Like a lot of people I am still shocked by the news that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth has passed away. Oddly enough, I was starting to think she was immortal. After all, no matter what was thrown her way, she always seemed to bounce back and things just seemed to work out. However, today I am not going to focus on the negatives of the monarchy, there are plenty of people in the world who are doing that. In fact, I have seen so many negative memes that I have honestly just stopped fighting with people over the Queen. She was one of those people you either loved or hated, and most people loved her.
One of things I want to comment on is the fact that the Queen always mentioned Jesus Christ at Christmas. She spoke so often of how his teachings shaped her own life. After her death, one of the things that really comforted me was sent to me by my friend Jon. it read: One of the Queen's Chaplains was talking about the end of the world and the return of Christ. The Queen stated "Oh, I should hope that Jesus would return in my life time." The chaplain asked "Why, Ma'am?" The Queen replied so that "I could lay my crown down at his feet."
The Queen’s faith represented more than mere deference to religious tradition. Her yearly Christmas broadcasts regularly encapsulated statements of personal Christian belief, that Jesus Christ was her Saviour (see particularly her 2011 statement, below). For instance, in 2000 she stated:
“For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ’s words and example.”
During her 2008 Christmas broadcast, the Queen made a clear declaration of faith:
“I hope that, like me, you will be comforted by the example of Jesus of Nazareth who, often in circumstances of great adversity, managed to live an outgoing, unselfish and sacrificial life. Countless millions of people around the world continue to celebrate His birthday at Christmas, inspired by His teaching. He makes it clear that genuine human happiness and satisfaction lie more in giving than receiving; more in serving than in being served. We can surely be grateful that, two thousand years after the birth of Jesus, so many of us are able to draw in inspiration from His life and message, and to find in Him a source of strength and courage.”
In her 2014 Christmas address she stated:
“For me, the life of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, whose birth we celebrate today, is an inspiration and an anchor in my life. A role-model of reconciliation and forgiveness, he stretched out his hands in love, acceptance and healing. Christ’s example has taught me to seek to respect and value all people of whatever faith or none.”
In her 2016 address, the Queen testified:
“Billions of people now follow Christ’s teaching and find in Him the guiding light for their lives. I am one of them because Christ’s example helps me see the value in doing small things with great love…”
During her first televised Easter message in 2020, recorded in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, she stated:
“The discovery of the risen Christ on the first Easter Day gave His followers new hope and fresh purpose, and we can all take heart from this … As dark as death can be—particularly for those suffering with grief—light and life are greater.”
The Queen also publicly welcomed and hosted American evangelist Billy Graham on a dozen different occasions. Graham wrote of her in his autobiography Just as I am:
“No one in Britain has been more cordial toward us than Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Almost every occasion I have been with her has been in a warm, informal setting, such as a luncheon or dinner, either alone or with a few family members or other close friends.”
In 2016 the Queen marked her 90th birthday. To celebrate, the Bible Society joined forces with HOPE and the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC) to publish a biography about the Queen’s Christian faith, titled: The Servant Queen and the King she serves. In it, the Queen’s own words described her faith in Christ, exploring the place of her Christian faith in her public role, family life, and in times of celebration and grief.
The verse that keeps coming to my mind as I move through this loss, is that God is closest to the brokenhearted; and while I am just one of many grieving the loss of Queen Elizabeth II; my loss is not so great that it won't heal in a few weeks after the funeral. So I am beseeching my readers and followers to not only pray for the King, but also pray for his family as they move from having their beloved matriarch with them.
