Lake Hartwell is one of the largest, most popular, and most picturesque lakes in the Southeast. It comprises some 56,000 acres and borders both Georgia and South Carolina. The lake is a reservoir, created in the early 1950’s by Hartwell Dam, located on the Savannah River. A reservoir is simply a collection place of water supplied by some other source.
On the other hand, a channel is a body of water that connects two larger bodies of water. One of the more recognized channels in the world is the Suez Canal. That channel of water, located in Egypt, connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, thereby allowing ships to easily pass from one sea to another.
Many Christians are like a reservoir, thru years of attending church and studying the Bible, they have accumulated a great amount of knowledge of God and His Word. However, they never share it, they never reach out to help or encourage others, they are simply a reservoir.
On the other hand there are Christians who are channels. They allow God’s Word to flow thru them to others. They are kind and helpful to others, they encourage others, and they freely share the good news of salvation with those who don’t know Him. God wants channels of people, not reservoirs.
“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness” (2 Cor 9:8-10).
Mary Maxwell said it well when she wrote a hymn titled, “Channels Only.”
“How I praise Thee, precious Savior, That Thy love laid hold of me;
Thou hast saved and cleansed and filled me That I might Thy channel be.
Channels only, blessèd Master, But with all Thy wondrous power
Flowing through us, Thou canst use us every day and every hour.”
If there was ever a time in America that Christians needed to be a channel, it’s right now!