It’s a long time since new year and resolutions but I came across this idea if a new years resolution  I will not touch but I will feel I will not look but see and I will not hear but listen.  I like this idea.  When you are surrounded by the familiar you start looking but not really seeing, you start hearing but not really listening. 

For example we as Canadians would like to think that we don’t have much of an accent but we do. Beyond Quebec and Newfoundland you can for the trained ear hear some regional accents Toronto Ottawa “T”  to “D”

How do you like me new sewt vs stressing the “u”  suit.

And we most certainly have some regional sayings. Bill Casselman in his book Canadian Sayings explores this and points out they our sayings become part of our Oral tradition. They become a link to our past.  Some are very funny and just a little to earthy for me to share here. There are some I can share, “He could talk the ear of a corn stalk.” From PEI “not a fit day for a fence post”  From Alberta” its so dry the trees are looking for Dogs” 

From Saskatchewan   “its so flat you can watch your dog run away for a week”  From New Brunswick  “get it yourself your legs aren’t crochet on.” Or those moments when we are not at our mental best. ‘Hang crepe on your nose your brains are dead.” Funny thing is I told someone this saying and they didn’t get it because they didn’t know the old tradition of Crepe paper mourning wreaths.   

 We all have our favorite sayings as I have said my Dad had a quite a bag full of them. “Like that person singing sounds like a dying calf in a thunderstorm.”

 I would and do say. “In the name of all the Saints” Janet will say “Oh my shattered nerves. “

 These regional sayings and the our own sayings become second place. Just a part of who we are. We hear them which is different than listening to them.   There are countless biblical examples of saying that are used so frequent that we forget that they are biblical. They become common place.   

We use such phrases like By the skin of my teeth Job 19:20 Fell flat on his face Numbers 22:31 A thorn in the flesh 2 Corinthians  Root of the matter Job 19:28

I had a visit this week with a colleague and we talked about how scripture can become familiar. I have preached on 32 Easters. It’s the same story.  It’s easy to say Jesus rose from dead the stone was moved some angel were there. Blah blah blah you know the story.  Today is good shepherd Sunday 

John, is portraying Jesus as the good shepherd. First it reminds us of the devotion and sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf and again the gift of the empty tomb.  There is also the idea that the sheep know the shepherd.  Shepherd cares you know the story.   

The challenge for us is not to allow that knowledge of God in Christ with us to become second place in our lives. To look but not see to hear but not listen.  God’s presence in our lives to become so common place that we no longer know the message.

.   Think on this…when was the last time you said the Lord’s prayer out loud on your own.   I live in fear of having to lead the Lord’s prayer, saying it out loud and forgetting the words. Well fear of it happening again as it has already happened once.  We always say in together. When I am at my own personal prayers I say it in my head.  There are several scriptures which can be like that. We hear them, but do we truly listen to them.  The 23^rd psalm (a classic for Good shepherd Sunday) a top choice for funerals so we associate it with funerals but is it a sad Psalm?   What happens when we don’t read it in sad solum tone but one of joy in your voice. It is a psalm of hope and promise.  We just get stuck on that “valley of the shadow of death” 

The challenge is to hear the words as compared to just saying them.   Look beyond the words and see what they are saying. Don’t hear the psalm but listen. 

The Lord is my Shepherd = That's Relationship!   John really likes this point and talks about Jesus as Shepherd a lot.   
I shall not want = That's Supply!  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures = That's Rest! He leadeth me beside the still waters = That's Refreshment! He restoreth my soul = That's Healing! 
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness = That's Guidance! 
For His name sake = That's Purpose! 
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death  I will fear no evil = That's Protection! 
For Thou art with me = That's Faithfulness!  Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me = That's Discipline! Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies = That's Hope! 
Thou annointest my head with oil = That's Consecration! My cup runneth over = That's Abundance! 
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life = That's Blessing !  And I will dwell in the house of the Lord = That's Security!  Forever = That's Eternity!