Dear Mr. President,

The Bible teaches us that God has appointed you as president. This has nothing to do with your personal faith, though I hope it is strong; but rather is because of your office. God ordains government to wield the sword to keep order and do justice. In biblical terms as well as in the long view of history, the way in which you can do both of those things together will determine the success of your presidency.

America’s founders labeled this new nation an experiment in “ordered liberty.” The order to be achieved is what St. Augustine called the Tranquilitis Ordinus, peace coming from order, but order can never transgress liberty or justice.

Having served one president, (not very well—I ended up in prison) and having been friends of several others, I can tell you that the best way to start your day as president is to read a good devotional and scripture. Preserving order means preserving the moral order, as well as the just order of society. But you will find no better source for understanding moral truth than God’s revealed word.

The second thing you should do each day is recite the opening words of the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution is our covenant; the Declaration is our identity. Always remember these words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” When you do this, remember that the pursuit of Happiness, to the founders, did not mean the kind of hedonism that people seek in today’s narcissistic culture. It meant the pursuit of virtue. Free governing republics can only remain free if the people are virtuous themselves and able to govern their own appetites.

Finally, I know, having spent four years in the White House, that you will confront a series of unexpected crises. When these occur, there is no substitute for quiet prayer, trust in God, and then heeding His words, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

May you have wisdom like God gave Solomon to be able to judge between right and wrong and bring justice to a disordered world.

God bless you.

Chuck Colson