Thoughts from my devotions:

Hebrews is not often a chapter I think of as a powerful gold mine of truth, but The Lord often takes me back to it. I plan on reading a few verses and before long I've read a whole chapter or even the whole book! 

This morning I went to Hebrews just to pull Hebrews 12:1 to share a truth God has been teaching me, but as you  can see, I just couldn't stop there.  Hebrews 12:1-4 "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,"

People are watching how I, as a Christian, am living my life. Honestly seeing if this God thing is real, or if it's just a passing hobby, or if it's a real way of life. It is one thing to start well, but will I finish well? 

To finish well I must become a dedicated athlete of the faith, dedicated to this race I call life. That doesn't mean just taking off running wide open from day one. Any runner could tell you that's foolish, so why would I think it is any different in my spiritual race of life. Life isn't a sprint, it's a marathon. I must run with patience if I want to last to the end of the race. 

As a fire fighter, there is a lot of gear I have to wear in order to protect myself from the harmful flames and smoke that would otherwise consume and kill me. In my Christian walk, I must gear up with the armor of God to survive the fire of this world while fulfilling God's command to rescue the perishing. 

It is hot and heavy work. I couldn't jump into a fire without having first trained on how to safely put on and use my equipment. Because of the heat and weight, I first remove everything I don't absolutely need, as in this verse where God instructs me to "lay aside every weight, and SIN which doth so easily beset us." Not every weight is sin and it is easy to carry around more things than I need to. Sometimes good things, but things that aren't helping me effectively run this race or fight this fire. God says, "take my yoke upon you, for my burden is easy and my yoke is light." Matthew 11:29-30 Not the yoke of Christian religion that may be all good things, but will weigh me down till I'm ineffective. 

I remember my first interior structure fire, a while back... I'd just finished interior fire take down and my SCBA(air pack) training, I was now ready to go fight interior fire. Or so I thought…  Shortly after our training the tones dropped, gear was thrown on, lights flashing sirens wailing and we went in-route on a active house fire. 

Arriving on scene the garage was fully involved and the fire was beginning to involve the house. Time was essential to save the house and anything in it. My brother Tim and I geared up and headed into the fire, dragging the heavy hose with us. 

I'd done this before, but it was hotter now, than at training. It was harder to see, hear and breath. My flashlight had failed, so I had no light. I thought I heard a dog whimpering. It was hard to hear, I thought maybe I was hearing things. Then someone called into the building, "there is a dog in the house." 

My brother and I where the only two suited up and in the building. He was knocking down the fire and I was backing him up. "Never leave your partner" is what I had been told, and now, find the dog too. Choices..., he said he had the fire and Jim could see us both from where he was standing at the door. 

So we made the call and I went for the dog. Leaving the light of the others, I now worked my way through the dark away from the fire, and the others. Following the sound of the dog that was now getting weaker, I made my way to the back corner of the room. Still within sight of Tim, I found the dog lying motionless. It was a big black standard poodle. Man, God, I thought, why couldn't it have been a tea cup poodle; it is hot, and I'm already tired. I scooped up the dog and began carrying it out to Jim, who was waiting at the door. The dog seemed to get longer with each step. I was trying to hold it up high, so that it's limp legs did not drag on the floor. I was grateful it wasn't a fat dog! By this point, I could tell my mask was not working right. It was sucking in smoke, which was making me feel sick. I got to the door and passed the dog off to Jim, then tried to repair my mask before heading back to help Tim... 

After this experience, I realized that I may know what the rules are, and how to put the equipment on. May have worn it before, and may have been train for what to do when equipment fail, or how to carry more then my own wait and gear. Though I hadn't actually done it, when the chips where down it took a lot more then training took. I hadn't trained for the endurance... and hadn't faced problems and temptations. 

Later I relayed this story to my brother Bryce. He cautioned me about the danger of being unprepared, and asked me what daily training and workout program I was doing. Training and workout program...? I thought, I'm a highly active, fit person. I train and rides horses, works cattle, bails hay, chases kids around... And I go on regular walks and sometimes run if my allergies aren't too bad. Isn't my lifestyle enough? He explained to me how all that was good if all I had to do is worry about myself, but in a fire I had to carry more than myself or even my own gear. My weight was a given, but in order to answer "the call," I had to carry someone else, too. So I must train for that. It doesn't happen over night. When you walk or run, he told me, wear your gear or a weight vest. Build your endurance when it isn't an emergency, so you are ready when it is. 

This is the same in my christian life, we must prepare for the fires of this world. I have to daily train and put on the full armor of God, weather I think I need it or not. 

Hebrews 12:2-4  tell us to be "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin."

There is much more to running this christian race then the running part. If running is all I do, then I will burnout! I must train for endurance, so I can help others as Christ would and not burn out. Weather I burnout or rust out I'm still out!!!