ODJ: echo effect

March 9, 2014 

READ: 2 Kings 19:9-19 

O LORD, God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! (v.15).

If you stand near the edge of the Grand Canyon in

America and bellow out a word or two, chances are, you’ll hear an echo. The noise you make will bounce off the canyon walls and back to your ears—maybe more than once. Experts say this is possible because the best echoes occur in quiet environments where sound travels at least 75 metres and hits multiple flat surfaces. Spanning between 4-18 miles across, abounding with walls and typically quiet, the Grand Canyon is an ideal place to experiment with noise.

Like a canyon repeating a sound, our prayer life can echo Scripture back to God, who originated it (2 Timothy 3:16). Prayers that include biblical truth and even phrases straight from God’s Word can propel our thoughts and feelings in the right direction.

King Hezekiah’s words echoed ideas from Scripture as he prayed for God to save him and His people from enemy attackers. With a nod to Exodus 25:22 and Genesis 1:1, Hezekiah glorified God by saying, “You are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! . . . You alone created the heavens and the earth” (2 Kings 19:15).

Hezekiah also prayed, “Rescue us . . . then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone, O LORD, are God” (v.19). The idea was that God’s good reputation would spread throughout the world as a result of a rescue. This same thought appeared previously when Joshua described how God saved the Israelites from the Egyptians at the Red Sea (Joshua 4:23-24).

Embedding Scripture in our prayers can help us have the right perspective on each situation we face. Combining our own words with God’s Word helps us to see how He may work and inspire us to see Him as He is—great, powerful and able to rescue. Consider trying out the echo effect as you pray today.

—Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Judges 7:1-25 ‹365-day plan