Long ago During World War II, when the government of France collapsed, the army was ordered to stop fighting and to lay down their arms. There were many officers who tried to save their men and themselves from surrender. Among these was the Colonel of an artillery regiment which was stationed well west of the Maginot Line.
When the Colonel heard of the fall of Paris and of the rapid advance of the Germans, he ordered his regiment to retreat at once towards a district where it was thought they would be safe.
The order was issued on the 14th of June and three days and nights of rapid travel were needed. The retreat began on the evening of June 14th and continued on the 15th and 16th. Willie was a young ambulance driver, and on that third day his motor suddenly stopped. Something was wrong. There was nothing to do but move aside and try to find and repair the damage. None dare stop to help, and soon Willie was alone with his one passenger, an officer. There was no time to be lost, for the German army was close at hand.
Willie’s parents were Christian missionaries in China. On that 16th of June they had it greatly pressed upon their hearts that their beloved son was in special danger, and they prayed earnestly that the Lord would protect and deliver him.
Willie himself knew that same source of guidance and help and prayed that he might speedily find the cause of trouble in his engine.
The prayers were answered. Willie was led to prompt discovery of the trouble and was able to fix it. But the regiment had passed on and there was no guide to show him the way. The officer who was his passenger in the ambulance “happened” to have with him a road map covering just that very district, and using it they proceeded.
As they advanced they found bridges destroyed and roads blocked. At times shells fell to the left and right of them, but they were unhurt. Several times they narrowly escaped capture by German troops. Without the road map they would have been almost helpless; using it, they reached the expected place of safety. Their ambulance was the very last to arrive.
There are some who will perhaps think that the statement of God’s answering prayer, causing the ambulance driver quickly to discover the problem in his engine, and to have so ordered it that the one passenger had the needed road map, was nothing but religious sentiment. If this is your thought, it is clear that you know nothing of the love of God for us poor human creatures. Did you never read what our Lord said when on this earth, Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? He adds: Ye are of more value than many sparrows - even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Of our Lord Jesus we are told that He was the brightness of God’s glory, the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power (Hebrews 1). In love to you and me He laid aside that glory for a time. He came into this world, became a man and went to the cross of Calvary to bear your sins and mine. He accomplished the work of redemption for us.
Surely, you will not close your heart against such love as this? v