ON THE 28TH MAY 1972 THE DUKE OF WINDSOR, THE UNCROWNED KING EDWARD 8TH DIED IN PARIS. THE SAME EVENING A TELEVISION PROGRAMME REHEARSED THE MAIN EVENTS OF HIS LIFE. EXTRACTS FROM EARLIER FILMS WERE SHOWN, WHICH HE ANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS UPBRINGING, BRIEF REIGN AND ABDICATION. RECALLING HIS BOYHOOD AS THE PRINCE OF WALES, HE SAID “MY FATHER WAS (KING GEORGE V) A STRICT DISCIPLINARIAN. SOMETIMES WHEN I HAD DONE SOMETHING WRONG, HE WOULD ADMONISH ME SAYING, “MY DEAR BOY, YOU MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE.” ITS MY CONVICTION THAT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SAYS THE SAME TO US EVERY DAY: MY DEAR CHILD REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE.” JOHN STOTT THE MESSAGE OF ROMANS IVP P187.
IN BECOMING THE NEXT KING, CERTAIN EXPECTATIONS WERE PLACED UPON EDWARD, AFTER ALL HE WAS THE SON OF A KING, CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS WERE MEANT TO FLOW OUT OF HIS LIFE ASSOCIATED WITH HIS KINGSHIP, BUT SADLY EDWARD THE 8TH FAILED TO BECOME KING BECAUSE HIS LIFE WAS NOT FITTING FOR SUCH AN OFFICE.
DO YOU CALL YOURSELF A CHRISTIAN THIS MORNING? IF SO YOU NEED TO REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE. YES, WE ARE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD, WE ARE ALSO SLAVES WITH A DIFFERENCE (WE HAVE VOLUNTARY BOUND OURSELVES) TO GOD. AS A RESULT WE HAVE A NEW MASTER WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO LIVE AND SERVE HIM. IF OUR LIFE DOESN’T MATCH UP TO THE POSITION WE PROFESS, YOU NEED TO ASK YOURSELF “DO I BELONG TO GOD AT ALL?” BELIEVERS ARE CALLED NOT CALLED ONLY TO TALK THE TALK, BUT ACTUALLY WALK THE WALK.”