Windshield Wipers

As I was heading to work today I noticed rain clouds moving into the area. With as much rain as we have received lately the clouds were not a real surprise.

I had only driven a few blocks when I noticed a few drops of rain on the windshield. My car’s windshield wipers have a feature where if you push the lever up the wipers will make one swipe of the windshield and then turn off. It was barely raining so this is all I needed during the first couple miles of my drive to work. I would hit the lever every now and then to keep the windows clear.

But then it started to rain just a little bit harder. It lightly started to sprinkle so I used the “intermittent” feature of the windshield wipers. Just one click down on the lever and the windshield wipers would come on every few seconds at a set interval. So as it was sprinkling rain my wipers would come on every few seconds and wipe away the water on my windshield. This worked fine for a few more miles.

But then it really started to rain. No more just hitting the lever every now and then or using the intermittent feature. I had to turn my wipers “on” so they would constantly stay on and keep my windshield clear enough to safely drive.

Sorry, this really isn’t a “How to Drive in the Rain” story.

But I think it is a story that gives us a good picture of what our prayer lives can look like.

Clear skies, no clouds, no rain, and no need for the wipers. No need for prayer. But then a few drops start to fall and we take a “hit” at the wipers to clear the windshield. In our lives those “few drops” can look like an upcoming test in school, that job interview, or when grandma is sick. We take a hit at prayer to clear the way. Then the test is over, the job interview is behind you, and grandma is feeling better. No more need for prayer.

Or for some of us we set our prayer life on “intermittent” so it will come on every now and then. We pray at church on Sunday, before our meals, and at the Wednesday night prayer meeting. Set intervals. Each week. Like clockwork.

Don’t get me wrong. I think we should pray at all of these times. (The trouble is we usually listen to the preacher pray on Sunday, ask the kids to pray before the meals, and avoid eye contact with the preacher so he doesn’t call on us to pray on Wednesday nights. Not a lot of actual praying going on.)

But the bible says we should pray at all times. (Ephesians 6:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:17) Not a hit at it once in a while, not intermittently, but at all times without ceasing. But how do we do that? By having an attitude of prayer. An attitude that makes us want to talk to God. At all times. By doing this no matter what comes across our paths we will go to God in prayer. Whether life brings you sunshine, a few sprinkles, or a real down pour. (Or “toad strangler, as we say here in the Midwest.)

So if we have started the day in prayer and remained in prayer throughout the day, the sunshine will be appreciated more and the storms of life will be easier to handle. (Just a reminder, prayer will not keep the storms from coming. Prayer gives us someone to talk to during the storms. Storms are bad enough, being alone in a storm is really scary.)

So the next time it starts to rain and you reach for the controls for your windshield wipers let it remind you of your prayer life.

It is just a hit every once in while?

Is it intermittently?

Or is your prayer life turned on at all times?