From the Desk of Jeff King

I am Yours, save me

And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words – Matthew 6:7

Messiah Yeshua is not impressed by canned or forced prayers. He is not moved by eloquent speech. I like David's simple petition in Psalm 119:94 – "I am Yours, save me." The king of Israel didn't need a large vocabulary to communicate with the King.

I have two friends who pray with like-minded simplicity. George and Margaret Keller lost virtually everything when son Paul was arrested and charged with arson in 1992. He admitted setting 78 fires that claimed three lives and $35 million in property damage in Washington state, making him the most prolific arsonist in U.S. history. The siege ended when George, suspecting his son of the crimes after reading a suspect profile in the newspaper, alerted police and fire officials. Cooperating with a secret task force, George persuaded his son, handcuffed and in custody, to confess to the crimes. Paul is serving a 99-year prison sentence.

The media fallout and weight of an unforgiving community crushed the Kellers emotionally and financially. Friends, business clients and clergy abandoned them. They lost their home and retail advertising business in bankruptcy. In their deepest and darkest pit, the Kellers never lost faith in their Savior. At the height of her despair Margaret would pray simply, "Jesus, this is Margaret." Weeks later she heard a gentle voice answer: "Margaret, this is Jesus."