Flourishing Life

“Jenny, I don't know if Momma was right or if, if it's Lieutenant Dan. I don't know if we each have a destiny, or if we're all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze, but I, I think maybe it's both. Maybe both is happening at the same time.” – Forrest Gump

I am a huge Forrest Gump fan. I was tremendously disappointed when Paramount sold Kings Island and they got rid of the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. restaurant! Gump is a classic Christ figure in the film who redeems the lives of those with whom he interacts. Perhaps the biggest redemption story in the film is the redemption of Jenny, who plays a kind of anti-Forrest role through most of the film, living according to a very different set of standards, making tragically self-destructive decisions.

This quote comes from the end of the movie, when Forrest is speaking to Jenny at her grave site. She has died of AIDS related complications. He asks an age-old question: Is life following a predetermined course or is it arbitrary? Is there a great puppeteer in the sky pulling our strings or are we simply a random conglomeration of DNA muddling our way through a meaningless existence? I think Forrest is actually on to something. It’s neither. Not that his answer is fully intellectually or, for that matter, biblically satisfying, but he is moving in the right direction.

Life is neither predetermined nor random. God, through his Providential action is moving his good creation toward a purposeful climax and he calls people to join him in fulfilling his plan. However, because he created us in his image, he endowed us with free will and we are constantly participating with him in creating and recreating the world in which we live. God has a plan and his desire is that we join him in that plan. He wants us to live for his purpose and be blessed to participate in the renewal of the face of the earth. We are not random, but we are not robots, either.

This week, at Christ Church, I will continue the message series, Happy New You! with the message, Living On Purpose. God has a plan and purpose for your life. Following his plan always leads to greater sense of fulfillment, accomplishment, and peace. However, he will not force us to follow his plan. We’d be silly to miss it, though!!