Queen
Elizabeth II
21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022
* Became Queen 6 February 1952, at age 25, 26 days before I
was born
* Reign spanned 15 Prime Ministers from Winston Churchill,
born in 1874, to Ms. Truss, born 101 years later in 1975
* Met with 13 U.S. Presidents, from President Truman to
President Biden, with the exception of President Lyndon B. Johnson
* Visited over 117 countries on 6 continents
* Married to Prince Philip for 73 years
* Served as Queen of England for 70 years 214 days, the
longest-reigning of any monarch in British history
* Elizabeth II was Queen of the UK for 28.69% of the history of
the U.S., since we declared independence.
Quotes of Queen Elizabeth II:
“I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short,
shall be devoted to your service.”
21st Birthday
“Pray that God may give me wisdom and strength to carry out
the solemn promises I shall be making, and that I may faithfully serve HIM and
you, all the days of my life.”
Before her Coronation
“I cannot lead you into battle, I do not give you laws or
administer justice but I can do something else, I can give you my heart and my
devotion.”
1957 Christmas broadcast
“I know just how much I rely on my faith to guide me through
the good times and the bad. Each day I
draw my strength from the message of hope in the Christian gospel.”
“Let us not take ourselves too seriously. None of us has a monopoly of wisdom and we
must always be ready to listen and respect other points of view.”
Christmas 1991
“For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal
accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my
life. I, like so many of you, have drawn
great comfort in difficult times from Christ’s words and example.
2000
“Everyone is our neighbour, no matter what race, creed or
colour.”
Christmas 2004
“We are reminded here of our past, of the continuity of our
national story and the virtues of resilience, ingenuity and tolerance which
created it.”
Diamond Jubilee in 2012
“Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history
teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves – from our recklessness
or our greed.”
“It has always been easy to hate and destroy. To build and to cherish is much more
difficult.”
“Grief is the price we pay for love.”
“Our modern world places such heavy demands on our time and
attention that the need to remember our responsibilities to others is greater
than ever.”
“It’s worth remembering that it is often the small steps, not
the giant leaps, that bring about the most lasting change.”
“We may hold different points of view but it is in times of
stress and difficulty that we most need to remember that we have much more in
common than there is dividing us.”
“I know just how much I rely on my faith to guide me through
the good times and the bad. Each day is
a new beginning. I know that the only
way to live my life is to try to do what is right, to take the long view, to
give of my best in all that the day brings, and to put my trust in God.”
One of the chaplains of her Majesty had been preaching on the
Second Coming of the Lord and afterward, in conversation with the chaplain, the
Queen exclaimed: “Oh! how I wish that the Lord would come in my lifetime!” “Why,” asked the chaplain, “does your Majesty
feel this earnest desire?” The Queen
replied with quavering lips, and her whole countenance lighted up by deep
emotion – “I should so love to lay down my crown at his feet.”
“We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to
grow, to love…and then we return home.”
Knowing that our days are also numbered, may we, too, be
intentional about the legacy we leave for family and friends. May our lives count and make a difference for
God’s Kingdom’s work.
A person’s days are determined; you have decreed
the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.
Job 14:5
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a
heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12
