DEVOTION//I want to be a nurse log

Psalm 78:2-4 I will utter hidden things, things from of old—things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.

This Word of God reminds me that I want to be a spiritual nurse log.

Forest nurse logs

A nurse log is a fallen tree in a forest that provides the seeds from surrounding trees a suitable environment to germinate and grow. Nurse logs offer seedlings shade, nutrients, and water. They even provide protection from disease and pathogens.

The crevices of nurse logs give seeds a foothold on life. As they grow, seeds find places to set down their roots over the top of the fallen tree, pull food from its decaying trunk, and run their roots toward the soil beneath.

In a healthy forest, nurse logs are necessary for the next generation of trees to flourish.

Spiritual nurse logs

I want to be a spiritual nurse log to my children and grandchildren -- and to the generations after that. But that won’t satisfy me. I want to nourish the faith of thousands who are not members of my family. My prayer is that, long after I have been welcomed into heaven, the impact of my Christ-led life will encourage souls to set their roots deep into God's Word and to lift their branches toward heaven in praise.

But I don't have to wait until I have died to be a spiritual nurse log. Today and every day, my testimony about God's grace in my life will nourish the faith of others. My Scripture-based words of encouragement help others set down deeper roots in the gospel. The witness of my Christ-led life demonstrates his love and urges skyward growth. Even this devotion nurtures the faith of those who read it.

The one who died and rose to life again brought me to eternal life through his Means of Grace. His Spirit nourished that faith throughout my life. He used a prior generation of nurse logs to accomplish that.

I want to be a nurse log. While I live. And after I die.

What about you?