The Queen is now with her King of Kings: Snippets of learning more about honour dynamics amidst the death of Her Majesty - Snippet 4

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As we continue in a series of 'snippets' from the honour contexts being heard in responses and reporting surrounding the world's mourning and memories of the late Queen Elizabeth II …..here is the next 'Snippet' and subsequent thoughts to ponder in relation to our own lives.

SNIPPET 4

Among the many people I have heard interviewed and comments I have read over these past days in the media, other interesting concepts emerged - 

One from a British citizen who said that the Queen was a constant figure that formed a 'national identity'

Even Princess Anne observed the reality of this as she accompanied her mother's casket on the journeys from Balmoral to Windsor and seeing the outpouring of sympathy and support and grief and love, stating  'we may have been reminded how much of her presence and contribution to our national identity we took for granted'.

Another commentator noting that as people filed past the Queen 'lying-in-state' there were people from many generations and culture - all drawn to come and honour the Queen.

Others when asked about how long they had to queue commented that she gave her whole life, so the least they could do was give 24 hours to wait in a queue.

One lady waiting along the road-side for one of the funeral processions said:

'I'm from Uganda, and its good for me to be here as a black person as well, just to say [I] 'appreciate' the love, the kindness, she has brought to the commonwealth, ...basically show my children, let them be part of the history'.

The Queen was a common point that brought a sense of unity of people from all walks and cultures and generations of life, and even across political parties. In a context of diversity, there was commonality for those in the UK as all having the same Queen. In diversity there was common identity in the Queen whom they were all 'under' as Monarch. Beyond the UK, her  'Commonwealth' also brought a context of unity and identity as it welcomed nations and their people from across the globe.

SELAH - PAUSE TO PONDER

Identity is an honour concept - it is related to a sense of value in who we are under a 'name' or 'group' label that gives dignity and worth and significance and belonging.

But far beyond any earthly identity is the eternal identity we firstly have in the dignity of being the created belonging to the Creator. Then as Christians we have redeemed identity in Christ. Christ brings not only the honour of identity in him for those who are citizens of heaven, but the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is one that welcomes any who come to him no matter what generation, location or ethnicity. God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, a greater love and kindness than any an earthly Monarch can offer. 

If an earthly Monarch can engender such a sense of identity as well as welcome, how much more should we be eager to 'appreciate' what God has done for us in Christ. How much more should we see that any sacrifice on our part is so small in relation to what God has given us in Christ. 

Many are finding it hard to take in the enormity of Queen Elizebeth devoting her 70+ years to serving her people. It's on a scale that most of the world can't really comprehend. But Christ gave his all for us on a far greater level which we certainly can't begin to fathom. How much more should we desire to give him the honour and devotion and loyalty and sacrifce of our life, out of humility and thankfulness.

The Queen is now with her King of Kings: Snippets of learning more about honour dynamics amidst the death of Her Majesty - Snippet 3

photo credit

As we continue in a series of 'snippets' from the honour contexts being heard in responses and reporting surrounding the world's mourning and memories of the late Queen Elizabeth II …..here is the next 'Snippet' and subsequent thoughts to ponder in relation to our own lives.

SNIPPET 3

The guard quoted in Snippet 2 went on to say:

"the other thing to remember she wasn't just a royal figurehead she was a veteran too…the fact that she was coming to look at us having served in the 2nd World War one of the very few that had still alive it meant something very deep to us."

In asking an Aussie who served as a royal maid for 14 months what she loved about the Queen…her answer:

"the ordinariness…her voice is so iconic, every time we hear it we know exactly who it is but hearing her talk about very ordinary things like a crossword clue or something on a quiz show or something mundane that happened in the day was a very 'pinch yourself' moment"

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was a Queen very connected to her people and her people knew it. They related to her so deeply not least when they knew though she was 'above' them, she was 'one of them', and that she had experienced and understood their own struggles and concerns and contexts. She was a Queen who was prepared to 'get her hands dirty' - literally! 

We loved and admired her all the more - not less - when we saw glimpses of her vulnerability. We loved and admired her profoundly when she submitted to COVID-19 protocols which meant she had to sit alone in the chapel for her husband's funeral. As was appropriate she shared in the limits her people had to endure. We liked to hear about what she liked to eat (marmalade sandwiches for example!), what leisure pursuits she enjoyed, what special name her great-grand-children called her. We valued her humanity.

