Charlie Kirk
“I think that to our own detriment and to our own failure we as Christians have decided to cast away resting on one of the seven days.”
“God rested after creation, that comes before the Hebrews, it comes even before the creation of the modern world and civilization as we know it. And it says very, very clearly in the Scriptures for six days you shall work and the seventh day you shall rest.”
“If you are feeling overrun by society, you might be feeling depressed or anxious, here’s this one way that you might be able to improve. Turn your phone off for one day. No contact, no social media, no work. Your mental health will improve dramatically. That is a day to go be with God, to read your Bible, and be out of the busyness and the hurriedness and the anger and the noise of this world. Go back to God’s natural rhythm and it’s made our family much tighter knit. And I could be traveling for five or six days, but if I at least get one good sabbath with my family, it charges all back up.”
[source link to quote on Youtube video]
Erica Kirk
“As the wife, I have seen it transform him in a way that is so powerful that when he turns his phone off and it goes in that drawer and he – and I know that he’s all on for the family. There [are] no distractions, and he finally gets to reset his brain. He finally gets to breathe. And as a wife, there is nothing more precious than my husband’s sanity when it comes to the echo chamber and everything that he’s dealing with in his world. So I have seen it change him and impact our family in one of the most beautiful ways.”
[source link to video clip of Erica Kirk quote]
Charlie Kirk
“[People say] Charlie, why do you talk about Shabbat so much – you’re a Christian. And I say, look first of all, if you believe Jesus is Lord, then you believe in the creation and the promises of God are complete to the entire Bible – but I’m not gonna get too theological. If you rest for 24 hours you will be blessed … I know that my life before I was honouring the Sabbath and after honouring the Sabbath. They don’t even compare and some people say, well Charlie why Saturday [rest] instead of Sunday? That’s a good question, and I don’t want to be overly legalistic about it. Maybe Sunday’s a better day for you to totally rest – so whatever day works for you. For me, it’s the old traditional Jewish Sabbath in this highly technological world.
“We’re all staring at screens. We’re all over indulged in the new cycle. – You’re missing out if you are not stopping to rest for one day. In the book of Deuteronomy, which means second law, Moses repeated the Ten Commandments. He said “for six days you shall work and for one day you shall rest, because you are no longer slaves in Egypt.” What Moses was saying in his farewell address is why do you have the Sabbath? You have the Shabbat [rest] because only slaves work for seven days. You are not a slave to work.”
“Dramatically this is a day to go be with God – a day to read your Bible – and be out of the busyness and the hurriedness – and the anger and the noise of this world. [It helps to] go back to God’s natural rhythm and it’s made our family much tighter knit.”
[source link for Charlie’s quote on Youtube]
Audio quotes from Charlie and Erika Kirk were transcribed and lightly edited by Living Bulwark editor.
Top image credit: Young family and grandparents enjoy a relaxing meal together, from Bigstock.com, © by CHOReograPH, stock photo ID: 329306194. Used with permission.
Charlie Kirk was an evangelical Christian who founded Turning Point USA. His wife succeeded him in leading Turning Point USA. They have impacted thousands of young people to embrace faith, marriage and family, and the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.