Bound Roots

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.  -- John 15:5

 

This is my favorite office plant -- it's an Arabian Coffee Tree.  I like coffee.  I have hopes it will someday grow up and actually have a coffee bean or two.  It has not been doing well though.  The leaves have curled and fallen off and no amount of love, water, and Miracle Grow had seemed to help it.

It's interesting to me how we can live in the same circumstances day in and day out and not see things for how they are.  The small pot laying in front was the pot in which I had my coffee tree.  A sudden thought finally came over me, as I stood fussing over my dying plant -- "MAYBE it's root bound!"  So I went out and found the next size pot and transplanted it Saturday morning.  The roots were packed in so tight that hardly any soil remained around them.  I broke up the root ball and placed it in the larger pot with new fresh soil.  "AH!" it said.

Troubles in our life where we wake up looking for answers and help most frequently grow on us gradually.The choices we make, the busy lives we run cause us seldom to sit and feel what is happening to our roots -- the tap root of our existence -- buried in God.  We handle all of life's presentations of challenge and opportunity on our own terms and pat ourselves on the back.  The pot fills up with more of our roots, squeezing out God, the source and nurturer of our life.  If you're finding yourself in need of help, filled with anxiety and stress take a good look at the pot in which you're growing.  Take some quiet time to stretch your roots out and invite God back into the spaces!

Prayer:

Holy Gardener and Giver of Living Water, sprinkle the soil of our lives with your merciful understanding and peace.  Help us to keep our focus on the things You hold to be important.  Help us not become so congested with our own management powers that we lose the central place You hold.  In Christ we pray - Amen.