It is when the heavenly reality and earthly events converge that I get most excited. As I was given in “The Blessing’ “May your feet be always found planted firm on solid ground, and your heart be lost in heaven’s boundless blue.”
I wrote last about such a ‘heaven and earth’ convergence in a ‘church service’ but Father then pointed out to me an even more amazing one that had happened the day before, as we had simply gone about our ‘regular life’.
It was our last day out with our two young Irish grandsons, 2 and 5 years old. Those of you with sons or grandsons of such an age will be aware of the timeless fascination they seem to have with steam trains. (In addition to this one of our boys happens to be called Tom as in Thomas the tank engine🙂)
Well ‘auntie Jane’ suggested to us what might be a special treat for our last day together. She told us about something we had never heard about before……a steam train museum, a short bus and train ride away. So on our 7th Saturday, off we set.
We arrived only to discover that alas! The time for the last tour had passed! ‘No problem’ said Eleanor the guide. ‘I’ll take you around.’ So off we set.
The boys eyes got bigger and bigger until the ultimate happened………
Luke and Tom had their own personal ‘Casey Jones’ experience. ( for my generation🙂)
But ‘the best’ was indeed, yet to come! Eleanor’s final ‘unveiling’ was carriage # 50
This was the carriage that had been customized to accommodate the newly coronated Queen Elizabeth 2 . In 1953 following her being crowned Queen she had visited Northern Ireland and ridden from Belfast to the North West on a steam train……in this very carriage!
I couldn’t but take this very personally, as I had been born in 1953, just 3 months after the coronation, at 7 minutes past 7 in the morning, weighing in at 7lbs 7oz!
Doing more research I discovered this was one of 25 visits the Queen had made to Northern Ireland. Then I came across the following summary of her 25th and last visit……7 years ago…..which is where it gets really interesting!
25. 27th – 28th June 2016
In her final and most recent visit to Northern Ireland, the Queen paid a trip to the Giant’s Causeway on the North Coast.
She also visited the nearby Bushmills where she unveiled a statue to the Victoria Cross recipient Robert Quigg.
The Queen also took a steam train through Coleraine and Bellarena – a trip that harked back to her coronation tour of 1953.
Amazingly this was the identical itinerary the YSF prayer team………a company aspiring to ‘reign and rule with Christ on the earth for a thousand years.’ as the King’s beautiful Queen (Rev.5;10, 20::6)……..had chosen, for our ‘day out’ together, after the retreat!
We too had gone to the Giant’s Causeway and then had also gone to Bushmills for ‘toasties’ (Not sure what Queen Elizabeth had for lunch 7 years previously🙂) We too had then completed our day with a stop in Coleraine where we had a final ‘‘koinonia’ meal together at Maurice and Carolyn’s home!
Another wink from heaven was when I noticed the dates of the Queen’s last visit. It was on our 41st wedding anniversary and the first day of our 42nd year of marriage. 41 represents separation and 42 arrival pointing to the separation of the bride of Christ in preparation for his arrival at his second coming.
https://godskingdom.org/blog/2023/05/the-meaning-of-42/
The final Psalm 85 ‘kiss’ of the heavenly and the earthly was when I realized the location of the steam train museum – Whitehead.
‘Daniel 7 records, ““As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his HEAD was WHITE like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze……….“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed……….As I watched, this horn was waging war against the holy people and defeating them, until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgement in favor of the holy people of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.” ………Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.’”
Daniel 7:9, 13-14, 21-22, 27 NIV
More next time.