Thought for the Week: The Queen’s 90th Birthday.

There’s no doubt that whatever our views on the Monarchy last week’s celebrations for the 90^th birthday of the Queen were something special.   After all, as our longest serving monarch she has given impeccable and dedicated service for all of her reign.  Politicians and world leaders were rightly generous in their praise and admiration and that was also seen clearly on her ‘walkabout’ when thousands lined the streets of Windsor passing her flowers gifts and cards.

Now I can’t claim to have met the queen, but there is just a glimpse of me in a photograph taken as she and the Duke of Edinburgh visited Llanelli following her coronation.  As pupils of Lakefield school we were to line the streets of Lakefield Road to welcome the Royal couple. As my grandparents lived in Queen Victoria Road there was a better view for me from one of the upstairs windows so that’s where I was put, crepe paper waver in hand, waiting for this very special person to make an appearance.   Suddenly the royal car passed and in moment it was gone!  I was just a bit disappointed because I didn’t even have time to wave!  In my six-year-old mind the Queen would have at least stayed for tea so we could get to see her and know her better.  In the end it was the delicious tea my gran had made with cakes and jelly and all the trimmings that became the highlight of my day!

There is within the Bible the assurance that the God we worship is no distant remote power. To the contrary we are told that God’s presence is always with us and especially when we pray and share with him our deepest needs and longings.  Jesus taught us to pray ‘Our Father who art in heaven’ and within those words is the assurance that God’s knowledge of our needs can make all the difference. The God we love is not confined to time or space as all earthly Monarchs are.  This may be beyond our understanding and saints through the ages have acknowledged the great mystery surrounding prayer, and yet they have proved and even today testify to this deep conviction that the King of the Universe is reaching out in love to all who call upon him.  Happy birthday your Majesty!