Pressing Pause: Starting Sabbath

David (00:01):

What’s up everybody? Welcome to another episode of the Covenant and Conflict podcast. We have a special episode that I think you’re going to love with us today, Michael Hirsh.

Michael (00:10):

Oh, hey David. Great to see you today.

David (00:12):

Great to see you. It’s great to meet you. I’ve heard nothing but amazing things from people that I love that have nothing but incredible things to say about you. So will you just take a moment and introduce yourself to our listeners? Who is Michael? Where’d you come from? When did you get to know Jesus and what do you find yourself doing now?

Michael (00:29):

Yeah, I appreciate that David. Normally the great things are said about my wife.

David (00:32):

Yeah, I have heard good things about your wife

Michael (00:34):

Too, and I happen to be married to her, and so I won the lottery as I know you would attest and say, Michael, I won the lottery. That’s

David (00:41):

A hundred percent. I did. And that’s a good thing to be known for, how amazing our wives are, if that’s the best decision we’ve made. That’s a good one to make.

Michael (00:49):

There is no question. No, I would raise my hand to that for sure. Well, it is a blessing and it is an honor to be sitting here with you today. Love Gateway, love center for Israel. Love the podcast. Thank you. And so, wow, I get to join. You get

David (01:02):

To be in the comfy chairs.

Michael (01:03):

Now I get to be in the comfy chairs and come here in the bookshelf. You’ve got it going on here, but there’s a special presence without a doubt. So thanks for having me. Really, really appreciate it.

David (01:14):

Thanks for being here.

Michael (01:15):

Well, I dunno if you know this, David, but I grew up in Michigan and a small city in Michigan and southeastern part of the state. I can put up my hand here or if you can see it, I’ve just kind of turned around my hand right over here. But that’s where I grew up and not in a household of faith, but with parents who loved me as an only child probably too much and absolutely did the very best they could. But I wouldn’t say though that I grew up in a household that really pointed me necessarily to God and to faith until after I graduated from high school. There were a couple of dreams that were stirring in my heart and one of them was to play baseball and I say dreams. I’m not sure if that was maybe imposed by my dad kind of living vicariously through me or if it was Michael, but definitely was a dream to play professionally, sign a big contract with a signing bonus and we would all be set for the rest of our

David (02:15):

Lives. Michigan’s team, who do you guys go for

Michael (02:18):

Baseball? So baseball, Detroit Tigers in 1984, which I think was the last time that they did anything newsworthy.

David (02:27):

Got it.

Michael (02:29):

We have a few struggling professional teams right now except the lions go. Lions

David (02:34):

Go lions. Yeah. You guys are making a comeback.

Michael (02:36):

Let’s stay healthy.

David (02:37):

Okay, so you have this dream to play baseball.

Michael (02:40):

Dream to play baseball. This is

David (02:41):

Post high school going into college,

Michael (02:43):

Maybe college. This is post high school, so I do take a year off. I so wish that we had terminology like gap year. We didn’t use gap year. It was confusion, right?

(02:57):

Yeah,

Michael (02:58):

Totally unsure what to do with the rest of my life. I’m

(03:01):

Lost,

Michael (03:01):

So we’re going to take some time off, but I did work. I did save up some money and with that dream to play baseball at that time, Arizona State University’s baseball team was one of the best in the country. And so I had a friend that I graduated high school with that he moved out to Arizona and he invited me just for a weekend visit in October. And so I’m not sure if you’ve been out to Arizona in October, but if there is ever a time to visit, it’s in October.

(03:30):

Really.

Michael (03:30):

It’s just gorgeous. Without the humidity, you’re in the 70 degrees. And so I have a great time out there, have this dream, an idea to play baseball and I’m thinking to myself, I don’t really have anything holding me back. So I moved on my own, which is a big decision you can imagine growing up as an only child to pursue this dream out in Arizona. Fast forwarding a couple years, God had a plan, as

David (04:00):

He often does,

Michael (04:01):

He often does. What

David (04:02):

Was his plan?

Michael (04:02):

His plan was not to play baseball. Got it. This right-handed pitcher who at that time was throwing 86 miles an hour without a great slider or curve is not going to go, wasn’t cutting it very far, but I made great batting practice.

David (04:16):

That’s good.