SELAH - PAUSE TO PONDER

When Jesus came to earth born in humble circumstances and lived among us on this planet, ate what we ate, was hungry and thirsty like we get hungry and thirsty, slept like we need sleep, felt such sadness and loss when his friend Lazarus died, was tempted like we are tempted, had siblings that didn't understand him and ridiculed him, had friends who betrayed him and denied him, had religious leaders who hated him, who endured great suffering and walked the path of death, we feel an extra measure of comprehension that God understands our plight, our weaknesses, our struggles, and our 'smallness' and frailties and fears in the scheme of things.

Jesus was fully God, but he was also fully man - the second Adam. He knows us, identifies fully with us but also cares for us and loves us. His humanity doesn't lessen our love and honour for him, it deepens it.

Let us never forget, that unlike the African view of God as far detached and separate from humanity, Jesus has come into this world and as God in the flesh, has shown us what God is like. Our Yahweh God is Immanuel - God with us! Let us love and honour Him who identifies with us not just as an earthly monarch may, but who knows us most intimately even to our thoughts and yearnings. 

The Queen is now with her King of Kings: Snippets of learning more about honour dynamics amidst the death of Her Majesty - Snippet 2

photo credit

As we continue in a series of 'snippets' from the honour contexts being heard in responses and reporting surrounding the world's mourning and memories of the late Queen Elizabeth II …..here is the next 'Snippet' and subsequent thoughts to ponder in relation to our own lives.

SNIPPET 2

A soldier body guard said he "was honoured" to serve the Queen

Similar to Snippet 1, honour is gained by the association with the honoured one, all the more in the official service of the honoured one. To serve is not demeaning when it is in service of the honoured one. It brings a sense of privilege and even honour in being 'chosen' by the honoured one to be associated with them.

In so many places in our modern Western world that doesn't focus on monarchy we can miss the profundity of this. So many people lining up to view the Queen as she was lying 'in state' in Westminster Hall, were heard to comment when interviewed afterwards, that  they were there because as part of the military or police, she was their 'boss'. They didn't just work for an impersonal government department…in the UK people in government are 'On His/Her Majesty's Service' (OHMS). It is seen in the context of relationship with a person, even if they have never seen the Majesty in person.

But then there was the extra level of honour felt when a 'subject' or 'servant' of the Majesty actually met their 'boss'.

The above guard went on to say….

"her being there just instilled such pride, such service across all the troops that were there, …when she came up and down the line, up and down the ranks you could see peoples shoulders pushed up and chests puffed out, people sitting in saddles would sit up straighter as she came past and her eye fell upon them…"

SELAH - PAUSE TO PONDER

If this is the kind of response elicited in an earthly monarch's presence and under her watchful eye, how much more should our sense of honour to be a servant of the King of Kings who sees everywhere and all the time, elicit in us a different and changed demeaner, conduct, sense of loyalty. 

But at the same time, there is a factor here that we don't often talk about as Christians. 

We can think that because we give honour to God we should never acknowledge any honour we get or feel. However, just like these 'servants' of the earthly Queen or King feel an honour in themselves that is not from themselves, we as created by God and redeemed by him are meant to know the honour we were created and redeemed to have…not an honour from ourselves.

To know and acknowledge the reality of being the created of God is to feel the honour of that. 

To know and acknowledge the reality of being redeemed by God in Christ is to feel the undeserved honour of that. 

To understand the awesome privilege it is to live daily in the presence of God (by his Spirit now and in heaven forever), and serving him, is to humbly feel the honour of that…an honour that is not our own boast but to boast in being in Christ. Those who served the Queen know the honour they feel is not their own honour, but derived honour because of the Queen's honour….but it is still honour.

We might think that the more we think about the honour we are given by God in Christ, we will become proud. But the opposite is true. 

The more we don't talk about this or seek to understand more of it, the more we still yearn for honour but will seek it unconsciously in wrong ways. The more we understand a true godly and bibilical view of  the honour we have from God in Christ, the more amazed and thankful we become…and the smaller and more humbled we feel, and the more we give honour back to God.

Take time to consider:

Romans 2:7

'to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;'

John 5:44

'How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?'

Let us seek true honour that is given from God.  

After all that was actually the ultimate honour the Queen understood too. Her true honour came from the King of Kings she served!

