Some years ago, I planted a Key Lime tree in my back yard. It was a gift from my Mother who was sympathetic to my addiction to sweet tea with lime juice and Key Lime Pie. It was a tiny plant at the time, but it got planted under perfect conditions and began to flourish in my back yard. As time passed, it produced limes like you wouldn’t believe. It produced all the limes to satisfy my addiction and to share with all of our neighbors.

The time came when our family had to move to a new location, but I was determined to take my prized lime tree with me. Meticulous provisions were made to transplant my lime tree to its new home. Unfortunately, in the process, my prized lime tree died. It was later that I learned that in transplanting a tree, the top part of the tree should be pruned back so that the root system is larger than the tree it is supporting.

There are some times in my life, when I am meditating on God’s word, I think of the cross. I visualize roots flowing from its base. That vertical relationship with Christ, firmly rooted in Him, is so important to sustain the horizontal relationships in our lives.

As God’s word says, our deeply rooted foundation in Christ will make our faith stronger and our lives will “ overflow with thanksgiving.”