A day to remember and a day to prepare for

I am writing this on 4th June 2022 from Lagan Valley Hospital, where I have been for a few weeks.

The doctors, nurses and hospital workers are very kind to me and look after my every need.

I would love to be with you all, getting ready for Northfield, but as I lie here I have time to reflect on the reign of the Queen over these last 70 years.

I remember very clearly being at Balmoral showgrounds in July 1953, during the visit of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to Northern Ireland just after her coronation. The procession was led by Lord Wakehurst, the third Governor of Northern Ireland, and his wife, and thousands of children singing ‘When Irish eyes are smiling’. Ah but, when the new queen with her young husband came past in their open-top car, the cheers were ear splitting.

We had all been selected by straw poll, and my group had travelled down from Newcastle by train. After the pomp and ceremony, we retired to the Nugent Hall, where there were cubicles with lemonade and treats. With thousands of children present there were too few to supervise us, and when the great exit from the showgrounds began confusion set in. We were told to leave by the turnstile to the left of the King’s Hall, but my cousin, who was two years older than me, said that our group had already crossed over the road to the train. I said, no, I had been watching the turnstile and none of our group had gone out. I said that I would not budge until I saw them passing through. At last they did come along, and we went on to catch the train that would take us back to Newcastle. But where was my cousin?

When we arrived in Newcastle I was most relieved to see that my bicycle was still there. Sometimes bicycles would be taken by soldiers who had missed their lift to Ballykinler camp, and then you would have to walk for miles to find yours. So my cousin was lost; but darkness was coming down and I knew that I must get out the road. Rats would run out of the dump where Tesco now is, and if you should run over them they would squeal, and that really frightened me! I pushed down hard on the pedals and headed for Maghera village, from where I’d be nearly home. I had intended to call at my cousin’s house to see if he was there, but by that time I was too tired and all I wanted was bed. He did get home! Someone had put him on a bus. All’s well that ends well, but he should have obeyed the instructions.

God’s Word, the Bible, has given us prior instructions about a royal Person who is coming again to this earth: ‘Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect’ (Matthew 24:44). This royal Person is God’s Son, Jesus Christ. His reign will last for ever, for He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Read about this in Revelation 11:15 and 19:16. If he came today would you be ready? That is the most important question we will ever answer. Why not put your faith and trust in Him now, and then you will be ready!