Michael (04:17):

If that tells you anything

David (04:18):

With

Michael (04:18):

Arizona State’s top team. So they’re top players. So I got to do that, but I really was batting practice and then God led me to a church and March 18th, 2001, pastor Tommy Barnett, if you’ve heard of Pastor Tommy with the name? Yeah, with the outreach center called the Dream Center. Dream Center. Dream Center is moving. At that time they were moving into urban areas when churches were moving out, they moved in and he just gives a famous author like a Billy Graham type of author call and I’ve heard him speak before. And that particular day with an auditorium full of 3,500 people, it was as if that particular message was just for Michael Hirsch. And so as he was getting ready to give that author call, I mean he did not David, he didn’t get to one. He normally would do the three, two. I was already standing, I was already making that march down the center aisle and knelt down and I gave my heart to the Lord and that began my journey of faith and my walk with him shared the news with my parents that had then moved to the area at that time to be close to me.

(05:34):

And then I shared with them a handful of weeks later what I thought was going to be great news. I thought it was going to be very well received. I was getting ready to start my senior year at Arizona State and I let them know. I said, now starting this Walk with God, which they didn’t understand at that time. I said, I think it’d be a really good idea for me to go somewhere where I could learn about him like a Bible school in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

David (06:01):

Yeah. That’s about as foreign as you can get in America

Michael (06:05):

Just about.

David (06:06):

And

Michael (06:07):

My dad didn’t know much about Oral Roberts University and Tulsa, but I had a conversation letting him know that that’s where I’m going to be going. And then he said to me, Michael, if you end up going and pursuing this God of yours, this would be the last conversation that you and I will ever have.

(06:25):

Oh no.

Michael (06:26):

And I said, with as much respect in that moment that I could garner and even just honor, it was, dad, I understand what you’re saying. I hope you can trust me and see it one day that God has a plan but out of respect and I’ve got to make, this is a decision that I have to make. And so not to leave anyone with that story, I do want to just fast forward and just say, but I’ve had the opportunity before my dad’s passing to lead him and my mom to the Lord who then before his passing became mine and my wife’s biggest cheerleaders in ministry, which is such a testimony.

David (07:05):

That is a

Michael (07:06):

Testimony to him. It is.

David (07:07):

And people probably listening that have, whether prodigal sons or siblings or parents, what a testimony that God can use it and rework our story was the relationship, how long was it nonverbal or how long did you go without communication or

Michael (07:29):

It’s a great

David (07:30):

Intimacy.

Michael (07:30):

I’m glad you said what you said. Absolutely. It’s never too late.

(07:35):

Yeah,

David (07:35):

Totally.

Michael (07:36):

And God has a plan. We may not see it in the natural, but as we continue just to walk by faith and not by what we see or maybe just the words in my case that we’re used and said or the silence. And so we went, I’d say about a half a year, which was a big deal just considering the type of relationship that we did have,

David (07:56):

Especially as an only child.

Michael (07:58):

Absolutely.

David (07:59):

That’s a hundred to zero.

Michael (08:00):

No, because I’m the world, right. Everything’s centered at that time around me,

David (08:06):

Especially without parents, without faith.

Michael (08:08):

Absolutely.

David (08:08):

Putting your identity in your kids is pretty easy.

Michael (08:11):

Absolutely.

David (08:12):

Wow.

Michael (08:12):

But he works out not just to say it, to say it, but he really does work out all things. Praise the Lord for the good. So I did set down the baseball glove and I did not continue pursuing the dream to play baseball at ORU, but God led me there and not only did I get the opportunity to just be immersed in an atmosphere like here at Gateway, being a part of an atmosphere of like-minded believers, but that was the first time that I got a chance. So for me it was like a fish, almost felt like a fish out of water going from Arizona State University, which a lot of universities claimed to be a number one party school.

David (08:53):

They actually are at the

Michael (08:54):

List. They really did reach that mark.

David (08:58):

Yeah, my mama’s family’s from Arizona. So now that rings true.

Michael (09:02):

You’ve heard some stories of Mill

David (09:04):

U Bay, they like to compete for that.

