The Queen of England is visiting Ireland this week.   This is one of the most significant events in decades here, as far as I can tell.  This is the first visit of a British monarch to Ireland in about 100 years.  Think about that.  Ireland’s closest neighbor, the only one that it shares a physical border with, is the U.K., and for so long they have not had an official visit from the (now) symbolic leader of the U.K.  To put the national division in perspective, and Ireland’s long held animosity towards its bigger neighbor, consider that leaders for Germany and France had visited each other’s countries within 15 years of WWII.

Security for the visit has been very visible.  While driving on the M50 (the highway around the outskirts of Dublin) two days ago, I say a police officer staged about every 150 yards, and several on every bridge and overpass.  A couple of small bombs were found and disposed of around the area this week, and there has been some rioting in Dublin.  For the past month, in fact, Ireland has gone back in time 30 years, when troubles were more visible.  A few weeks back, there was even a bomb found in Trim near a monument for the Duke of Wellington – who 200 years ago was a was a general in the British army (he was actually born in Ireland and educated in Trim, hence the monument).  While this was probably more symbolic than a public threat, it shows how the nature of the historical trouble.

Please pray with us for Ireland.  Pray that forgiveness will overcome past historical fractions – forgiveness that can only come through Jesus Christ.