Pastor Joel Osteen opened the U.S. House of Representatives in prayer this week, asking God to help lawmakers make good decisions and to “hold fast” to His truth.
In his prayer before the House on Tuesday, Osteen asked God to help the representatives be mindful of Him in their work.
“Help these lawmakers to search their hearts so that they may serve with dignity and honor and that through them our nation will achieve the destiny that you have set before us,” he prayed.
“Give them wisdom as they make good decisions, courage that they would hold fast to your truth, and compassion that all should prosper from their laws,” he said.
Later, Osteen told ABC News he was humbled and excited to pray on Capitol Hill.
“It was great,” he said. “It’s very honoring to come to the country that you love and to stand in such a historic place and be able to pray and offer a prayer of blessing,” he said.
He also said that members of Congress should be more willing to compromise and work together.
“I think God blesses unity. Sometimes we have to realize if we can’t get 100 percent of what we want, [maybe] we can get 80 percent,” he said.
“It seems like when I was growing up, there was more compromise, wanting to work with each other,” he said. “And I think all of them, all of the lawmakers, have hearts to do what’s right and they all are passionate about it.”
Osteen, pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, served as guest chaplain of the House at the invitation of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Texas Democrat. Osteen will serve as Guest Chaplain of the Senate on Thursday.
