She picked up a microphone and started to speak
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She set up an easel in the middle of the town square. She looked like she was eighty years old. I didn't understand what she was doing. The last person in that spot was playing his trumpet for money. And now this old lady with an easel and multi-colored pens. What was she up to?
Kathy and I were in the center of Bath in the UK. This square was very popular. On one side there was the Abbey Bath. This beautiful cathedral was originally the seat of the Anglican Church of England. On the other side were the Roman baths. The cathedral was built in the 7th century. The baths were built by the Romans in the 1st century. This square was the place to be, and everybody was there to prove it.
This lady's easel had an artist's pad with white paper. At the top of the paper was the word "Celebration." The rest of the paper had color blocks with what looked like hieroglyphics. She picked up a microphone and started to speak.
The sound of her voice and the easel accompaniment grabbed some of the crowd’s attention. After all, they were already there. She gave them a focal point.
She started, "Tomorrow we will be celebrating our Queen's Platinum Anniversary. Was anyone there for her coronation? I was.”
She picked up a red paintbrush as the crowd contemplated her question. She went to the yellow box. Made a couple of odd brush strokes, and the word '“Queen” appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.
A couple of hands went up, including a person under the age of sixty.
She looked at the people with the raised hands and said to this younger man, "You couldn't have been there. You are far too young.”
She then talked about how loved and admired Queen Elizabeth is in the UK and, in fact, the world. And she asked, "Do you know why she is so respected? Because she knows her position and authority come from God. Our Queen looks to God for direction. And do you know who she calls on for this direction?"
The crowd was silent.
She pressed again. "Do you know who our Queen looks to for guidance?"
Someone, me, yelled, "Jesus."
The old lady looked at me and said, "Spot on!"
"You see, from the time she was a little girl, Jesus was always her King. This is because her father claimed Jesus as his King, too."
"And because she followed Jesus throughout her reign, she is beloved and admired. The guidance she followed throughout her life came from Jesus. And tomorrow we celebrate her 70 years as Queen of England. And all of us, yes, all of us, are so proud to have Elizabeth as our Queen. She is a monarch to be admired. She proved herself worthy of the crown and leader of her people, us."
"Do you know why she follows Jesus?"
Some of the crowd began to wander off. But many stayed. I was not sure if it was the lady's presence, waiting for the other color blocks on the easel to be decided, or the message. As I looked at those who stayed, some were in their early twenties, while others were in their sixties, like Kathy and me. People of many cultures, races, and ages.
"Because Jesus is God and was sent by God to save us from our sins. Yes. Even the Queen of England."
She then gave her story.
"I am sharing Jesus with you because he changed my life. When I was in nursing school as a young lady, I witnessed a lot of death in my training. I became petrified of dying. This fear of death almost had me quit my nursing training.
"But there was this one particular nursing student who was the kind of student I wanted to be. She was capable, confident, and compassionate. I confessed to her what I was thinking of doing because of my fear of death."
She said, "You need Jesus as Lord of your life."
"Wanting to succeed, I asked her to tell me more. We studied the Bible together, and, over time, I came to believe that Jesus can take this fear of death from me. I gave my life to Jesus and the fear left me. I knew from that moment on, he owns my life here and in to eternity. It was so comforting to me."
I waited around for this lady to finish her presentation. When she did, I called her over and asked her why she was doing what I call street evangelism.
She said, "I was so afraid of dying. You have no idea. But Jesus completely changed my life. I trusted him as a nursing student and throughout my career. He is amazing. I want others to experience this same peace I've had in my life. This certainty of life with God forever."
This woman wasn't the most articulate, but she was convincing. And she was convincing because she knew with certainty it was Jesus that took away her fear of death. There is no other explanation. And this was the beginning of a fulfilling life, right to this day. As she concluded, she told the crowd, "If I were to die today, I am not afraid. Jesus is my King. Just like Jesus is Queen Elizabeth's King."
I heard that Europe is void of God.
That it is a purely secular society. This is not what I found. The church services are filled with people who believe in Jesus. And these people are welcoming, loving, and excited to share. Jesus lives even in the UK!