I suspect we’ve all questioned whether or not God would show up right when we need Him most, or we may even question if He is too busy to hear our prayers at all. The fact is that sometimes, you need an immediate answer to a prayer, like the one I got a number of years ago. I was driving on a five-lane highway in the fast lane. It was a gray day and it had rained early on leaving the roads muddy. I was alone in the car and had just entered the fast lane to pass a truck. As I was doing so, the truck slapped some mud up on my windshield. I was quick to turn on the wipers, only to discover that I was now smearing the mud across the window even more, leaving me with zero visibility. I hit the window washer and nothing came out. I pressed it again and again and realized it was empty. Now, still in the fast lane, driving blind, I prayed. I said, “Lord, I need rain and I need it right now.”
Within seconds, rain hit my windshield and not just any rain. It was a quick power wash across the whole window. As I regained my ability to see across the highway and made my way out of the fast lane, I thanked God for the immediate answer to my prayer. It was awesome. In fact, I opened the window a bit and as I looked out, I realized something else. I saw that no other car around me or across the highway on the other side, or anywhere that I could see had their windshield wipers going. In fact, there were only a few more raindrops falling onto my car, but no raindrops falling anywhere else. It appeared that it only rained on my car, just my windshield, washing away the darkness and putting me back in the light. It was a power wash like I’d never seen.
Tears started streaking down my face as I took in those moments. God had rescued me. He had sent the rain in a quick torrent, just on my windshield and kept me safe. He had answered my prayer swiftly and precisely. I was humbled by His grace. I share this story with you as a reminder that the same God who answered the prayer of Gideon answers us as well. Gideon asked God to only cause the fleece to be filled with dew, and that there should be none on the dry ground around it. God answered. The fleece was so wet Gideon could wring out the water. The ground remained dry. That same God honored the prayer of a woman with a mud-soaked windshield heading down the highway. He is indeed the same God, yesterday, today, and forever!