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I found it difficult to get past the first words of today’s gospel (in one of the first English translations – King James Bible 1611) “and it came to pass on a certain day as Jesus was teaching…”

I think the reason this opening phrase speaks to me is that Jesus, most of the time, was simply working with the things that came to pass.

That’s a bit like most of my days. I have many things planned and programmed, but throughout the day unexpected and often unwanted events and people cross my path and I find myself fumbling with the unexpected.

So much of my time and energy is spent working to complete the good things that I plan to do, so much so that I hardly notice the opportunities that present themselves.

Yet when I look back on a day or a week I notice that many of the things I plan seem to bear little fruit and my most powerful encounters with the divine are unexpected and certainly unplanned.

I find unexpected abundance in life when I practice sensitivity to the presence of Jesus in the things that simply come to pass, things that cause us at day’s end to reflect “I have seen incredible things today.”

You might like to…

• Take a moment to remember that many of the divine encounters Jesus has in store for you over the next few hours will likely be unexpected and perhaps unwanted. Rather than be apprehensive about these interruptions to your plan consider the possibility that Jesus is trying to interrupt your plans with an opportunity for you to grow in faith.
• Click the candle image below to visit the FFF Prayer Request page and take a moment to add your own request, or to pray for someone else’s intention. If you check the “email” box before submitting your request you will receive a note whenever someone prays for your intention. With your participation this page can become a powerhouse of the support of shared prayer.