At Thursday’s annual National Prayer Breakfast, President Donald Trump — though not exactly the role model of Christian faith himself — gave a clear reminder of why so many Christians voted for him. First, he defended prayer itself.

On D-Day, all those warriors set out on their mission of liberation. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt led our nation in prayer. In a national radio address, President Roosevelt began with these solemn words: “Almighty God, our sons, the pride of our nation, on this day have set upon a mighty endeavor: A struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion and our civilization.”

Since the founding of our nation, many of our greatest strides — from gaining our independence to abolition, from civil rights to extending the vote to women — have been led by people of faith and started in prayer. When we open our hearts to faith, we fill our hearts with love.

Many of the people in this room lead and support the charities and faith-based institutions that bring hope to the lives of our citizens, comfort to those in despair and solace to those in grief, aid to those in need and a helping hand to struggling people all around the world.

And then, as Democrats around the nation rush to quash life in the womb, Trump stood up for the most innocent among us:

As part of our commitment to building a just and loving society, we must build a culture that cherishes the dignity and sanctity of innocent human life. All children born and unborn are made in the holy image of God.

Every life is sacred and every soul is a precious gift from Heaven. As the Lord says in Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart.”

He closed with a call for unity similar to that in his State of the Union Address:

We are blessed to live in a land of faith where all things are possible. … On Tuesday, I asked Americans to choose greatness. … Greatness for our country and to renew our love and loyalty to one another as friends, as citizens, as neighbors, as patriots and as Americans.

There could no better way to begin this exciting national adventure than the way America has always begun our greatest adventures — by coming together in prayer. So today and every day, let us pray for the future of our country.

Let us pray for the courage to pursue justice and the wisdom to forge peace. Let us pray for a future where every child has a warm, safe and loving home.

Let us come together for the good of our people, for the strength of our families, for the safety of our citizens. … And let us always give thanks for the miracle of life, the majesty of creation and the grace of Almighty God.