There was no possibility of my writing anything other than about Elizabeth II this week.

What a treasured, steadfast and long reigning monarch; who almost never was a Queen. I was reminded of that afresh on Friday morning, Australia time.

A rainbow reminded me.

The rainbow is the first use of symbolism in The Bible that I’m aware of and symbolic of a promise keeping God.

In her early twenties, Elizabeth II promised to serve her people. She kept her promise. She never wavered. She sacrificed much; more than we will ever know, in order to serve the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

But also, first and foremost, to serve her God.

Her promise keeping God. But more than that: a God who sees all things, plans all things and rules all things.

From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 

It seems, as they say, ‘so random’ that Elizabeth ended up on the throne, but it wasn’t. God had a plan. He had a chosen person for the throne and He knew that she would sit there for 70 years.

If there had been no Wallis Simpson, then the line to the throne may never have become what it did.

But it did, because God, who is the eternal sovereign overruled it all. She was his chosen monarch to serve her people and defend the faith, which she did.

I think that rainbow in the sky over the palace the other day was a message from God; a promise keeping God. As though God was saying “You see her life of service, duty and promise keeping? She was following my perfect example. I keep my promises too.”

It was a symbolic proclamation in the sky: Well done, good and faithful servant!

No stranger to crowns, Queen Elizabeth now takes on another one:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

We will miss her and her unmatched example in modern day leadership.

Yours in the Commonwealth,

Alison