What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad? Isaiah 5:4
There’s so much pain in the question, “What more could have been done …?” The implication is if more could have been done God would have done it.
This becomes even more apparent from a New Testament perspective when we consider the cross. God sent his own Son to die on our behalf. “What more could he have done?”
God has done so much to redeem his people, shown so much love, shown so much mercy but God’s people often act like he hasn’t done enough. We’re always wanting God to do more to make our lives easier. We expect God to eliminate minor irritations from our lives as well as stop major tragedies. As if God should answer to us. As if God should wait on us.
God restricts himself to not overriding people’s free will. He lets us experience the consequences of our poor choices. God has promised favour and blessing but often we lack the faith, the determination and the persistence to pursue God and receive all he intends for us.
We lack the tenacity of Jacob who said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me” (Genesis 32:26).
Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). God wants us to pray earth will be more like heaven. There is no injustice, or heartache or pain in heaven and God wants us to be channels of blessing that will make earth more like heaven.
God has done all he can do, now he waits for our commitment and participation.
