He is Coming!

He Is Coming

Australia is a constitutional monarchy in which the head of my country, through hereditary, is Queen Elizabeth II. Tours and visits by the regal royal family from Britain to Australia are always  occasions  of great excitement as hundreds and thousands of people wait for many hours behind strong barriers to catch a small glimpse of royalty as they gracefully pass by.   

One of my earliest childhood memories was of my fourth birthday. I remember with much fondness the blonde haired doll I received for my birthday. As I lay her down her blue eyes would close. As I picked her up, her blue eyes would open. How I cherished and loved that doll. I remember the importance I felt as I received a *grown up * bed and moved out of my large white wooden cot. I remember who I saw on my fourth birthday. I saw the Queen. She had come to tour Australia during the bicentenary celebrations of Captain Cooks discovery of the east coast of Australia in 1770.  I rode on my father’s strong shoulders amidst the crowds of people who eagerly lined the streets of Sydney to catch just a momentary glance of the beautiful Queen Elizabeth II as she passed by, waving nobly from her long black vehicle. Flags waved and throngs cheered in the excitement of the moment.

In January 1988, Australia commemorated the bicentenary of the first European settlement by the reenactment of the journey of the First Fleet of tall ships . By now I was a new young wife and my husband and I, along with two and a half million Australians, flocked to Sydney’s harbour for a day long celebration. We arrived at 7am in the morning to stake out our claim to one of the best harbour side positions. We were not disappointed as many fine ,wooden, square rigged tall ships  gracefully entered the glittering blue waters of Port Jackson and glided past our wondering eyes. The harbour was buzzing with water craft of all kinds and the skies busy with hovering helicopters and colourful blimps, all vying for the best views of the Tall ships clothed in full white sail, skimming nobly past. In the midst of it all came a smaller vessel surrounded by tight security. Standing refined and dignified at the back of the boat were Prince Charles and Princess Diana, waving charmingly at the crowds. The mass of people loudly cheered and waved back.

Last week I had the pleasure and excitement of seeing  His Royal Highness, Prince William and Duchess Catherine of Cambridge as they toured Sydney. Currently they are on a whirlwind  tour taking in many royal appointments from Sydney to Brisbane, across to Uluru and Adelaide and back to Canberra. Touring with them, though only appearing publicly occasionally,  is the bonny eight month old Prince George. With mounting anticipation we stood patiently  for hours behind metal barriers with hundreds of eager spectators at the Royal Agricultural Society’s annual show. I updated my Facebook status telling of my hope  in catching a view of the aristocratic couple. Security was tense, vehicles were present and manned with engines kept running, Well dressed police on horses and Motor bikes were vigilant. The bomb squad came working their sniffer dog systematically through the royal route. The destination for the regal couple would be the sheep pavilion where they would witness a sheep shearing demonstration and see some of Australia’s finest sheep, wool and woollen products. The media kept up an active live streaming of the event, those in the sheep pavilion were well prepared, rehearsed and ready. Finally the moment came and down the road Wills and Kate purposefully came, smiling and waving and stopping in friendly gesture from time to time to speak with the excited throng. Cheers broke out, cameras were held high and people did all they could to gain a quick glimpse of the passing Prince and Duchess. In all of it I managed to catch that one great photo and with fervour I shared it on Facebook with family and friends, updating my status to tell about the event.

We have a King of Kings and a Lord of Lords, Christ Jesus. Do I look forward with hope and joy and great anticipation in seeing Him? Am I eager about His soon return? Do I plan and prepare and long for the event? Do I share my anticipation of His soon coming with those around me? 

Rev 19:16 “On his robe and on his thigh He has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.”

Psalms 24:7-10 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.  Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.  Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.