The Prayer of Jenny

In the movie Forest Gump, there is a scene where young Jenny Curran and young Forest Gump run out into a cornfield to escape Jenny’s abusive and alcoholic father.

Jenny drops to her knees with Forest and says, “Pray with me Forest. Dear God, make me a bird. So I could fly far far away from here.”

A thought provoking scene.

I have often wondered if the screenwriter or director of Forest Gump was inspired in that scene from Psalm 55.

Of which I have read over and over in recent days.

It has so much depth and contains so many emotions held by King David.

In verses 4-6 it says, “My heart is in anguish within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me, fear and trembling come upon me; And horror has overwhelmed me.”

Wow, sounds just like what Jenny what experiencing.

And then she dropped to her knees to pray.

Verse six says, “And I said, ‘Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.'”

Each of us at times feel this way.

That we might have wings to fly far far away.

To escape whatever situation we may have put ourselves in.

Or that God may be taking us through for our own benefit.

Either way, it is an honest prayer that both King David and Jenny prayed.

Psalm 55 is quickly becoming one of my favorite chapters in the Bible for this reason.

King David holds nothing back from God in this Psalm.

He is laying out his very heart and soul to God and saying, “I am here, I am in pain, hear me God.”

Later in the chapter we find that much of David’s pain is caused by someone very close to him which is interesting.

You may be praying to have wings and fly far far away from your current situation.

Know this, that even in our lonely places God is forever there.

Today is not the day God will abandon you.

Today is not the day God will withdraw his love.

Today is not the day that God will do anything but sustain you through your tough spot.

If you ask me About Today then I say this day is the greatest day of your life.

 As your prepare for tomorrow which will then be the greatest day of your life.

It is then that you can find peace in the last three words of verse six, “be at rest.”

As I go to bed tonight and reflect on this day, a day where I was very restless, I will reflect upon Psalm 55 and I will pray the prayer of Jenny and be at rest.

John