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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.
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