Michael (09:06):

They definitely

David (09:06):

Do the number one spot,

Michael (09:07):

Right. And then to be on campus at ORU and you pull into the main parking lot with these big giant praying hands. And so God led me there to yes, learn about him. But it was there that I received my first real leadership opportunity, which then led into next part of the story that we married and I get into. But then I met my wife Sayah at ORU and she grew up in a household of faith, grew up Jewish. So again, I really, really won the lottery in this one and meeting her. But we had the opportunity to become best friends through doing ministry together in an urban area in Tulsa. And so we graduated from ORU, we got married, and then God just put us on a jet to various places to follow his leading ranging from back to Phoenix, Arizona, Los Angeles for a couple of years we worked in St. Louis with a couple of ministries and then he called us back to Oklahoma and I had to twist my wife’s arm on that one.

David (10:18):

You went to some beautiful places to go back to Oklahoma. I understand that

Michael (10:21):

She’s originally from Florida and now we’re back landlocked. Michael, what is God doing? And the

David (10:27):

Tornadoes are a coming

Michael (10:28):

And they are a coming. We heard about those and so we moved back.

David (10:34):

So your wife, you said she grew up Jewish. Was this a Messianic Jewish family? Was this a family that maybe classified themselves as Christian but kind of knew they had Jewish roots? How did she grow up and continue her kind of journey of faith?

Michael (10:51):

That’s a great question. So at the time when she was born, both her parents got radically saved and living for Jesus. And so that’s really the atmosphere that she grew up in. And so for me, this was different because as I’m getting to know her and developing this friendship we developed, we became best friends through doing ministry together. Our backgrounds and our upbringings were so different

David (11:23):

Because I know what I want to talk about is the Sabbath and you have this resource, the pressing pause and book, small group material, everything really locked and loaded for churches and believers to really take a dive into God’s heart for the Sabbath on a level that’s not super intense, super deep Old Testament. And where does this take place? Just like what’s God’s heart? So a great resource for churches and believers to jump in on. But it is interesting that your wife grew up Jewish because is that where the kind of Sabbath understanding came from? Was her Jewish identity or was this something you guys discovered later?

Michael (12:07):

That’s a great question. I’d say both to that. And so that was definitely the first we call them in the book spiritual breadcrumbs that God gave us starting there, but then with other ministries, books, then podcast. And then for me, it was a little over three years ago. This will sound very reminiscent of a guest that you had here on the podcast. Matthew Hernandez was invited unexpectedly as he was not on the same trip,

David (12:37):

But

Michael (12:37):

I was invited unexpectedly on a trip to Israel. In fact, the first communication I received to go on this trip, I deleted. I deleted the email that was inviting me to go because I thought it was spam.

(12:50):

Wow.

Michael (12:51):

I received another email three weeks later and I finally made it to the bottom of this email and I saw a colleague’s name that then recommended me to go on this trip. That opened my eyes that, oh, this is for real. I have a chance to,

David (13:06):

Is that one of those like you want a million dollars?

Michael (13:07):

Exactly, exactly.

David (13:09):

Delete.

Michael (13:10):

So that’s what really started it. So we have a series of spiritual breadcrumbs. And what I mean, so when I say a spiritual breadcrumb, it was an invitation to a Passover cedar dinner. It was an invitation to a Shabbat. It was attending a worship experience just before worship that there was a blowing of a shahar. However, there wasn’t, while I experienced these powerful moments, it felt holy. I’d say, David, I didn’t have an understanding. So why are we doing this? How does this relate to today in my faith? So I didn’t leave. It wasn’t negative by any means,

(13:54):

But

Michael (13:54):

I didn’t necessarily have my eyes open to it, but God was really preparing my heart to receive what he had planned for me to experience in Israel.

David (14:04):

So three years ago in Israel, you experienced what a Shabbat dinner or started kind of realizing Jewishness of your faith. When was the moment that you had something awaken in you about Shabbat?

Michael (14:21):

So you hit the nail on the head as we’re on an airplane into Tel Aviv, I’m looking at the itinerary and I am anticipating where I’m going to meet God. I mean, surely it is going to be out on the sea of Galilee

David (14:36):

With

Michael (14:36):

An acoustic guitar.

David (14:39):

Yeah, that’s got to be the height.

Michael (14:41):

And then the cherry on top is going to be in the garden of Gethsemane. That definitely, that’s going to be the moment. It’s almost as if David, I didn’t even see the Friday evening plants. I completely had skipped over it. And so we make our way into Jerusalem and we get ready for the evening dinner.

