was talking to you,” my mother later said. The pastor was, of course, talking to all of us, challenging each one of us to make the most of our lives, to assume the mantle of leadership and responsibility wherever we find it. He was calling on us to use whatever power we have, in business, in politics, in our communities, and in our families, to do good for the right reason. ... I gradually felt more comfortable with the prospect of a presidential campaign. |
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