God Save the Queen
Did you know that song “God Save the Queen (or King)” is the British National Anthem as well as that of all Commonwealth realms? Apparently, it’s one of the world’s best known anthems.
God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the Queen!
If a National Anthem has anything to do with longevity, I say that it worked because Queen Elizabeth III lived for 96 years. God bless her soul and may she rest in peace.
I caught only a few moments of the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth, but I read that there were many holy moments that were powerful. A Christian cleric read the description of the new heavens and earth from Revelation 21. What a majestic portion of scripture!
Adding to the majesty of the moment was the majesty of the setting, as the funeral took place in Westminster Abbey, and the Christian leader wore his clerical robes as he beautifully presented the Word of God. And, of course, it was a funeral fit for a queen, apparently with the largest number of international leaders and dignitaries ever assembled at one place and time.
Here in America, we’re not used to the pomp and ceremony. Kings and queens in these modern days? Yet for most of human history, royal figures have been the norm. And, throughout the Bible, God is presented as the King par excellence.
In the Bible, the worship of our King is presented in awe and majesty, with the tabernacle, then the temple. I’m sure it was meant to produce feelings of reverence and holy adoration. The place where God manifested Himself was to be treated with the utmost respect.
Personally, I love the church that I attend with my children here in Austin, City Reach Church, that features high praise worship music, complete with a mix of men and women leading the worship. It is accompanied by drums and electric guitars and leaders who are dressed as casually as the rest of the congregants attending. The “preaching” is high spirited, convincing, and always at the end, are people raising their hands to receive Christ. Thanks be to God!
I also love attending and serving on Sunday nights at the Life.Church Austin that just began here on September 18th. This is the 43rd satellite Life.Church around the U.S. and many more around the world. Again, it is all about ministering Jesus Christ and then inviting people to come into His Kingdom. I get stoked when I see those hands raising in surrender to His Lordship!
Let me insert here that it may sound like I’m a “church-hopper” and I am. It is far better, in my singleness, than to be a “bar-hopper”! LOL!
But then, I love the liturgical church so much. I attend and serve at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church where I embrace a real God consciousness, the type that comes from being still in His presence, from meditating on His Word, from focused, reverential worship. There isn’t a group of worship leaders – simply a cantor who leads us in magnificent songs of the church from ages past.
The priest and deacons wear beautiful vestments aka robes and there isn’t a temptation to judge what they are wearing, unlike how we notice what worship leaders and singers might be wearing. I’ll admit, I’m often distracted because of it.
And, most importantly, receiving communion every time we come to worship. “As often as you do this, you do this in remembering Me,” said Jesus in Luke 22:18-20. Remembering His sacrifice for me, and knowing I have life ever after because of His sacrifice. What a joy and blessing!
But, bottom line, thinking about God is the most important thing about us. I’m at home wherever God is lifted up. We can encounter God with reverence and awe in whatever setting we’re in – even right at home. I have some mighty beautiful times and, often, awe and wonder in my praise in my sweet place. The building or the modes of worship should never determine the depth of our worship.
So, let us be sure, wherever, and however we worship, let us be sure to leave room for majesty. For wonder. For holy fear. For adoration of our King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
We serve a majestic King. May our lives and attitudes and worship reflect how great He is!