David (15:03):

I

Michael (15:04):

Was at least notified that hey, we’re getting ready to have a ready to have a Shabbat dinner. But for me, it was standing with 20 plus other pastors in front of our hotel and our leader of the trip, Robert Stern took just a few minutes. This was not a 45 minute dissertation exhortation.

(15:26):

He

Michael (15:26):

Took about 10 minutes. And David, I really felt like I had a Damascus. It might sound a little extreme, but I feel like I had a Damascus moment. I didn’t go blind, but I felt as if the scales were just lifted off of my eyes. And he just made a couple of statements and for one it was statement or a question. It was along the lines of the 10 Commandments. And the question was, do you happen to know what the fourth and longest commandment is? And I don’t know what is the fourth and the longest commandment. It is not a do not. And you’ve spoken, I’ve heard you speak on this, but it’s a Remember, think back and recall about the Sabbath. And then I heard a very famous quote that Dave, and it says that it was the Jews who kept Shabbat, but it was the Shabbat that kept the Jews over time. And that was a statement that I could not really stop thinking about in that moment. My heart, it’s ready and I’m getting ready with anticipation. I know to receive something. I like to say this now, that at that time if you were to say, why didn’t you observe or practice whatever words, someone would like to fill in the blank, Shabbat or Sabbath, and I do use those words interchangeably. It’s not because me or it’s not because ELA ever said no,

(16:56):

It’s just that we didn’t know. And so the work that you are doing here is tremendous. Thank you. So people would know, and that’s what happened that evening. And so we walked over to an Orthodox Jewish home and in that space and in that moment I experienced something. I had an encounter. And I’ll never forget during parts of the evening, it’s almost as if Abraham Hessel in his book Sabbath talks about the palace of time. It was as almost as if David time stood still. There was not a single moment that I even wondered what time is it? Do I need to check my phone? But there was this engagement, but when the father stood up and he gave a blessing over his wife and over the kids, then over us as leaders, I just knew I felt the nudge. That’s one way I kind of describe how God speaks to me. I felt the prompting. And so to land this plane, I’m in the airport and having a quick conversation with ELA and just beginning to unpack the trip, and this was on a Tuesday and I said, sailor, I said, there’s going to be a few Amazon packages arriving in the next couple of days,

David (18:22):

Some candlesticks

Michael (18:24):

At our doorstep, menorahs like, you name it, get ready this Friday night. We’re going to have our first, we’ve experienced a Sabbath dinner before, but we’re going to lead our own at our house. And then at that time it was with our three kiddos.

David (18:41):

And

Michael (18:41):

Then she said, this is in the book. And she said her famous three words, and I wish she was here to tell this part of the story, Michael, just keep it simple. I didn’t keep it simple, but here’s the good news. The good news. It got to

(18:58):

Simple.

Michael (18:58):

We showed up the next week and the week after and the week after that and now three and a half years later here we sit as energized as ever really talking about what I believe David, and this is just me, but I really do believe in God’s final act before Jesus’s second coming. I really do believe that this is a critical end time message for everybody, for all believers.

David (19:25):

The end time message is what

Michael (19:27):

Of Sabbath

David (19:27):

To honor the Sabbath.

Michael (19:28):

I really do.

David (19:29):

Yeah. Why do you think that would be connected to his return?

Michael (19:37):

A verse that I’ve really been spending some time on has been in Daniel seven and it talks about how the enemy is going to do a couple of things and one of the things he’s going to speak against the most, holy God, but what he’s going to do is that he’s going to make the saints of the most high weary. And three and a half years ago, I wouldn’t have said this,

(20:03):

But when my eyes were open to Sabbath, I realized that as someone who at the end of the day, my heart of hearts was to see God’s kingdom advance to as many people as possible, what can we do seven days a week running at that kind of pace and ministry, launching various nonprofits. At that time I was involved in next generation ministry. We’re helping kids start real LLC micro businesses. My wife is running her company. I compete in Ironman races, world championship iron race that I just completed last year. As I mentioned, three kids. What I say, we have two puppies. That’s my heart of hearts. But it’s pretty scary until you finally stop. And for a lot of people, it’s either through counsel, it’s a hard conversation. For others, it’s maybe medical that they have to stop. I feel fortunate that it happened for me in Israel, but I realized that I was running at a pace that was unsustainable. Yeah, totally. And that’s scary. And then when you just see where people are struggling, I do believe that an area that they’re struggling is and being tired and being weary. And it’s not because they’re doing the wrong thing, but they’re just running at an unsustainable pace. And so

(21:22):

I love the verse, the connection to Daniel seven for me is Matthew 11. That’s not a Sabbath. He’s not speaking about Shabbat,

(21:30):

But

Michael (21:30):

I love the message. So here’s our quick assessment, our free assessment, and it’s in the message. It’s three questions right now in this season, are you tired? Are you weary or are you burned out on religion or church?