The Queen is now with her King of Kings: Snippets of learning more about honour dynamics amidst the death of Her Majesty - Snippet 1

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As the world mourns and shares memories of the only British Monarch most of us have ever lived under, Queen Elizabeth II - we remember her 96 years of life and over 70 years on the British throne. 

We feel that sadness and loss…and yet we simultaneously give thanks for her life, and that though absent from the body she is present with her Lord and Saviour.

What an amazing blessing also it is to be sitting on a patch of earth in Africa, but due to technology we are able to view virtually much of the procedure of her memorials and funeral in the UK, and even hear interviews with past palace staff, or just members of the public sharing their experiences and thoughts.

As a way of noting on this blog this momentous historical event, I want - through a series of 'snippets' from the many comments in these days - to draw our attention to why the Queen and her passing can teach us more about how the context of honour is so significant in our relationship with the King of Kings, and in ways which our modern world doesn't often think about so deeply….and in which this historical event is causing us to do.

Just like we first learn about what it means that 'God is Father' from the relationship with our earthly father, (which can either help or hinder our understanding of God), I think we can and should learn all we can from looking at a godly earthly Monarch/Sovereign, in helping us learn about God as our Sovereign King of Kings and our relationship with Him.

I have come to appreciate that countries without a 'Regal' national leadership element in their social structure, have a greater difficulty in comprehending and enjoying the Kingly and thus 'Kingdom' realities of Scripture and of God himself. Even American theologians (Schreiner, 2018:134, Mayhue, 2012:67) have noted the 'social conditioning' of a national intentional 'rejection of monarchy' and all that relates to it in the foundation of the USA, has maybe been to the detriment of Christians in the American church because of a lack of a well developed and embraced theology of 'Kingdom'. So we have much to cause us to look, listen and learn from this momentous historical event and a God-honouring Queen.

So here is the first 'snippet' and my subsequent ' SELAH - Pause to Ponder' comment:

SNIPPET 1

So many mourners interviewed in London have been saying

 'I am just honoured to be here'

As I have listened to the coverage of these days coming from London (and other places in the UK and around the world) many have said similar words.

It has been interesting how often the word and concept of 'honour' has emerged…probably more in the last week in the media than any other time I recall.

The Queen embodied the concept of honour.

But why do people keep saying that they feel honoured by just being in London, and being around the flowers being brought in her honour, and seeing the funeral lead-up events?

It is what I would call 'associated' honour. 

It is the honour we feel just by being in the presence of the honourable one  or what belongs to them, or being linked in some way even if minimal, or as we are seeing, even in the 'place' (area, city) of the honourable one and sharing in the presence of those who are 'subjects' thus part of the Realm 'family' of the honourable one. No, these people do not have the same honour the Queen herself had, but none-the-less we instinctively have no other words to put to the emotions we feel in such situations as 'honour'.

As human beings we have a yearning to experience honour, even if this is by minimal association. But minimal association with someone of high honour brings us a greater sense of honour, than minimal association with someone of lesser honour. Thus to visit the street of the local mayor's house, doesn't give us such a sense of honour than visiting the front gates of Buckingham Palace.  

I just think about when I told people I did a quick bus tour of London, the most asked question was "did you see Buckingham Palace?" That seems instinctively what people felt was most worthy to 'boast' about or of the most significance…why? Not just because it is a nice building, but because it was the 'place', the 'dwelling' of the Queen. The building has significance and honour because of the Person to whom it belongs and called home.

We see the next level of this when the herse of the Queen passed along the streets of Edinburgh or London, and people either fell totally silent or else cheered. They wanted to show honour to the Queen, but in return felt awe that resulted in feeling humbled yet also honoured to be there.

SELAH - PAUSE TO PONDER

But just think, if this is the level of 'effect' upon people even with minimal association with the Queen, what effect should the King of Kings have on us? 

How much more should we want to be reverent in his presence or demonstrate our praise?  

How much more should we feel both humbled and honoured and thus thankful to be in his presence, to be considered by him to be associated with his presence, to be in his family and counted as 'friends'…and that he doesn't just expect us anymore to see his abode from a distance (as those in the OT had to in relation to the Holy of Holies in the temple), but has come to dwell in our hearts, and will one day welcome us into his home in heaven because of the entrance permission given by Jesus Christ, the Son and heir.