Courtesy of Pixabay.com

What a month September has been! Who would have known at the very beginning of last month that our beloved Queen Elizabeth II would leave this world after an incredible 70 year reign as Sovereign of Great Britain, the Commonwealth and other territories also.

Many tributes have been made and many of her incredible quotes have been published which have given to us and insight into what an incredible character she was. Most important of all she left behind a clear testimony of who she was, who she belonged to, and where she is right now!

This goes to show that the grace and mercy of our God through the Lord Jesus reaches the lost helpless sinner, what ever walk of life they find themselves in and in any circumstance. Everyone needs the Lord Jesus, everybody needs the Saviour; be they rich or poor, be they famous or unknown, be they Kings or Queens or ‘commoners’ so to speak. 

Everybody is a soul in need no matter who they are. 

During the events leading up to her state funeral, the lying in state of her Majesty was something of particular interest to me. For someone who likes ‘people watching’ I found the live Stream of people coming to pay their last respects fascinating.

The incredible and intricate detail of the security of the coffin communicated the highest respect to begin with. Soldiers and men in ancient uniform kept vigil with sobriety and rigid attention. The changing of the guards took place regularly at 20 minute intervals with equal pageantry and detail.

As I watched from time to time how well organised flocks of people filed through to allow each one have a private few seconds of quiet reflection, I noticed how many different ways people showed their respect. The look on the faces of these people betrayed the love and respect they had for this lady when she was alive. I suppose each one would like to have done so much more, but each one had only a few moments to humbly acknowledge the greatness of the person who lay in state, offer a gesture of respect, and then move on.

There were different nationalities of people who expressed their respect in their cultural manners. There were elderly servicemen displaying their medals who stood to attention and saluted. There were people that bowed, while others simply bowed their head. Some of the womenfolk curtsied while others just stood in quiet reflection dabbing away a tear or two. There were all sorts of people, young and old who filed past and quietly did what they came to do and moved on.

As the camera zoomed out to give a broad shot of whole Hall and the two lines of people filing past either side of the coffin, I noticed a partially sighted woman with her guide dog. As she approached the correct area she paused and turned to the coffin, her dog at her side was looking up at her waiting for an instruction. She then slowly and deliberately bowed her head as others were doing, then looked at her dog and prompted him to do the same … and he did! After having done so she quietly acknowledged the dog’s obedience and then moved along as well. It was one of those precious little moments that I don't think anyone noticed.

Sometimes the camera zoomed in and focused on certain people doing certain things of interest and I was sorry that this was overlooked… but I saw it, and it made me smile… and I know God saw it as well, I wonder if it made him smile?

I began to think how amazing it is that people travelled for miles, and were prepared to queue for hours, and for some this meant queuing into the night just for a few seconds to pay their last respects to this precious woman. I expect most of those dear people felt that this was the least they could do for someone so special, even if it was for just a moment of time.

There, in a casket laid the lifeless body of somebody that thousands and thousands of people loved. She was faithful, and to the best of her ability kept the promises that she made, and now she was gone.

All this reminds me of Someone far greater than the greatest of Kings and Queens and rulers of this earth no matter how good or bad they have been. This precious One came to the Earth so long ago with a specific purpose of going to the cross for lost sinners like you and me. How wonderful it is to know that He who died on the cross is alive today, having been risen from the dead three days after he died and was laid in the tomb.

In this life only we have the opportunity to bow the knee to the beloved living Lord Jesus. Today while we are alive is the time to make sure our destiny is fixed and Heaven bound because … “the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins …” Matthew 9: 6, Mark 2: 10. It must happen here on earth when we are alive, not afterwards, and not anywhere else. Certainly every knee will bow to Him in time or in eternity. Humbly bowing the knee to the Saviour while we are alive brings us into eternal blessing, but those who leave it until too late will bow the knee to the righteous judge instead of the merciful Saviour!

The incredible thing about the grace of God is that we do not have to go out of our way to do this…  He did!

He left the heights of heaven, the hosts of adoring angelic beings, and His Father’s Throne to come into this world that was foreign to His sinless nature. And here in this foreign land He did everything that was needed to satisfy the righteous claims of a holy God against our sin, and so procuring our salvation and eternal security. All that anyone needs to do, and everyone must do is acknowledge their sinful condition before His holiness, trusting in His mercy to save them … right where they are. There are no sacrifices to be made, no queuing for hours waiting for our turn. He was the sacrifice and it is He who waits for folks like you to trust Him while you may.

It was estimated that there was 250,000+ people that were able to make it to pay their last respects to Queen Elizabeth II, and I am sure that everyone of them were glad they went, and felt that the sacrifice they made to get there was worth it. It is my prayer that you will humbly bow your knee and your heart before Him, and acknowledge the living Lord Jesus as your Lord and Saviour while you may, because you will be eternally glad you did. And having done so I know that He will consider the sacrifice He made on your behalf was definitely worth it also!

Courtesy of Unsplash.com

Related Video

This song was created for the Christmas season a few years ago but goes perfectly well with the above thoughts.

Enjoy :)

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Here's how to know for sure you can be ready for heaven and for the promised coming of the Lord Jesus.
It's as simple as 'ABC'

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