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Wildfires are raging through Southern California, as residents watch helplessly while their homes are destroyed. At the mercy of high winds, people are being forced to evacuate while leaving behind belongings, their homes, and ways of life. This horrific tragedy has cast leadership under harsh scrutiny, not only for its reaction to this possibility but also for whether the necessary preparations were made to prevent this widespread destruction. Local news outlets report that there is not enough water to fight the fires. “The reservoir is empty,” is not what anyone wants to hear when a wildfire is roaring toward their neighborhoods.

The purpose of this report is not to make a political point or even to draw attention to the responsible leadership in this situation; however, it hopefully will serve as a reminder that a failure to maintain and refill can have devastating consequences. Here are some observations and applications.

Reservoirs get empty.

This reality should force us to realize that we must maintain a certain level in our own “reservoirs.” Our strength, our spirit, and our spiritual reservoirs grow empty over time. Our emptiness leaves us vulnerable to the sparks that start the blaze which easily can grow out of control when we have no “water” to fight the fire.

Filling the reservoir must be a priority.

The priority of a full reservoir is realized when we have no water to fight the fire. By then, it is too late. It would be wise to check the reservoir daily for the water level. This may seem excessive, but when facing wildfires, we want every drop we can at our disposal! So, we need to fill the reservoir every day. We need the Word of God and the Spirit of God daily.

When the fire starts, it is too late to fill the reservoir.

This situation is a sad, but perfect illustration of this truth. Right now, those who make these decisions in Southern California can experience nothing but regret at being unprepared. I know many who have the mindset that they can fill the tank when they need the water. Unfortunately, when that realization occurs, it is too late.

Others pay the consequences of our inaction and preparation.

I do not know who all is responsible for letting the reservoir become empty in Southern California. I will not pretend to know whether this dilemma is as simple as it sounds. I DO know that people are suffering because the reservoir got too low to fight the fires. Our inaction and procrastination to prepare similarly affects others. Our apologies and excuses do not rebuild homes nor restore lost time. Refilling our reservoir prevents others from dealing with a lack of water.

Pray for those affected by these wildfires. Pray that some good will come from such a devastating event and that many will turn to God for help. May we also look at this situation for practical application more than political implication. May we never be caught with empty reservoir.

Stop now to fill the tanks.