Why is it that God does not always intervene for His people when they are in trouble?
IT may help us to answer this question if we recall what is said to have happened at the battle of Crtcy. Edward, the Black Prince, a youth of eighteen years, led the van of the English army. The king, his father, stood with a strong force upon a hill at some little distance from the field of conflict, in readiness to send relief when needed.
The young prince, being sharply charged by the enemy's cavalry, and finding himself in some danger, sent to his father for help. As the king delayed to send it, another messenger was dispatched to crave immediate assistance.
The king bade the messenger return with this message: "Go, tell my son that I am not so inexperienced a commander as not to know when help is wanted, nor so careless a father as not to send it." He intended that the honor of the day should be his son's, and therefore left him in a situation where his courage could be displayed, though ever ready to send help if real necessity arose.
In the light of this incident, consider the watchful; care of God over His children amid the struggles of their lives. With His Word to guide us, with our Savior interceding on our behalf in heaven, with the Holy Spirit's abiding presence with us, we are by no means resource-less. Are we surrounded by seas of trouble? Does danger threaten on the right hand and on the left? Is our way hedged in so that we can discern no path to follow? Are we tempted to despair? Let us remember that God our Father is looking on. He never withdraws His eyes from us. He waits to see what we shall do; He gives us the opportunity to overcome. He would have us Make use of the vast resources He has placed at our disposal.
Would we not rather have it so than have our difficulties removed by divine power? Would not direct intervention by God oft-times rob us of true blessing Let the thought of His constant care and Watchfulness brace us up to quit ourselves like men, and to be "strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might" Victory will then be ours, whether our ever-gracious God and Father sees well to intervene directly on our behalf or not.