Psalm 92:12-15 – “The godly grow like a palm tree; they grow high like a cedar in Lebanon.  ¹³ Planted in the Lord’s house, they grow in the courts of our God.  ¹⁴ They bear fruit even when they are old; they are filled with vitality and have many leaves.  ¹⁵ So they proclaim that the Lord, my Protector, is just and never unfair.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, a challenge and question echoed in my heart and head: Being Planted.  In Psalm 91, the Covenant Psalm, the key is relationship with God (dwell in His presence).   In Psalm 92, we find that if we are planted in God’s house, we flourish in His courts. The courts are the place of judicial decrees.  We win our cases over the enemy!

In Matthew 15:2-3, we hear religion’s question (focus on man-made tradition) and Jesus’ answer (focus on God).   In Matthew 16:3, we encounter the question that becomes a challenge.   We are in tune with the natural but not the spiritual.  Why?  This is reemphasized in vv 11-12. The focus was on the natural. Their minds were not transformed yet!

In Matthew 16:15, we encounter life’s most probing question, “Who is Jesus to us, personally?”   In Matthew 18:1, they are still battling with the carnal, “Who is the greatest?” Position and prominence!   

We have a problem with forgiveness because we are more in tune with or focused on the natural than the spiritual.  It is about us.   Matthew 18 gives the process with some necessary caveats.  In v 15, a person (fellow believer) is at fault with us.   That reveals there is some connection and relationship. We go to them personally.  If necessary, we took others with us.  Then, as a final appeal, we bring it before the church.   Not social media or talebearing.

Why?  The motive is reconciliation and restoration.  Anything else is rooted in the flesh.  We forgive in light of our forgiveness!  We forgive, remembering the magnitude of our forgiveness.  Our problems in life largely stem from the reality that we are more in tune with the natural than the spiritual. We have to die to self so we can live to, in, and through Jesus.

Lord, help us become more in tune with the spirit than the flesh. Help us decrease so You can increase in us.