Jul 11 2023 31 mins
In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra talk about how practicing a Sabbath rest each week is so counter-intuitive in our productivity-driven culture. They share some of their own challenges and practices and provide you with some interesting thoughts to ponder when considering embracing a weekly day of rest for yourself. No shame, no guilt – just some fascinating and inspiring conversation, including:
- The Bible’s first mention of a Sabbath rest
- The Jewish concept of the day beginning at sunset
- The greeting, “Shabbat Shalom”
- How you actually “cease” on the Sabbath
- Preparation, pre-decisions and purpose
- Reflecting and rejoicing on the Sabbath
- Feeling free to start small, if you’re new to practicing a weekly Sabbath rest
Along the Way
Along the way, you’ll also hear about:
- The first thing God called holy
- The Jewish concept of holiness
- How the Industrial Revolution affected our work life
- Do we start work from a place of rest, or work-work-work to earn rest?
- The Sabbath is a gift from God
- Two things Jewish people are to remember on the Sabbath
- What “building a palace of time” means
- The spirit behind one particular Sabbath “don’t” listed in the Bible and what we can take away from it to shape our own Sabbath days
- Some great questions and a lens to look through when considering what your own Sabbath might look like
- The idea of taking a weekly digital Sabbath (Gasp!)
- Jewish obligation, Christian invitation, and a gift to all
Words You Might Learn in This Episode
Bereshit, m’kadesh, kadosh, Shabbat, shevet, Shabbat Shalom, Sukkot
Scriptures Referenced in This Episode
Genesis 1, Genesis 2:2–3, Psalm 133:1, Exodus 20:9, Deuteronomy 5:12–15, John 19:14 and 42, Exodus 16:4–5, Exodus 30:8–11, Exodus 35:1–3, Matthew 11:30
Previous Episodes and Resources Mentioned
- S1 E8 – Sabbath: To Keep It or Not – That is the Question
- S1 E25 – Let’s Call It “Ezra’s Story”
- The Sabbath, book by Abraham Joshua Heschel
- Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest, book by Ruth Haley Barton
- The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, book by John Mark Comer
Thanks for listening!
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