Verses that inspire

Recently, I've been excited to check on my cuttings that I took in the early winter, just after the first frost here. I wanted to try my hand at "being fruitful and multiplying" my Confederate Rose bush. I know it has a more formal botanical name, but peeps around here know these as Confederate Roses!

They grow up mostly as groups of long stems, with lots of generously sized leaves. They are beautiful and green, but the show really begins in early fall, and lasts until frost. The buds (at least the ones that the deer don't munch on) open, one or two daily, with spectacular flowers. The largest ones are almost the size of one of my dinner plates!

They begin as a lovely pale pink, and the next day are a deeper rosy red before wilting and falling. It's like it takes so much "oomph" from the plant to produce that show that they can't keep it going for very long. (Grin)

Anyway, I cut some of the small stems and put them in water. I've tried this before, but was not as patient.....two months later I saw tiny, wispy roots starting to make their way out of the stems. And now, I'm pleased to say, I have roots in the water and even have leaves on them, too!

You know me, this got me thinking about roots. And then I came across a verse in my studies that wowed me! Check this out:

Once more a remnant of the kingdom of Judah    will take root below and bear fruit above. (II Kings 19:30)

What an awesome picture of us as believers! To take root below and bear fruit above.....we need to truly take root in ways that may not be visible outwardly. To keep focused on our Lord in our prayers and in our study time; to really take in the Word, like a plant pulls in water and nutrients through the roots.
That will enable us to bear fruit "above," to show the characteristics of our Savior in our own lives. It's how the fruit of the Spirit will come to be traits in our lives.

We will be like the psalmist said:

Blessed is the one    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take    or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,    and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,    which yields its fruit in seasonand whose leaf does not wither—    whatever they do prospers. (Psalm 1:1-3)

Lord, help me to take root below and bear fruit above!