David (21:46):

Yeah, that’s the message translation, right?

Michael (21:48):

It is. That’s the message. It is. And three years ago I would’ve raised my hands on, I would’ve been honest and raised my hand to all three of those questions. And so we have an opportunity to be able to come to him. Sabbath is not the only way that we can do that, of course, as you know. But I do believe that we need to take a hard look at a few verses and in particular the garden. And we have to go back to, I’ve heard you talk about it, but Genesis one and two where really God set a pattern and you set a rhythm that I hope people would consider.

David (22:23):

Yeah. I was reminded of Dr. Wayne Wilkes who spoke at our Shabbat service two times ago, and one of his little quotes was, if it’s God’s way, there is not another way. If God has a way, there’s not another way. And that is the Sabbath we’ve talked about In Genesis. People say, I thought Shabbat was a Jewish thing. I say, no, that’s a genesis thing. It’s a rest thing. This happened before Sinai and the Jewish people we’re even formed, or Abraham was picked as this new family. It was a rhythm that he created in creation. So people that do struggle with,

(23:13):

Okay,

David (23:13):

So we have to do a Jewish thing, that’s weird. That’s a lot to process. Maybe that doesn’t feel natural for me as a Christian to go buy a menorah candle. So what am I supposed to do? Just take it off. Can I just take off Sunday, go to church and just watch football? Would you say that’s a Sabbath?

Michael (23:39):

I would not say that. But if that’s where someone feels led and where they’re at in their journey, then that’s where they’re at. That’s when they’re at in their journey. Do they have to buy? Just so you know, side note, the menorah has been tucked away and candles, even those that are, and

David (23:55):

Even the Jewish community would be like, why do you have a menorah for Shabbat?

Michael (23:59):

And even those that are battery operated are not required unless you’re out on the beach. We are in Santa Rosa now. So sometimes those battery operated ones are. So one way that I like to describe it, and I hope this speaks into your question, and I know that the statement, I believe this is an time message, is pretty strong. I don’t look at as a hat, you have to. But how we want to posture our hearts is that I like your genesis thing. So we don’t say it like that in the book, but hopefully in the revise, we’ll add that in there.

David (24:31):

Yeah, add it in.

Michael (24:32):

But it’s really a get to one way. I like to describe it in a couple of different ways, David. I feel like for 40 plus years, I say 40 plus because that doesn’t give away my age. But for 40 plus years, this is the stunning part. It’s as if I was carrying around with me this beautiful gift wrapped box for 40 plus years and I never grabbed the end of the bow and pulled on it to open up to see what’s inside. That’s what it’s like for, so when we gather around the table on Fridays, it’s an opportunity for someone to discover and that’s what it’s about. I know that it’s a hard ask. Some may think that giving that tithing and giving offerings is a hard ask. We know this is a difficult ask because we’re asking you to consider giving some time back to the Lord. And that’s difficult in the day and age that we’re living in the pace of life

(25:38):

That

Michael (25:38):

We’re living in with technology. But here’s this gift that you have the opportunity. This isn’t about salvation. It’s an opportunity for you to grow deeper in your relationship and your communion and your fellowship

(25:54):

With

Michael (25:54):

The Lord. That’s the opportunity that you have before you that we’re praying and we’re hopeful that our listeners and watchers would consider.

David (26:03):

Yeah. So this resource, press pause.

Michael (26:07):

Yes.

David (26:09):

When someone gets it, they order the book. Is it teaching you how to do a Sabbath? Is it just teaching you about Sabbath? And what would be your kind of first step for someone who’s saying, okay, maybe I am a little burnt out. Maybe I would raise my hand as well. Where do I go from here? Obviously an easy answer is, or the book, but what is the book going to help me do? Just understand it, practice it. Give me a framework for it. So where are we leading people?

