We are deeply saddened by the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Only eternity will reveal the blessing of having upon the throne, a Sovereign who recognised the King of Kings, the Lord Jesus Christ.
She had the privilege of being brought up by parents who knew the Saviour. Her father, King George VI was known to be a regular attender of Bible teaching meetings before he became King.On one occasion, her parents were on a state visit to Canada. His hosts had arranged for a well-known Native American, Chief Whitefeather, to sing for them, assuming he would choose a traditional native song. Being a Christian himself, he chose to sing his favourite hymn, I’d Rather Have Jesus.
Photo courtesy of Melanie Phillips
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The death of Her Majesty the Queen, announced a short time ago, is a seismic event for the United Kingdom and a profound emotional shock that will be felt by millions.
It was, of course, always an inevitability, as it is for all of us. And in recent months the Queen had obviously become increasingly frail.
Nevertheless, it felt unthinkable that one day she would no longer be with us. We allowed ourselves to imagine that she would go on for ever. For so many of us this evening, this feels like a personal bereavement. Something of priceless value has been torn from us, and we feel devastated.
The Queen was most deeply loved by millions, who showed their profound feeling for her and for what she meant to them when they came out in their hundreds of thousands to cheer her at her Platinum Jubilee celebrations earlier this year.
It’s not just because her reign lasted for an astonishing 70 years, the longest in the country’s history. It’s because she was the constant, still centre of the nation, always reassuring, always a beacon of optimism, always felt to be somehow embracing all of us.
She was the symbol of consistency, the link between the generations, the rock to whom we were tethered as the storms of the world raged around us. She was always there. Now she isn’t. And we feel devastated.
She held the country together because of the way she effaced herself to become the quintessence of duty and selfless service to her people, a symbol of unity and true inclusion. We watched the way she conducted her great office — her calmness, her strength, her fortitude, her kindliness and humility — and we felt soothed and reassured that, in looking at her example, we were gazing at ourselves as a nation in the mirror she held up to us. She loved us with a deep devotion; and in return we loved her.
Never have those qualities she embodied been more needed than they are now. It’s impossible not to feel that her passing marks not just the loss of a unique public servant and a great soul, but also the loss of a Britain that belonged to a different era — a Britain of strength and resilience, a Britain of self-restraint and grounded pragmatism, a Britain of true tolerance and gentleness, a Britain whose passing we also most deeply mourn.
The Queen was the embodiment of that Britain. Her death is a source of the deepest grief.
May her memory be a blessing.
© 2022 Melanie Phillips
BCM Rozenberg London WC1N 3XX
All photos courtesy of Unsplash
People living in Merseyside, indeed people everywhere, have been devastated and shocked by the recent killing of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in the Dovecot area of Liverpool. We extend our prayers and deepest sympathies to the Pratt-Korbel family. What a waste of a young life, bringing heartbreak and pain to her family and friends. It is evil to take a life, but for most of us, it is stepping far over the line when a child is killed. Children are precious and the foundation upon which the hopes and aspirations of succeeding generations are built.
The Lord Jesus had a special place in His heart for children. One day a group of parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them[i]’. His disciples scolded the parents for bothering Jesus. They were, no doubt, amazed when Jesus turned and told them, ‘Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God’ [ii]. What did Jesus mean? He was saying that children are like those who are going to heaven. They trust with simple faith, just as those going to heaven turn from their sin and trust God with childlike faith. Isn’t it wonderful how a child trusts a parent! The belief that the parent is there for them and will look after them is very special. When that trust is betrayed, it has lifelong adverse effects on a person’s life. God will never betray your trust. One Bible writer says, ‘we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men’ [iii].
