Forgiveness. Can you imagine?
This Advent season, we’re inviting you to participate with us in reading Advent & Christmas: Wisdom from Henri J.M. Nouwen, a daily Advent devotional. This blog series comes alongside Nouwen’s devotionals to offer personal reflections on the daily reading. Today’s post is a companion to Day 23 “Being Forgiven”. Find more resources and follow along with this series at summitdenver.org/Advent.
For all the hype and pomp and glamour of the musical Hamilton - arguably one of the more influential and important works of art in in our culture over the last decade - those four words: “Forgiveness. Can you imagine?”, sung in hushed tones by the chorus in the background toward the end of the story during the song “It’s Quiet Uptown”, somehow resonate as some of the loudest.
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Now I’m not trying to spoil Hamilton for anybody, so this your warning, but if you take away anything from what I’ve written here… you need to just watch it. It’s a masterpiece.
The song comes as Alexander Hamilton’s family and marriage is in shambles. Hamilton and his wife Eliza’s son Philip has just died, this coming on the heels of the revelation of Alexander’s infidelity to his wife, and understandably, they are both devastated.
Throughout the musical, Alexander is painted as brash and hard-headed, a man who will not throw away his shot to shape his newly formed country and leave a lasting legacy. And yet in the wake of the devastation wrought by his son’s death and his own unfaithfulness, we find Alexander humbled and overcome with the weight of his guilt and sorrow.
The slow and soft music of “It’s Quiet Uptown” stands in stark contrast to most of the other musical pieces throughout Hamilton. The climax of the song comes after Alexander begs a seemingly despondent Eliza for forgiveness, declaring he wishes it was he who had died instead of their son - and Eliza gently reaches out to take Alexander’s hand in hers.
“Forgiveness. Can you imagine?”
The quiet beauty of the scene echoes that scene in the sleepy little town in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago… a hushed break in the midst of the chaotic and messy song of history, where God extends a hand of forgiveness to a broken and weary world.
Much like Alexander in Hamilton, the unfaithfulness of God’s people to that point had been on full display - there was no hiding it. Throughout the Old Testament, the nation of Israel can be seen tripping over themselves as they sinfully ran from one false idol or hope to the next.
And like Eliza, could you really blame God if He wanted to wash his hands of all of it and walk away?
Yet, God chose the unimaginable.
“When we realize the depths of our sin and what it means for God to forgive us of it, it propels us to offer forgiveness to those who have wronged us.”
A baby - fully-God, fully-human - born in a manger. An extended hand, offering His people hope and love and joy and peace… and forgiveness.
Nouwen’s thoughts on “Being Forgiven” on Day 23 include the idea that we are coming from a “vulnerable” or “dependent position”. He says as one in need of forgiveness:
“I have handed you over to suffering … Somehow I have failed you. I am sorry I failed you. I am sorry that I wasn’t the kind of mother, or father, or fiend, or brother, or sister, or neighbor, or whatever that I wanted to be. Can you forgive me?”
And that is how we approach the end of the year and the Advent season - vulnerable and needy. Sinfully disobedient, battered and bruised from the poor decisions we have made as we sought out the false promises of the idols all around us. As people in desperate need of new starts, yet who do not have the power to provide it for ourselves.
The birth of Christ reminds us though, that we are not forgotten. That instead of walking away from us, Jesus entered in and through the grace of the Gospel we shall be forgiven - our relationship with the Father reconciled and restored.
One of the reasons that I think Eliza’s forgiveness of Alexander resonates so movingly - I’ve watched it severals times now and I cry every time - is just how counter-cultural her radical act of forgiveness is.
We live in a world that often overemphasizes self-preservation and self-care… a mindset of “you do you” - put up strict boundaries in order to maintain your emotional health, and if something or someone isn’t serving you to the fullest, then cut ties and walk away and find something or someone better.
Please note, these can be helpful tools and have their place, but overwhelmingly this is the messages that is preached by the culture we’re surrounded by - when a relationship gets tough or feelings are hurt, it’s better to pull the rip cord and bail than to stay in there and deal with the mess and pain and discomfort of having to forgive or seeking forgiveness.
Jesus’s incarnational love on display at Christmas speaks a better word though - giving us the example and the power by which supernatural forgiveness is possible.
As The Message translation of Colossians 3:13 says:
"Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.”
When we realize the depths of our sin and what it means for God to forgive us of it, it propels us to offer forgiveness to those who have wronged us.
As you’ve read this, maybe a friend or a family-member has come to your mind at this point. Maybe you’ve experienced deep, deep loss or hurt because of a relationship with somebody close to you - a relationship where forgiveness and reconciliation feel unimaginable.
As our gaze goes from the manger to the cross, we’re reminded of a Savior who so loved his children that he gave up his life for their forgiveness - even extending forgiveness to those who actively tortured him while he agonizingly suffered on that cross.
He gets it. He knows the hurt and pain and difficulty that often comes with forgiveness, and He supplies us with His Spirit to aide us in mustering up the strength and courage to offer it to those around us. We need only ask.
“Forgiveness. Can you imagine?”
