04/27/2026
A Sinner's Thoughts - April 27
Elijah washed his car...
We are experiencing a significant drought in our area. Just this morning I attended a call for prayer at our local agricultural center. Another local pastor did an excellent job of admonishing us about our walk before God and the symbiotic relationship between prayer and repentance. He referenced a popular verse during times like these found in 2 Chronicles 7:14. As he did, I encourage you to look at verse 13 as well. God blesses a nation when his people are faithful. We should spend more time looking in the mirror than out the window.
During his remarks, the pastor mentioned the history of human efforts concerning rain making. There is quite a bit of superstition and ritual that all make remarkable claims about producing rainfall. My uncle was very adamant about hanging a dead snake in a tree. I never understood the science behind it but he insisted with a dead snake in a tree the rain would come.
The pastor got a humorous response when he mentioned that one Google result recommended washing your car. We've all heard or maybe even experienced the seemingly immediate rain that followed a good visit to the car wash. Again, not sure that's backed up by science but maybe there is something more to consider.
Didn't Elijah wash his car? Elijah the prophet lived around 900 to 800 B.C.. Pretty sure they didn't have cars then but hear me out. During the standoff with the prophets of Baal, Elijah did something extraordinary. As the skeptics watched him on the top of Mt Carmel, he ordered that 4 barrels of water be poured upon the altar of God 3 consecutive times.
The incredible context of that act was that the land was suffering a horrible time of drought. Elijah himself had prayed that it rained not and had witnessed the suffering caused by that answered prayer. Now, as the suffering crowds watched in horror, Elijah poured out gallon after gallon after gallon of the precious substance. What was he thinking?
Was Elijah being wasteful in the greatest time of need? Was he ignorant to the suffering of a land and people desperate for rain? I don't believe he was. Elijah's act of water dumping was a tremendous act of faith. He believed that the same God who paused the rain could send it in like manner. By the way, God did exactly that. No doubt the onlookers thought this prophet had lost his mind but he was the most sane among them.
I don't know when our local drought will end. I don't know if you're in one. But, I think it might be a good idea to wash your car. Just as a brother remarked this morning that we should all be holding umbrellas as we prayed for rain, we should walk by faith and not by sight. We should not wash our cars in arrogance or idolatry but let us wash them in faith. Elijah didn't waste water. He trusted the One who makes the water fall. I hope in whatever drought you're in, you'll wash your car and have trust and faith in the Same. Selah
