Trust in God 

A prayer of thanks for the faith and life of our late Queen Elizabeth II.

God of love,
We thank you for the life of The Queen,
for her service to our nation,
and for her faith in you.
Be close to all of us who mourn,
that we may find comfort and hope in your love,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Perhaps, like me, you have listened to or read some of the many heartfelt tributes to our late Queen. These describe her as faith-filled; modest; humble; servant-hearted; dedicated; loyal; warm; curious; knowledgeable; hard-working; faithful; dignified; joy-filled. The list goes on and on. These wonderful descriptions have come in not only from her grieving family and those in this country, but from all corners of the globe.

Personally, I feel hugely thankful to God that we had someone of such faith and dignity to represent us as our sovereign. But what enabled our late Queen to show such outstanding character and to maintain such high standards for over 70 years in this pressured role?

I believe we can find a clue in her coronation in Westminster Abbey all those decades ago. There are many elements to the Coronation Oath that the young Queen took then, but the part that stands out to me is where the archbishop asks her, “Will you, to the utmost of your power, maintain the Laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel … ?” Her response is “All this I promise to do.” After the oath she kneels and prays, saying “The things which I have here before promised, I will perform and keep. So help me God.” Only once she has committed her life and service to God does she take to the Coronation Chair.

It's my belief that God gave her the gifts of faith, wisdom, fortitude and genuine love of all people in order that she could perform her role so superbly. In her own words, “Throughout my life, the message and teachings of Christ have been my guide and in them I find hope.”

The impact that she has had on the world, our country, our church, her family and each and every individual who had contact with her is a great witness for Jesus. And we as followers of Christ can do the same thing. Perhaps not on such a grand scale - but through every interaction we have there is the opportunity to show the goodness of Jesus. How can we do this? Maybe by following the Queen’s example and committing our lives to God through the grace and love of Jesus Christ.

Prayer - Heavenly Father, thank you for the faith and witness of our late Queen. Thank you for how you helped her throughout her reign. Help us put our trust in you and be a witness to the goodness of Jesus every day of our lives, through all that we think, say and do. Amen