A royal story

 



70 years ago on the 6th February a young man was seen wandering in the grounds of where he and his wife were on holiday. He was clearly quite disturbed, knowing he had a message to give to his wife which was not the best of news in some respects. News had just arrived that his father-in-law had died. If that was not bad enough he knew that this was a turning point in how they as a couple would carry out their lives. His name was Philip, his wife was Elizabeth, and as they began their holiday at Tree Tops, near Nyeri, in Kenya, neither of them realised that she would return to the UK as a new monarch, and a career that would span at least for the next 70 years. It has been said that she "went up a tree as a Princess and came down a Queen"  







Roll on 14 years to 1966 and I found myself also in Nyeri. I never got to Tree Tops, but I recall visiting a grave yard and sitting beside the grave of Lord Baden Powell, founder of the Scouting movement. On the grave stone were the usual details of his name along with the dates of his life and death. Then below that was a circle with a dot in the middle. Those of us who were members of the Scouts recognise that sign with its symbolism immediately. In the scouts tracking signs we know that the sends out a message "GONE HOME!"




This large panga which I am holding was often held by young children as they sought to cut their way through the undergrowth in Africa. For them it was vital in their every day life. For me, the greatest memory is not these sharp blades, but rather to see how these experiences led to my own life changing experiences. Never was I to live in a palace, but I was to know the promises of the King of kings. There were many experiences that convinced me that because of the death of Christ there was a greater palace that was being prepared for me in an eternal heavenly realm.




As we survey such places as Buckingham palace many will admire what has been accomplished by Queen Elizabeth II. However, living in a palace does not shield anyone from the harsh realities of life. The news of these past couple of years has revealed that Her Majesty has had to face some personal difficulties. Is this a time to be critical in this jubilee year of celebration?  No, but it is a time to say we are praying for her and her family. Through my own life I have met with people in all walks of life, and all are needing to be upheld in prayer, including me.

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