I like to keep current and relevant, and am pleased to report that I am now only nine years out of date. My daughter insisted I watch the musical Hamilton with her, which premiered the said nine years ago. I had long resisted because it focused on American politics, and chose rap for its style of musical presentation, as well as for reasons of pride, conscious that too many people had gushed over it. Needless to say, it was very good.

The plot of the musical is no doubt well known, and recounts the history of America’s independence from England, and the burden of trying to govern a new country with a view to keeping federal and state interests balanced. But the poignant moment for me came when the lead character, Alexander Hamilton, who had fallen foul to infidelity, was powerfully and graciously forgiven by his wife. In the scene, Eliza takes his hand and the chorus intones: “Forgiveness. Can you imagine?  Forgiveness. Can you imagine?”

I can imagine, but only because the Book tells the original story. Infidelity came soon after the opening scene in the Garden. The lead Character then came walking to them in the cool of the day, not hot with anger, nor volcanic with rage, but obviously hurt and disappointed and bearing the shame of hell’s laughter at his creatures wearing fig leaves. But a Promise is made, and the hand of grace is reached to them, and the angels begin the lovely refrain: “Forgiveness. Can you imagine?!”