July 3, Morning

C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling

"The illfavoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven wellfavoured and fat kine." — Genesis 41:4 · KJV

Pharaoh's dream has too often been my waking experience. My days of sloth have ruinously destroyed all that I had achieved in times of zealous industry; my seasons of coldness have frozen all the genial glow of my times of fervency and enthusiasm; and my fits of worldliness have thrown me back from my advances in the divine life. I have need to beware of lean prayers, lean praises, lean duties, and lean experiences, for these will eat up the fat of my comfort and peace. If I neglect prayer for ever so short a time, I lose all the spirituality to which I had attained; if I draw no fresh supplies from heaven, the old grain in my granary is soon consumed by the famine that rages in my soul. When the caterpillars of indifference, the cankerworms of worldliness, and the locusts of self-indulgence lay my heart completely desolate, and make my soul languish, all my former fruitfulness and growth in grace avails me nothing whatever. How anxious I should be to have no lean-fleshed days, no ill-favored hours! If every day I journeyed toward the goal of my desires, I should soon reach it; but backsliding leaves me still far off from the prize of my high calling, and robs me of the advances I had so laboriously made. The only way in which all my days can be like the "fat kine" is to feed them in the right meadow — to spend them with the Lord, in His service, in His company, in His fear, and in His way. Why should not every year be richer than the last in love, and usefulness, and joy? I am nearer the celestial hills, I have had more experience of my Lord, and should be more like Him. O Lord, keep far from me the curse of leanness of soul; let me not have to cry, "My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me!" but may I be well fed and nourished in Your house, that I may praise Your name.