Was Obi-Wan Subtly Preparing Luke For Training?

Question

One of Yoda's objections to training Luke is that Luke was too old. Obi-Wan was well aware of the age issue for training Jedi, but was ready to train Luke when Luke was somewhere around 20, much older than when Anakin started his training at about 9 years old. There had been no apparent attempt to train Luke until he intercepted Leia's message for Obi-Wan via Artoo.

In other words, even with an awareness of the need to train a Jedi at a young age, and after seeing the problems with Anakin, whom the Jedi Council didn't want to train because of his age, Obi-Wan waits until an emergency leads to Luke coming to Obi-Wan before he makes any apparent attempt to train Luke.

Obi-Wan didn't take any apparent action until Luke came to him.

We know, as was brought up in this question about Obi-Wan trying to train Luke when Luke was young, that Obi-Wan encountered resistance from Owen Lars. It's also been brought up, in another question that we really don't know Obi-Wan's original intent.

But considering Owen Lars' resistance and the need to train Jedi at a young age, are there any indications that Obi-Wan was not only watching Luke from a distance, but was finding ways to subtly prepare him for Jedi training? Perhaps he was using the Force to influence Luke or to increases Luke's sensitivity?

Answer 1

Ben was simply biding his time, waiting for the opportune moment. Leia's message to "Obi-Wan" forced his hand as far as trying to convince Luke, but as Owen had basically barred Obi-Wan from seeing Luke, probably after hearing of Anakin's bad end (he may even have been one of the very few who knew the truth about what happened to Anakin, and that Obi-Wan had a hand in it), there wasn't a whole lot he could do.

Yoda's "he is to old" excuse is, as it was with Anakin, more of a way around having to train him than a real reason not to. Like many martial arts masters, Yoda has seen many wannabes come in and wash out. Like those masters, Yoda needs to know that Luke wants it badly enough to not accept "no" for an answer, because if he gives up halfway through, he;'s all the more vulnerable to the Dark Side for his increased perception of the Force. You'll notice this reason is Yoda's very last dismissal of Luke before beginning to crack and asking Obi-Wan, "will he finish what he begins?". Yoda knew who Luke was from the moment he landed in Yoda's backyard swamp. He knew that if he didn't train Luke, the Empire was pretty much here to stay, and that even if someone living or dead could get to Leia and convince her to go to Dagobah, she'd be exactly as old as Luke.

Answer 2

According to the new (canon) Marvel Star Wars comic; Star Wars #009, Kenobi's initial plan was apparently to train the boy from an early age. Unfortunately (for him), his guardians, especially Owen, point-blank refused to allow this to happen.

That being said, in the intervening period between his initial arrival on the planet and the start of A new Hope, there's absolutely no indication that he's conducting any covert training of Luke.

Answer 3

Luke is on record to have the highest Midichlorian count of any Jedi (tied with Anakin). Obi-Wan doesn't need to "use the Force ... to increases Luke's sensitivity". Never mind that this is AFAIK not possible in canon.

As far as "to influence Luke", how exactly? Luke doesn't WANT to become a Jedi when they meet, and only agrees out of desire for revenge after Larses are killed by Empire. NOT a very light-side path.