Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves led the Magnolia State in a brief Bible study and prayer service on Facebook Sunday morning. Watch below.
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed,” the governor said, reading 2 Corinthians 4:8-9.
He read three passages from the Holy Bible and delivered two prayers on behalf of the state.
“As the psalmist said, today is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it,” he prayed.
The Republican governor asked God to protect Mississippians and to give President Trump and Vice President Pence wisdom to lead us through the Chinese virus crisis.
“Thank you for looking over us,” the governor prayed extemporaneously. “Thank you for giving our leaders wisdom. Dear Heavenly Father please be with President Trump, Vice President Pence, the leadership team in Washington as they deal with this once-in-a-lifetime pandemic across the globe.”
Governor Tate also challenged residents to look after the elderly and be careful about congregating in public places. He recommended what he called “shared sacrifice” – whether that might be running errands for senior citizens or delivering groceries.
“We know these times are tough, but we know working together we can get through them,” the said.
In closing, the governor shared a familiar passage of Scripture from the Gospel of John 3:16.
“You’ll notice it doesn’t speak to Baptists or Methodists or Pentecostals or Catholics or any other denomination,” he said. “For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”
That’s a message that speaks to all of humanity.