"(T)here is nothing more comforting – or more humbling, really – than to hear someone say, 'I'm praying for you.' Because when hear you that, you realize, you're not alone. God is there. And hundreds, if not thousands, if not millions of people are all speaking to Him on your behalf," the speaker said.
President Obama spoke in his remarks about faith and Christ as "the great cure for fear."
"What better time than these changing, tumultuous times to have Jesus standing beside us, steadying our minds, cleansing our hearts, pointing us towards what matters."
God's love "gives us the courage to go against the conventional wisdom and stand up for what's right, even when it's not popular," he said, adding that he is inspired by the work of people of faith in serving the needy around the world.
"Whether fighting global poverty or working to end the scourge of human trafficking, you are the leaders of what Pope Francis calls 'this march of living hope'," he said.
The president offered prayers for all those around the world who are oppressed for their faith, "including Christians who are persecuted, or who have been driven from their ancient homelands by unspeakable violence."
"And just as we call on other countries to respect the rights of religious minorities, we, too, respect the right of every single American to practice their faith freely," he added.
Obama ended his address with a series of petitions. "I pray that we will uphold our obligation to be good stewards of God's creation – this beautiful planet," he said.
"I pray that we will see every single child as our own, each worthy of our love and of our compassion. And I pray we answer Scripture's call to lift up the vulnerable, and to stand up for justice, and ensure that every human being lives in dignity."