Roots

Among the plants I loved to display
Was one which grew in its own weird way,
Resisting my efforts to make it conform
To the shape I decided should be the norm,
In all directions it wildly spread,
Till my pruning's rendered it half dead.
Then, with a drastic slash of the knife,
One day I removed all signs of life,
Cutting the main stem down to the earth,
Hoping to give that plant new birth,
Expecting when new shoots would spring
A different beauty they should bring.
But to my disappointment when they came,
The shape was still the very same,
And still required the pruning knife
Because the roots were the seat of life.

This plant then spoke to me of sin
Because the roots are deep within.
When first I came to Christ, God's Son,
Repenting of the things I'd done,
God forgave me for all past sin
And Jesus came to live within.
My sinful habits God pruned away,
As I walked with Jesus day by day,
For like the Lord I wanted to be.
But more and more I came to see
The ugliness would reappear
Grieving me and the Saviour dear.

And then I heard of inbred sin,
That root of evil deep within,
For which my God had sent a cure,
A remedy both swift and sure,
For when my Saviour bled and died,
Complete salvation He did provide,
Not only for sin and all its fruit,
But He would remove the Adamic Root
From which all wrongful actions spring .
If I to them no longer cling.

The Bible gives a promise true:
"Behold I will make ALL THINGS NEW".
Not just new shoots from off the old,
Bur praise His Name, with Power bold
The Holy Spirit will remove
That root of sin and completely prove
That when His Spirit dwells within
His Root replaces that of sin.
Then, as His Presence takes full sway,
I become more like Christ each day.
And as I send forth each new shoot,
My life will bear the Spirit's fruit.

Honoria A. Groves