High Cotton

Daily Reading: 1 Corinthians 4

Scripture Focus:  Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes.  He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts.  At that time each will receive his praise from God. (1 Corinthians 4.5, NIV)

Devotional Thought: The Corinthians were fond of judging their preachers.  Those preachers who were flashy and sensational were somehow superior to the more mundane variety of speakers – where they clearly placed Paul.  Paul told them that they should not judge by the standards of the world.  The Lord is the only reliable judge.  And so, they should consider their preachers based not on their flamboyancy but upon their faithfulness.

There is a phrase that I picked up when I was pastoring in the South.  When a preacher was preaching with ease and freedom in the Spirit, it would be said he or she was in “high cotton.”  You can understand the analogy: the high cotton is easy to pick.  When you have to bend down and pick it near the ground, you must work harder.  Sometimes my experience in preaching is like picking high cotton.  Sometimes I really have to work hard at it.  

Yes, I love preaching with energy and enthusiasm, and I wish I could do it all the time.  But, I don’t want to draw a crowd simply by my own energy and effort, by my own eloquence and emotion.  And further, no matter how high the cotton is, if the people aren’t telling others about Jesus, then the cotton's going to remain unpicked.  God does want his house to be full, but Pastor, people and Spirit must work together to fill God’s house.  And, the greatest work that any of us can do is pray!  Prayer is the key to passionate preaching, prayer is the key to effective witness, and prayer is the key to heart-felt conviction.

And remember this as you pray for your pastor: "The cotton gets higher as the prayers get 'nigher'!"

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the power of your Word.  It is through the preaching of your Word that people are saved. Help my pastor to preach with effectiveness and in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 109.21-25

21 But you, O God my Lord, deal on my behalf for your name’s sake; because your steadfast love is good, deliver me!

22 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is stricken within me.

23 I am gone like a shadow at evening; I am shaken off like a locust.

24 My knees are weak through fasting; my body has become gaunt, with no fat.

25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they wag their heads.