The world has hit pause as we mourn the loss of Queen Elizabeth II. She reigned for 70 years and will go down in history as one of the top 4 longest ruling monarchs. The queen was known for her lifelong service. One beautiful attribute of the late Queen was that she was a woman of faith in Jesus. She had a great reign on this earth, but I cannot help but get excited that the queen herself is now bowing before the King of kings. Human reigns are given by God and are ultimately for His purposes. The fact is that world leaders make mistakes and sin, but Jesus has a perfect rule. Today we are going to discuss five spiritual lessons we can learn from Queen Elizabeth II.
1. We Are Not Our Own
Something that Elizabeth had to accept from a young age was that she was not her own. When her father unexpectedly passed away, she was only 25 years old. She realized that her unexpected reign would be coming sooner than she thought. Biography shares, “Elizabeth was crowned Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953, in Westminster Abbey, at the age of 25. Elizabeth assumed the responsibilities of the ruling monarch on February 6, 1952, when her father, King George VI, died.”
In accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord, we learn that we are not our own. We were created by God, and we have been bought at a price. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Queen Elizabeth II, I am sure, was excited to be in such a position, but it came at great sacrifice to her, her husband, her family, and her own freedoms. She gave up a lot of personal selflessness to maintain a strong nation and be a figure of hope and confidence to the people. As believers in Jesus, we can be reminded by her dedication that we are to put Jesus first and His kingdom always. There will be sacrifices along the way, but we are called to serve the King of kings. He must be our first love and first priority in life, then everything else will be in its correct place.
Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Matthew 10:38-39 says, “And anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”
2: Platforms Come with a Kingdom Purpose
Biography shares about Queen Elizabeth II’s early days before reigning. She was already using her position for the glory of God and the encouragement of others. They share that during World War II, she and her sister Margaret had to be out of London and lived in Windsor Castle. Elizabeth began a radio broadcast in 1940 and gave a speech to children who had been separated from their families. “The 14-year-old princess, showing her calm and firm personality, told them ‘that in the end, all will be well; for God will care for us and give us victory and peace.’”
When we think of some of the most faithful leaders in Biblical history, we think of Daniel, Queen Esther, and Joseph. The Lord gave them leadership positions for reasons greater than themselves. It was never about the people’s reign, it was about their lives being on display to point others to God. Queen Elizabeth II lived a life that pointed others to the Lord. She could have chosen to be a self-centered and prideful monarch, but she was very aware that Christ is the King, and He gave her this position to serve the people and to love them well.
The majority of us may not have royal titles, but we are equally given opportunities for leadership. When the Lord chooses to give us these platforms, what will we do with them?
3: Only Jesus Brings Eternal Satisfaction
Queen Elizabeth II realized something that affected the way she lived. The highest position and all the money cannot satisfy us. She gave her life to Jesus as her Savior. This meant that she knew that even with being arguably the most powerful woman in the world, there was no eternal hope for her without Jesus.
Religion Unplugged shared, “Archbishop Welby said in a statement. ‘Her trust in God and profound love for God was foundational in how she led her life — hour by hour, day by day.’”
When we are tempted to chase the finer things and titles, may we be reminded that the woman who had it all knew that it was nothing in comparison to her relationship with Christ. If anyone could have coasted through life because she had it all, it would have been the late queen.
Matthew 19:24 says, “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
By God’s grace, Queen Elizabeth II was able to see that all of her riches, all of her crowns, and all of her power were nothing in comparison to her great need for forgiveness of her sins through Jesus’ sacrifice.
Whether we are wealthy or poor, whether we have accolades or none, whether we have great influence or influence a small number of people, we all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. (Romans 3:23) We need His forgiveness and to be reborn into new people to be His children and to serve Him well.
What is it that you are tempted to put above Jesus in your life? How can you actively seek Him first and turn from idols like position, power, or wealth? Remember that we are all being transformed day by day by the work of the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 4:16 says, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”
May these three lessons from Queen Elizabeth II stick with us as we live out the callings that the Lord has entrusted to each of us. We are not our own, we have platforms with kingdom purposes, and only Jesus brings eternal satisfaction. To God be the glory, our King of kings forever.
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Emma Danzey’s mission in life stems from Ephesians 3:20-21, to embrace the extraordinary. One of her greatest joys is to journey with the Lord in His Scriptures. She is wife to Drew and mom to Graham. Emma serves alongside her husband in ministry, she focuses most of her time in the home, but loves to provide articles on the Bible, life questions, and Christian lifestyle. Her article on Interracial Marriage was the number 1 on Crosswalk in 2021. Most recently, Emma released Treasures for Tots, (Scripture memory songs) and multiple books and devotionals for young children. During her ministry career, Emma has released Wildflower: Blooming Through Singleness, two worship EP albums, founded and led Polished Conference Ministries, and ran the Refined Magazine. You can view her articles on her blog at emmadanzey.wordpress.com