Michael (26:38):

Absolutely. So the end goal would be for our or listeners of the book would be to consider getting to the table. That is our hope, getting to the table. And what we’re starting to hear is many that like me are having their eyes open for the very first time are giving it a shot. That might sound a little unholy, right? You said it.

David (27:06):

I’ll give God a shot.

Michael (27:08):

But I think that’s good. We’re going to see what do you have. That’s our hope. The book is really geared towards leaders, achievers, and families. I describe earlier just the pace of life that we were at. Not that we were the most busy, but I’m sure that a lot can relate to being in that place, in their leadership, in their profession, in their calling, in their parenting and their fathering and their mothering. And

David (27:39):

In an overcommitted culture with technology, like you said, it can be all consuming.

Michael (27:45):

It is. It is. And so we felt led to take a different approach even with the title, with a pause button right in the middle. That’s what we’re asking. This is not saying stop and hide from the world and tuck yourself away in a cave for 24 hours and then come out if that’s how someone feels led to experience their Shabbat in Sabbath, that’s how they’re feeling led. But that’s not we’re suggesting in the book, but we’re suggesting to get to the table. Would you consider pressing pause? And the book really opens up, we’re very transparent and vulnerable with our story. We happen to both be type A, not everyone necessarily is, but very driven. The to-do list is never finished. We often found ourselves starting out our week on a Monday, feeling tired, feeling exhausted, and that’s the place that we found ourselves. And so we present what we call the warning signs or signals that could range from dryness. It can from dryness to feeling like brain fog and other symptoms. And so if someone identifies to that and then we define Sabbath and what it means to us Sabbath, we say it’s an invitation.

(29:08):

And I really like to time permitted. We could spend I think a whole conversation on Exodus 16, even outside of Genesis and sandwich between Genesis and Exodus 20 in Mount Sinai, you have Exodus 16 where you have the people of God that make this exodus out of Egypt that their worth was based on performance

David (29:36):

And production

Michael (29:37):

And production and their job. I mean that sound kind of familiar. Like today I know that I’ve found and to renew my mind, my identity and my title and what I do. But it was an Exodus 16 that Moses said to the people and said to them, and it was a mixed multitude. And that’s what’s interesting. It just wasn’t Israelites. It’s

David (30:01):

True And Gentile. Yeah, it sure was.

Michael (30:03):

And so again, here’s this gift and here’s this invitation. And so in the book chapter two, if someone wants to take a fast route and detour, you can get to chapter number nine, simple Steps to Sabbath. But we make it very clear that what you’re reading and what our Sabbath experience looks like, that’s through our journey with God. And I’m sure that our Sabbath experience doesn’t mirror yours. But I believe at the end of the day that our heart though is communion with the Father.

(30:37):

Yeah, totally.

Michael (30:38):

With our heavenly Father. And so we’re very real and honest in the book. So that’s where we’re hoping to get people to chapter two, you can take that detour. But then there is a chapter that’s called Anchored in the Storm. And so when our eyes were as a family really opened up to Sabbath three years ago and we started the rhythm in the very beginning, there were some awkward moments. I’ll never forget the times where we gathered at the table with either a kid that one of our kiddos that has tears in their eyes or SA and I who might’ve had

David (31:14):

Arguments,

Michael (31:14):

Some arguments we call ’em marriage moments.

David (31:17):

Yeah, that’s a better term. It’s

Michael (31:19):

More positive term prior to I just want to retreat and I want to duck away and let’s not do this. But we stick it out and we’re we’re at the table. So we got in this regular rhythm of Sabbath and we didn’t know it. We were talking earlier before filming about storms in Oklahoma. Little did we know that we had a series David of EF three, EF four, EF five, or now that we live in Florida, category four, category five hurricanes that were coming our way. Totally unexpected. And I don’t know, it’d be too easy for me to say without, if we didn’t start practicing Sabbath, what would’ve happened. I don’t even think that’s fair, but I don’t know.

