The Room Where It Happens

Dave Gobbett | 10:15, 21 November 2020

"The Room Where It Happens" is my favourite song from the box-office sensation Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The musical recounts the rise and fall of American Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton, and the song describes a private meeting between Hamilton, and two Virginian senators, Thomas Jefferson and James Maddison. A great political compromise is made: Hamilton gets control of the U.S. banking system and in exchange, the nation's capital moves south to Washington DC.

I wonder if there's a hint of the Aaron Burr in many of us. 

"The Room Where It Happens" is sung by Hamilton's arch nemesis Aaron Burr, who struggles with the fact that he wasn't there. He wasn't in The Room Where It Happens, and experiences profound FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). Something really important has taken place, life-altering decisions have been made, but he's not been party to them. Burr has lived his life on the outside of the circle of influence, out of the loop of where the action is taking place and it's chewing him up.

I wonder if there's a hint of the Aaron Burr in many of us. We struggle whenever we realise that we don't hold the levers of power. Life-altering decisions are being made behind closed doors. We're not as in control of life as we thought we were, and it can chew us up too. We may even wonder where God is in all of this.

At Christmas we remember that the God who made our world entered into it. He didn't stay behind closed doors in the comfort of heaven, pulling all the levers of power in a divine 'room where it happens'. Instead, he took on a body, as Jesus Christ, was born in poverty, and drew alongside the failures, the hurting, and the confused. So that no one need ever miss out on a relationship with God. Little wonder we have so much to sing about!

Intrigued? We'd love to tell you more at one of our many carol services at Highfields Church.
Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2022.

Dave Gobbett Lead Pastor Highfields Church