Reconciliation

In 2004 I was serving in Albany at the Capital Region Prayer and Healing Center as a worship leader and the founder/director of Bride’s Song.   During the years I was there 2001-2007 I met the most amazing Christian servants from all walks of life.  Susan Castell was one of them.  To me she was an Anna in the house of the LORD.  Anna was in the temple continually interceding for the coming Messiah and God rewarded her faithfulness by bringing her into the temple while Yeshua was being dedicated and letting her see the fruit of her intercession.  Susan said, that the Lord revealed to her that before Yeshua returns, there will be a corporate "Anna" ministry that will be interceding for His return.  Susan was an individual who knew how to wait before the LORD and listen to His heart, His voice.   Susan was a wonderful mentor to many and continues to share the heart of God where ever the LORD sends her. 

Susan and her husband Billy were married for many years but were never married in a Christian ceremony.  

Susan writes, At the Prayer and Healing Center we would have 3 days of prayer and fasting at the beginning of each month.  In January 2004 during the fast, Greta had a word for me from the Lord, "Wedding."  She didn't quite know what to make of it, but I knew exactly what God was saying.   Billy and I had already been married for 19 years, but we had never had a real wedding.  Due to circumstances beyond our control in 1985, we only had a civil wedding at City Hall in NYC.  I always felt that one day we would have a real wedding with friends and food!  So when Greta said, "wedding," I knew the Lord was saying that we would have our wedding at the Prayer and Healing Center.  We asked the Lord when we should have the wedding, and we felt He was saying to have it on May 30th, Pentecost Sunday.  During the 3 day fast in February is when I got the word to tell June that God was going to give her "Reconciliation" and "Doorway of Destiny."  I wish I had a photo of June's facial expression when I laid that assignment on her.  I remember exactly what she said, "I'll be listening!" 

I was a bit taken back but I accepted in faith what Susan told me.  I create music spontaneously, either I would receive it or I would not.   I wrote down a few chords to work around on the piano and after several attempts the musical framework of “Reconciliation” emerged.   After recording it as a piano solo I added the voices and instruments as I was moved.  Eventually I understood what the LORD was saying through this musical composition.   

Susan writes, "When I heard "Reconciliation" from the Lord as one of the musical pieces I don't think I was thinking of Israel-Germany reconciliation.  I think June got that aspect from the Lord, but when she shared it with me we definitely had a witness in our spirits that what she got was right.   I'm sure June remembers how I objected to the "sound effects and voices" she added and I wanted her to remove them, but June was immovable and said, "no, the Lord put them there and they have to stay!"

There is an explanation in the description of the You Tube video of what those various sounds represent.  Susan, Billy and friend, Greta performed a drama with this musical piece on the day of their wedding depicting Israel, Germany, the themes of death, life, reconciliation and the destiny of the body of Messiah as “one new man.”   

Susan and Billy decided to have a honeymoon in Germany, a three week stay which included visiting Billy's relatives.  While they were visiting Billy's 97 year old, aunt in Munich, a prophetic intercessor, she gave a word to them that they were needed in Germany.  Susan writes, "when that anointed word entered our hearts, we knew that we would be returning to Germany.  We thought  it would be right away but we ended up staying at the Prayer and Healing Center three more years until we were invited to a family reunion in 2007."

Susan and Billy continue to live and minister in Germany.  They also have spent seasons ministering in Israel.  Their life as husband and wife prophetically speaks of the one new man God desires us to be.  It speaks of reconciliation between the nations and people groups.  Susan's mother was born in Germany and was sent to the United States in 1935 at age 12.  Susan's father was born in Hungary and spent the war in a Nazi labor camp in Romania.  He came to the United States in 1947.  Susan is a Jewish believer in Messiah.  Billy's father was born in Germany and his mother was American born.  Susan and Billy's story of coming to know Yeshua/Jesus as their Messiah are amazing testimonies to God's mercy and grace but that story is theirs to tell.  They live a miraculous life, obedient and dependent on God alone.  I cherish the years I was blessed with their interaction in my life at the Prayer and Healing Center.

In this season of such division between nations and people groups the message of reconciliation is so needed.  God’s desire is that we would be reconciled to Him through the blood of His Son, Yeshua/Jesus and then to one another.   We have lost sight of God’s love for every human being, the precious gift of life in the womb and His desire for every nation, every tribe and tongue. 

The scriptures, the images and the music from God’s heart in this video speak to the depth of our humanity.   None of us are righteous in ourselves.  We may be good humanitarians but without God we are helpless to heal the wounds we create.   As much as we have the potential for good, we also under the right conditions and threats have the potential for much evil as well.   Though this video addresses the relationship of Israel and Germany, the threads are common to all our conflicts between nations and people groups.  

In this critical hour in human history may God birth in His people the true meaning of what it is to be reconciled to God and to one another.

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.   

2 Corinthians 5:17-21