Make Hay While the Sun Shines

Jeremiah 24:1-10

7 I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD;

I can’t help but recall the literal meaning of the word translated as “heart,” in the Latin liturgy, which means “gut string.” Then I looked up the Hebrew, and it took me way off in left field. It seems to mostly indicate something like “the center of volition.” That would render the translation more like, “I will make it their deepest purpose to know that I am the Lord.” Except, I like the idea that a certain kind of heart could be given to us, presumably one that would take the place of whatever kind of heart we happen to currently have.

Romans 9:19-23

What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath that are made for destruction;  23 and what if he has done so in order to make known the riches of his glory for the objects of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—(including us……)

So I am an object of mercy for the riches of God’s mercy to be demonstrated upon? Through? On account of? And is it the “riches of glory” that have been prepared beforehand for glory? I don’t think so because of the redundant phrasing. I think it’s the ‘objects of mercy’ (us) which have been prepared beforehand ‘to make known the riches of his glory.’ The other part confuses me though. It seems to be saying that God has endured with patience the objects of wrath, for the purpose of showing his wrath. That parses out to this: God shows his wrath and demonstrates his power by enduring ‘the objects of wrath.’ (Which would also be us, I’m guessing.) And God exercises this patient endurance on behalf of ‘the objects of mercy,’ which is us.

So, paraphrasing: God patiently puts up with the bad stuff we do, for the sake of the good stuff we do. That is what he made us for, to know and understand the riches of God’s glory, and we can only understand this astounding truth through the operation of mercy, which makes it obvious and unavoidable that on account of that astounding mercy we are commissioned as divine agents who “make known the riches of God’s glory.” I think I’ve got it.

 

John 9:1-17

4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work.

Did Jesus just say, “Make hay while the sun shines”?

“Whan the sunne shinth make hay. Whiche is to say.

 Take time whan time cometh, lest time steale away.”

John Heywood, A dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the prouerbes in the Englishe tongue, 1546

Of course, being me, I like the second part best. Take time when time cometh, lest time steal away.”