Kezazah

That is pronounced: Kah-ZAH-zah. Have you heard of it?

It was a Jewish custom of rejection. What a great way to start off our time together, huh?! 😳 Don’t worry, it gets better! 😊
So, villagers would break a clay pot at the feet and then turn their backs on the one who shamed their family. The shattered pot symbolized that individual’s life was broken and they were “cut off” from the community.

Let’s keep that visual in mind as we look again at the story of the Prodigal Son.
We know that asking for his inheritance while his Father was still alive was like saying he wished his dad was dead.
We know he left home, squandered all his inheritance and was left with nothing.
We know he returned home hoping he could work for his Father.
We know his dad was watching and waiting for him.

“But while he was still a long way off his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him;
he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Luke 15:20b

I definitely believe with all my heart that his dad was praying for his son to come home and was filled with joy and relief when he finally saw him walking down that road toward home.

AND I know, as a faithful Jewish man, he knew of Kezazah. He knew what would happen if word got out to the community and they got to publically reject his son before he could get to him.

By running to his son and getting there first, he was able to stop Kezazah - the shame and rejection his son would face. His son would have had to leave his home, his family and community. Could you imagine the pain of seeing your child return to you just to watch them leave again but burdened with shame and guilt you could not fix?!

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him.
Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.’” Luke 15:22

By putting on the robe and ring he restored his son’s relationship and authority of being a part of his family.
Kezazah could no longer be played out. It had no power. It had no bite. His dad replaced the shame and rejection with love and restoration!

What about us? How does this apply to us? I bet you saw the connection, just as I did when I read about it.

Aren’t those voices that attack our peace so quick to judge while heaping shame and guilt on us? And what about those patterns we keep falling into? You know the unhealthy ones that keep tripping us up? Man, they can get really loud!

While we may or may not have actually walked the path of the prodigal and ended up hanging out with the pigs, we all have had moments, choices we made, that left us empty, guilty, lonely, hopeless…

BUT GOD!

There’s those two words again. The two words that change everything. That set the world upside down. That forever took away the power of shame and guilt.

God has been always there. Waiting. Watching. For you…for me…to turn towards Him and start walking home.
He took the first step towards us and sprints towards us!
God sent Jesus to the Cross - to die for our sin - and raised Him from the dead - to silence Kezazah forever in our lives.

God put His ring and robe on us and declares us to be a part of His family. We forever belong to Him. We cannot be shamed for our choices before that moment or for every other moment or choice afterwards, if we go to Him in humility, asking for forgiveness.

That is worth celebrating! No wonder the dad threw a party and made hamburgers for everyone.

So, why am I still struggling with Kezazah in my life - self-inflicted or otherwise? Why do I still allow the voices impact me? Why do I give memories or people too much power in my life?

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in
Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free
in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. “
Romans 8:1&2 ESV

It is not God who condemns us or keeps those reels replaying over and over in our minds. We can stop signing up to be the victum and start walking our victory because of what Jesus has done for us.

Maybe we need to review that list of how much God loves us from “New Day” from a previous blog. Go back one week, if you haven’t read it yet.

I need, we need, to flip the script. Change the narrative.

Lately, when those pesky, intrusive thoughts stay on a rotation and threaten to undo all the things I have fought so hard to overcome, I remind myself of who I am in God, how much He loves me and He had a purpose for me before anyone had an opinion.

Have you experienced Kezazah in your life? Have you experienced God’s grace, love and restoration in your life? What do you do to combat the thoughts and reels of rejection?

My prayer for us is that we will walk in the freedom of God’s fierce and wonderful love for us. That when the Enemy tries to Kezazah us, we will learn how to stop it by standing on God’s Word and walking in the authority of being His child.

I hope you have a great and wonderful day!
All My Love
~ Jodi xo

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