The prayer by Rev. Sterling at April 26 concert commemorating the 3rd anniversary of Yang Jianli's detentionthe Reverend Leslie Sterling April 26, 2005 OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO Let us take a moment to quiet ourselves and feel the presence and the nearness of God surrounding us, beside us, and within us surrounding Jianli, beside him, within him and in the supernatural miracle of the oneness of God Jianli is not separated from us, there is no distance between us we are with him, and he is with us he can feel our love and our prayers and our support and so we pray for Jianli tonight we pray for his health, physically, emotionally and spiritually we pray that the Spirit of the Living God might flow all around him and through him that he might always feel the nearness of God's comforting embrace sustaining him, giving him strength in body, mind and soul strength to persevere, and strength to endure we ask a blessing on all those working so diligently for his release and everyone who has stood beside his family in this time of waiting we give thanks for everyone who stands in sympathy with us in hoping and praying that his release will come soon we pray especially for the community gathered here for this special event and for the musical offering that will soon be lifted up and we give thanks with great enthusiasm and in joyful anticipation of the glorious day to come when we will no longer be separated from Jianli in any way when he will be standing right here with us, right in front of us, right next to us we pray that day will come very soon and on that wonderful day we will all rejoice and celebrate together in the name of all that is holy, and good and true let all God's people say: Amen. -------------------------- |