Scripture
When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked. Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:20-22

Observation
Most of life is grey, beige, vanilla, ho hum and humdrum until Jesus passes by. Then the extraordinary happens.

The unexpected need not wait for a personal appearance of Jesus. Jesus spoke as if he expects the very same thing to happen when we pass by too.

“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

The highlighted word in the sentence is “believe”. Faith is a gift given to us by the Lord that enables us to look at the ordinary and to sense potential for the miraculous under the surface. There is something about the “rightness” of prayer. If it seems reasonable to our faith that God could accomplish such a thing then we should not be timid about asking for it to be done. How much unfulfilled potential never develops because we passed by without praying in faith?

Application
What unexpected thing seems reasonable to me to ask of God? It may seem unreasonable to ask of others, but what of asking the Lord? What seems reasonable? It would seem to me that the greater danger in life is not to expect too much but to expect too little.

Prayer
Father, today in my life there are a few things that need the unexpected to happen. Help me to ponder today with you what unexpected thing seems reasonable to you and then to ask for it to be done with all of the confidence you give. Amen.