David (32:09):

But you can see that the benefit of the Lord helping you establish that before the storms came

Michael (32:16):

100%. And it’s what the chapter, that’s the chapter number three. It’s anchored in the storm. And when you’re anchored and you’re at that table and you experience Friday after Friday and God’s like, I got 52 days of this a year. If you want 52 times and you experience the shalom and then you wake up into, it’s not as if the bill, the leadership challenge, the decision, the parenting issue, whatever you’re going through. It’s not that that goes away, but it’s the approach. We call it the overflow. It’s what comes out of that and how we can operate so

David (32:57):

Well, it’s amazing. I think it’s amazing for several reasons. One, you are not presenting a very legalistic form of it, which is easy to do because there’s been not only the command in scripture, but then years of tradition on top of it that are very clear and very established. And there’s beauty to those establishing traditions because as you pointed out, the command is to remember the Sabbath. You’re like, oh, maybe because we’re prone to forget to keep or guard is that word shamar, to guard the Sabbath. Why does it need to be guarded? Because it’s going to come under attack. It’s like all of these little, like you said, breadcrumbs that the Lord’s like, I’m giving you this because I know you’re going to forget and I know it’s going to be under attack. But if you would just set aside time, which like you said is this resource that we have very limited of, especially in our committed culture, but you’re presenting a really easy onboard to just say, Hey, well invite this into your space, into your life, get around the table. Which I know there were studies done in high schools and they found that the Jewish children in these high schools were some of the most well-grounded, connected to their family, had one of the longest unbroken lines of family tradition and culture that was passed down. And it was Jewish kids and there was one other, I think religion or group, and it was the ones that spend the most time around the table

(34:52):

At night. And there was this built-in system of we’re always going to come back to this. And that’s what you’re inviting into your space is every parent would say, I wish I had more time. Just the family, just the kids. Making that space is the hard part. And I think the other powerful thing is when I prayed before we started filming was we’re human beings, not human doings. And one of the ways that the Lord had spoken to me early on was when you really honor the Sabbath, which is the command you are choosing to remember, which is also the command that God loves me, not because of what I do, but because of who I am. And if there’s a day where I don’t do anything redeemable or impactful, then I’m reminded God doesn’t love me because the things that I do for him, especially as a Christian or as a pastor even

Michael (35:59):

More,

David (36:00):

Oh man, the reason that God loves me is because I’m doing all this great stuff in his name.

Michael (36:06):

Yeah.

David (36:06):

But I think that’s often a tidbit that I’ll give people. What do I do on the Sabbath? What do I do? That’s a good question. What don’t I do? And I think that’s a better question. What don’t I do don’t work? And what I’ve often told people is don’t do anything that you would consider redeemable, powerful, impactful, no, you don’t do any of that. Don’t work. So emails or whatever your work

(36:34):

Is,

David (36:34):

That’s done away with, don’t do anything that you could convince yourself like This is why God loves me. If you can just take that away, you come back at least once a week to the remembrance that you’re just a son or a daughter,

Michael (36:50):

So powerful.

David (36:51):

Then you get to start the next week in that identity. And then it probably takes about six days for us to get back to the point where we feel like we’re loved because of what we do. And he’s got that rhythm. So I love that message.

Michael (37:04):

So good.

David (37:04):

I know that we’re about to wrap up other than pushing people to the book and the website, which is all now fully live and ready to roll.

Michael (37:15):

It’s rolling.

David (37:17):

What would be your kind of final message to someone watching just saying, okay, again, I feel burdened, but why the table? Can’t I just take off? I just not go into the office? Why do we keep coming back to a table? What’s the significance to a table

Michael (37:37):

For us, part of it was from our experience that I had in Israel and that started around a table on that Friday evening. When I think of moments that stick out to me, I think of the gospels, I think of Jesus. I think as he’s getting ready to experience the most terrific day of his life. We almost say this every Friday, so I feel like I’m just repeating the same thing over to family and guests that are coming. But Jesus could have done anything, but he chose to gather around those that were closest to

(38:17):

Him.

Michael (38:18):

Not all of them ended up carrying out the mission, but most did. And he chose that table to have that intimacy and to have that communion. And so my encouragement would be for someone to get through the book. That’s how we chose to start. There’s not a formula on that’s how you have to do it. But you may have said this earlier, it is a way that we as a family, although we sit around the table a lot and we have a lot of meals as a family, as I’m sure you probably do with your three kiddos as well, there’s just something different when you choose on that particular evening, whatever day ours happens to be on a Friday, and we do light a candle, sometimes it’s two, sometimes it’s one. But just when you set it apart, I believe that the table just comes, it comes alive. And when you see him move week in and week out, there’s just no denying. That’s something we call it. It’s almost as if you’re experiencing, I, I’m going to borrow this from a colleague of ours, David Reman in Israel. He was very influential in helping us work on this book project.

