Today was a big day for the United States when our 44^th president was sworn into his second term as the nation’s leader. Barack Obama did what most presidents before him have done during the ceremony; he put his hand atop a Bible held by his wife while reciting his formal oath of office.

Why a Bible?

“Swearing” on the Word of God brings the authority of the Almighty into the promises being made. It’s a gesture indicating that the oath-taker is aware of God as his witness and as a result, plans to follow through with what he’s saying he will do… for God and for us.

Here’s what he said today: “I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, so help me God.”

I heard our president say these words and know in his heart he’ll try his best to follow through. And I’m impressed that most presidents make this all-important promise with a hand on the Bible. In President Obama’s case, it was two Bibles. Well, actually, three.

Since the official Inauguration Day fell on a Sunday this year, he took his oath privately yesterday using Michelle’s family Bible (originally purchased at Chicago’s Moody Bible Institute Bookstore). Today his hand rested on a stack of two  more Bibles, those belonging to Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King.

As I saw his hand resting on the Scriptures, I thought of how significant it would have been had he chosen to use his own Bible. Since he testifies to being a Christian, I would assume he has a copy of his preferred translation for private reading and personal study. (Maybe these days he uses a Bible app. But what about before iphones?)

I wish I could have seen that Bible, our president’s Bible, as the underpinning of his oath of office today. Maybe it has a well-worn cover and rumpled pages from faithful use. Maybe the binding is loose and the bookmark-ribbon frayed. Had he used it, it would have made a powerful statement of his relationship with the Lord at a pivotal moment in history (both for us, and for him).

It’s possible that offense might have been taken by some watching, but the sight of his well-loved, well-used Bible would have boosted my confidence with respect to what will unfold for our country’s citizens and for the world during these next four years.

But regardless of the Bible choices he made, and I know they were made with care, I’m glad God’s Word was acknowledged at the inauguration and that President Obama chose (despite speculation otherwise) to put a powerful exclamation point at the end of his oath: “…so help me God.”

And I’m sure God will.

“He swore an oath by the One who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it.” (Revelation 10:6)