Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant" — A Reflection on Faith and Faithful Service

"Well done good and faithful servant" — Matthew 25:23

Remembering John Cooper: 100 Years of Faithful Living

As I write this reflection I have just returned from conducting the funeral service for John Cooper. John was a member of our church family and, by God's grace, lived to celebrate his 100th birthday in January this year. He was a remarkable man who witnessed equally remarkable changes in our world over his lengthy lifetime.

It seemed quite poetic that the day of John's funeral was also the birthday of our late Queen Elizabeth II. John was born three months before the Queen in 1926 and outlived her by almost four years. Had she lived, she too would have become a centenarian (I wonder if she would have received a congratulatory letter from herself!).

Queen Elizabeth II — Faith, Duty, and the Servant Queen

I think it is true to say that Elizabeth was widely admired, even by those who wouldn't claim to be royalists. For me, two of her most admirable traits were her faith and the dutiful service that flowed from it.

A Public Faith: The Christmas Broadcasts

Her faith was always there, confident yet mostly quiet. Yet it seemed that in her later years she became more open and public about her love for the Lord. This was often seen most clearly in her Christmas Day broadcast to the nation. I remember being surprised and delighted in equal measure in 2011 to hear her boldly declare:

"Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves — from our recklessness or our greed. God sent into the world a unique person — neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a Saviour, with the power to forgive. Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith. It can heal broken families, it can restore friendships and it can reconcile divided communities. It is in forgiveness that we feel the power of God's love. It is my prayer that on this Christmas day we might all find room in our lives for the message of the angels and for the love of God through Christ our Lord."

What an evangelist! In other broadcasts she spoke of Jesus as her inspiration and anchor, as the Light of the World offering hope during dark times, and as the One who showed that by small steps taken in faith and hope long-held differences can be overcome.

A Life Devoted to Service

Of course, faith in Jesus is never meant to be a private, purely internal thing. It is meant to shape the way we live. And there is little doubt that this was true for Elizabeth, particularly in her strong and abiding sense of duty to be the servant of her people. The tone for her reign as the servant queen was set from the get-go when she spoke these famous words on her twenty-first birthday in 1947: "I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service."

I think we can confidently say that she lived up to her promise.

What This Means for Us Today

So, we would do well to seek God's grace to follow her good example — to put our trust in the Lord Jesus and to allow that faith to flow through our lives in humble, loving service of others. For, if we do, we too will one day hear the stunning words of Jesus when he welcomes us into his eternal kingdom:

"Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and share your Master's joy!"

Blessings,

Rev Rob

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