Her Majesty’s state funeral, was held on Monday 19th September; after over seventy years reigning, she is now at peace.
Funerals for Christians are an occasion like no other. Feelings of profound loss and sadness are somehow mingled with joy – glimpses of glory seen only in the mind’s eye, as though through a veil, now seem somehow that much closer – yet still just out of reach.
Funerals are a celebration of a life lived, but they’re also a painful reminder of the brokenness of death. Even Jesus wept at Lazarus’ passing, though he knew that the dead would one day be raised to new life. On days like this, our glorious eternal hope is brought closer than ever to our hearts, if just for a moment.
Shortly after the Queen died, His Majesty King Charles III addressed the nation and said: “Queen Elizabeth’s was a life well lived; a promise with destiny kept, and she is mourned most deeply in her passing.”
‘A promise with destiny kept’ is a kingly way of saying that she stood firm to the end. As the apostle Paul himself put it:
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
2 Timothy 4:6-8
Most of us don’t wear physical crowns. But Queen Elizabeth has now replaced her earthly, physical crown with an eternal and heavenly crown of righteousness after a long life, well lived.
Since the Queen died, I have noticed a common thread amongst posts about her on social media. People can be seen saying: “I’m not a royalist, but the Queen…”
They continue with a story of her generosity, warmth, or kind-heartedness. Even the mainstream press is recognising the splendour of the Lord in her life! Her steadfast, quiet, and peaceful faith is now being spoken of around the globe – to which we can only give glory to our high king, Jesus.