(39:37):

But you experience the amplified, I believe you experienced the amplified presence of God. And that’s where it starts. That’s the leading, that’s the point. And so I believe that’s the sacred invitation. And I would just say as a closing thought for such a time as this, I would encourage our listeners and our watchers to do something extraordinary and consider pausing and consider meeting your creator.

David (40:05):

Yeah, that’s so good. Well, you’ve thrown out words like, holy sanctified. But I am reminded holy can sound very spiritual, but literally means set apart. And you saying we have lots of dinners at the table, but there’s something different set apart about the Sabbath. And I think that’s why it’s so important that there’s something different about that night, whether it’s the candles, whether it’s making of bread, whatever it is, doesn’t have to be, you have to take what the Jewish people have been doing for 2000 years and implement that. I think that there’s issues with that. But I think having something that does set this night apart that was God’s plan, was keep the Sabbath

(40:55):

Holy,

David (40:56):

Meaning set apart. This shouldn’t be like every other day, even if we have meals to the table. And that is when we invite the presence of God, which we have often defined as holy, his presence is holy, that was a holy moment. What does that mean? It was different than other moments. And we have the opportunity to do that weekly if we’ll be intentional about it.

Michael (41:18):

That’s great.

David (41:18):

So where can we find the book? How can we order it? Is it on Amazon? Is it direct website? Give us all the details we

Michael (41:26):

Need. You hit on the usual suspects. But absolutely Amazon is one place to check out pressing pause on website, which that’s our big encouragement. It’s start Sabbath. And so start sabbath.com in the very back of the book, borrowing it from a friend, Bob Goff is my mobile phone number. Not a setup Google number, but it’s my cell phone number where we want to connect in. Our ask is for someone to send us a picture of their Sabbath. We have a chapter in our book that’s called, and we hope this helps the reader, the listener feel empowered, but it’s called Make it Yours. So we have a chapter, Hey, here’s the simple steps. This is not what you have to do. Here’s what we’re doing now. Pray about it, be led and make it yours and make sure you hit me up and send us a picture. And not for us just to blast it on social media. We wouldn’t do that without your permission, but we want to celebrate. And I want that person, that family, and it’s just not families. And we mentioned achievers and leaders, individuals, those are the retired season of their life. I want them to know that every Friday night we as a family or if we have guests, that we spend time and that we pray specifically over those pictures that we receive. So that’s how you can find, that’s how can find the book.

David (42:47):

That’s awesome. Well, will you pray for us as we close and pray for our listeners, just that we would all take one step closer, whether it’s people that are listening that have the Shabbat rhythm in their life, but maybe have lost some intentionality or the other end of the spectrum, never thought about it, never heard about it, but maybe still considering whether this should be something we implement.

Michael (43:12):

You

David (43:12):

Just pray for us to,

Michael (43:13):

I would love to

David (43:14):

Have the nudge that you said

Michael (43:16):

It would be an honor.

(43:18):

Full Father, we just come before you Lord, and we thank you God for this conversation and an opportunity to be able to testify and to be able to spur on Lord the body of Christ God. And I just pray God over anyone right now that is listening or watching this right now, God, number one, I just pray that they would know how much that you love them. Jesus, before you did anything, God, when you came out of the water, Jesus heard the voice of the Father and that voice, that those words are speaking to us. And so I hope that they know God, that they are their beloved son and daughter whom you love, and they’re chosen and that your favor rest upon them. And I just pray right now by the leading of the Holy Spirit, that you would continue, holy Spirit, to do the work, order the step, provide the nudge, give them the taste and opportunity to taste and see God, just how good you are.

(44:19):

And maybe God, it just by continuing to listen to future podcast episodes or who knows, maybe it’s giving this book a chance, father. And so I just pray, Lord, that this message would be guarded, that no weapon formed against it would prosper. And I pray, God, that you would just bless us and keep us, that you’d let your face radiate and shine upon us. Be gracious to us, God, and give us that peace. God, wherever we find ourselves out, find ourselves in our journey with God, give us that peace that surpasses all understanding in Yeshua name. Amen.

David (44:54):

Amen. Well, that’s all the time we have for today. But go ahead and order that book. We encourage you to start that journey. You are going to be blessed by being intentional with you, with your family, with your loved ones. Like we said. If God has a way, that’s the only way. So we love you and we’ll see you next time.