For this reflection I take a pause from looking at the times ‘When Jesus Prayed’ to spend a moment reflecting upon the sad news of our Queen’s death. It was only at the end of May just after the Jubilee, I wrote a reflection for Scattered Salt on our wonderful and longest serving monarch HM Queen Elizabeth II. I wrote of my admiration and her dedication to serve our country and fulfil the calling that God placed on her life.
Please feel free to look back at that reflection or request a copy if you don’t have one. I’d like to think I honoured her and used her own words to encourage us as we live out our faith.
So much has been said by the great and the good, alongside a flourish of outpouring through social media about this incredible lady. Hours of footage, reflecting upon her reign and digging into the video and photo archives to remind ourselves once again of this remarkable woman, who for most of our Nation is the only head of the Monarchy we have ever known. The formation of the commonwealth, the influence and impact she had on other nations globally, the way she handled trouble both in our land and in her own family have been truly inspirational and a wonderful example of how to lead with dignity and humility.
There have been so many fantastic stories shared and praise given, eloquently put, and crafted by wordsmith’s who have captured the feelings of the nation alongside the character and personality of the Queen herself in ways that make my efforts hardly worth adding to.
Yet, the simplest ‘THANK YOU for everything’ (spoken in the Jubilee sketch by Paddington Bear) says so much of the appreciation I have for the way she served and gave herself to be our queen for such a long time.
“Throughout my life, the message and teachings of Christ have been my guide and in them I find hope.”
Queen Elizabeth II – Wednesday 3rd August 2022
I read this quote from the queen last month and since her death it has been posted and reposted many times by people on Facebook and the like. I have found it most helpful and encouraging to know that Jesus was the centre and the circumference of her life, the one in whose TEACHING and MESSAGE gave her GUIDANCE and HOPE throughout her life.
It’s a reminder to us that whatever your status, your position, your circumstance, your influence, your power, whether it be much or be nothing the message and teaching of Jesus is relevant, important, significant, and powerful. It is for right now, for this time, for all people, in all places.
The words and example of the King of Kings was the guiding light and the source of hope for our Queen. May it also be for us, may we hold it up, consume it, take it in, live it out with all we have and never take it for granted or the freedom we have to know it. May we follow the Queen’s example and look to the King of Kings to guide us and give us hope.
“On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”Revelation 19:16
The Queen now wears a different crown as part of God’s family in the Kingdom of Heaven, she has met the King of kings and Lord of Lords. I urge you to keep praying for our Royal Family and particularly our new King Charles III, that he may find the same guidance and hope that his faithful mother did.
One of the main words I have heard describing the queen is ‘CONSTANT’, an ever present in the good and the difficult times. That’s the hallmark of someone who knows what it is to serve faithfully and with integrity. Like the quote above, I have heard many sharing a verse from Matthew 25:23, not least former Prime Minister Gordon Brown just yesterday during an interview on television. But I can’t think of anyone who is more worthy of such an accolade.
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!”
Matthew 25:23
– Mark.
