In the aftermath of the failed assassination attempt on former President Trump, millions of Americans concluded that God's hand of protection spared him. The former president indicated the same belief. "I'm not supposed to be here tonight . . . I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of Almighty God."
Franklin Graham also pointed to God in his remarks at the Republican National Convention. "President Trump had a near-death experience, no question. But God spared his life. When we go through those experiences, it changes us. They can cause us to examine our lives and to reevaluate our priorities, as you should. When President Trump rose from that platform, he rose with his fists raised in strength, showing America his unshakable resolve to fight for them and this nation."
Graham then prayed that God's mercy would also heal our land. "This evening, our nation is in trouble. We're divided politically, racially, economically, with millions of people seeking refuge and hope in our dry and thirsty land. You're the only one who can fix the complexity of the problems that we face today. We pray for President Trump, that you would give him wisdom, strength, and a clear vision for the future of this nation, and the task that is at hand. Continue to protect him from his enemies."
Not everyone agrees with the idea of "God's providence," of course. I have fielded calls from American and European reporters who entirely reject the concept. Many of those journalists discard any thought that there is a God, let alone that He is active in the affairs of humankind. Their problem is not with Donald Trump but with the view that our country was built on the core belief that our liberties come from God.
Every generation of Americans has nearly unanimously believed that God's hand was in our nation's founding and that He has saved us time and again. George Washington was confident that God spared him in 1755 when seven shots resulted in killing his horse, piercing his coat, and ripping through his hat, yet none entered his body. Likewise, Ronald Reagan, who survived a bullet lodged one centimeter from his heart, was certain that he owed his life to God.
We hope and pray that the attempt on Donald Trump's life will remind all Americans that we must turn our hearts back to God—the One who knows when a sparrow falls (Matthew 10:29). Without His providential hand, no nation can rise and remain standing.