Platinum Jubilee and the prayer of Queen Elizabeth II
As the nations celebrate 70 years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, I discovered a request for prayer she made in 1952 just before her coronation. A prayer that every leader should pray.
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Seventy years as the Queen of England. I think each of us in our own ways are inspired by Queen Elizabeth, whether you’re a royalist or not. There’s something about the endurance, the persistence, the servitude and faith of Queen Elizabeth that touches both young and old.
She forms part of our national identity and story, whether we were born in the UK or moved here afterwards. The Queen has always been there, sometimes in the background, and other times in the foreground, at Christmas time for example, with her hope infused broadcasts.
The Queen’s Christmas broadcasts have always formed an important part of our family Christmas celebrations. Not in a ‘religious’ way (to use that term), but in a way that simply adds another texture or dimension to our celebrations each year. Growing up, my Grandmother used to stay with us and we always used to watch the broadcasts with her. She was always moved by them and so the tradition rather continued as we grew up, that we would watch the ‘Queens Christmas broadcast’ after lunch.
I was recently reading about these broadcasts, and did you know the Queen’s first Christmas broadcast was in 1952, during which she invited the nation to pray for her. She said this:
“‘Pray for me … 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.’ ”
This hit me. Here is a young Queen Elizabeth speaking to a country in a post-war era, and she asked for the nation to pray for her before her coronation in June 1953. She asked for prayer for these things, and I think these are great prayers for us to pray too:
Prayer for Wisdom:
'Pray for me … that God may give me wisdom..’
What a great prayer for a leader to pray. What leader hasn’t needed wisdom to do the job that they need to do. If you’re leading something large or small, praying for wisdom will form an essential part of your prayer life, whether you’re intentional about it or not. A road-bump will come your way and guess what, you find yourself calling out to God for some help, and most likely, wisdom to work out what to do.
I think of the book of James, writing to the early church when he encouraged them to pray for wisdom. ‘if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to you’ – James 1.5
The word James uses is sofia, which is translated ‘skill, intelligence, insight’. Leaders don’t always see the way through, they can’t know the repercussions of their communication or decision making. Praying for wisdom is a core part of leadership. Interesting that the Queen asked her country to pray this for her too all those years ago.
Do you pray for wisdom too? No doubt you will need it. Much better to rely on God’s wisdom than our own insight and understanding.
Prayer for Strength
'Pray for me … that God may give me.. strength...’
Well of course the word ‘strength’ popped out to me given that this is ‘Stronger Network’, but the fact that Queen Elizabeth asked us to pray for Strength I think is rather striking. It was specifically strength for a purpose too, ‘strength to carry out the solemn promises I shall be making’. You can read those oaths she took in the coronation service here.
I think of Nehemiah who called out to God to ‘strengthen his hand’ (Neh 6.9) during a time of challenge. I think of David who took time to ‘Strengthen himself in the Lord’ (1 Sam 30.6). The Spirit of God strengthened individuals for a specific task, and now strengthens and encourages believers for the task of following Jesus and partnering with God in his Kingdom work.
Where do you need strength today? What are the tasks that are on your plate that feel weighty. You have an opportunity to discover God’s strength in the midst of it all.
What about feeling weak in the eyes of culture, or when comparing yourself to the vision in front of you? You’re in good company. Saint Paul rejoiced in his weakness, because it was then he was able to truly enjoy, and walk in God’s strength (cf. 2 Cor 12.10).
Pray for Faithfulness
‘Pray for me … that I may faithfully serve …all the days of my life’
We live in a time when faithfulness isn’t seen as a virtue. Faithfulness sounds like hard work in fact. Faithfulness sounds like a long road. This is a time when feelings trump faithfulness. If it feels good, don’t worry about your commitments, do what feels right and it will all work out.
Saint Paul tells us that faithfulness is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5.22). The word used means ‘faith, belief, trust, confidence, fidelity’. The fact that it’s a fruit of the Spirit too means that there is something supernatural about this. Queen Elizabeth knew that she would need the supernatural help of God to keep her faithful to her calling.
The fact that she has faithfully served him and her people all these years might in fact be evidence of answered prayers and evidence of the Spirit of God in her life.
Where do we need to be faithful? Relationships? Commitments? Roles? Tasks? You have an opportunity to pray for God to help you with faithfulness, and ultimately, faithfulness in your walk with the Lord too.
Pray for Service
‘Pray for me … that I may .. serve Him and you ..’
Queen Elizabeth sees her role as a servant. Serving her Lord, but also serving her people. Jesus turned the picture of leadership on its head when he announced that leadership looks like service. Of course, Jesus served those around him, even washing his disciples feet, and then ultimately dying on the cross for his friends and enemies.
In the Queen’s Christmas broadcast in December 2000, she said ‘For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life.’ The queen has sought to serve the nation and her God over these last 70 years. What an amazing example!
It rather puts my opportunities to serve those around me into perspective. Serving my family, serving my colleagues and team. Not very difficult in comparison to serving a nation. On those days when I’m feeling particularly selfish, I have an opportunity to take a step back and think, actually, no, I have an opportunity here to enter into something of God’s work in front of me right now, while it may not look very glamorous and I may not get any recognition, it will always be glorious, because there is something of the presence of Jesus in found there.
Wisdom
Strength
Faithfulness
Service.
Four things we have seen displayed in the last 70 years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign and leadership.
Those prayers she requested were clearly answered.
