Forrest Gump

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1:3-10 ESV). Today, in our church, we are having a very special guest speaker, “Forrest Gump.” Actually, we will have one of the premier Forrest Gump impersonators in our church to deliver a wonderful message of encouragement and hope in character. Paul Dengler is known throughout the country for his work as Forrest Gump. You remember back in 1994, when the film Forrest Gump became an unexpected summer blockbuster and cultural phenomenon, riding the crest all the way to six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director, and Actor. Tom Hanks was the leading character and did an incredible job in portraying this character. One of the principles that strikes me as a key message in the film is the difference in the philosophies of Lt. Dan and Mama. This difference is usually reserved for theological discussion boards and accompanying threads dealing with Free Will in contrast to Predestination. Lieutenant Dan represents the latter. He says, "We all have a destiny! Nothing just happens! It’s all part of a plan!" And Mama the former, as she says, "Well, I happen to believe you make your own destiny." This debate is a universal struggle, because not only do the answers we arrive at affect our destiny but also our identity. Is there an overarching design and plan we were born into? Or are we the masters of our own fates? Or, more troubling still, are both views wrong? Are we instead simply like the floating white feather that bookends the film, randomly taken to wherever the wind wills? Forrest goes back-and-forth between these ideologies not knowing where to land, until late in the film when he has a gravesite epiphany. I believe there's truth to the conclusion he draws. He is speaking to Jenny, who has died, and says, "Maybe both is happening at the same time." His story, like any life with its unexpected surprises and challenges, makes a credible case for it. Certainly the Apostle Paul indicates as much in our reading today. While our redemption is of God from beginning to end, once we are born again we are then empowered by the Holy Spirit to make those choices within the parameters of His work of sanctification that will determine our immediate circumstance. God never abandons us to our choices; and, He always uses every experience for our good. However, remember there are always consequences to our choices. We reap what we sow (cf. Galatians 6:7). The question I am forced to ask is: “What have I chosen in this great life of grace God has given me?”