Morning, May 2
Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings
John 17:15
"I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world."
John 17:15
It is a sweet and blessed event which will occur to all believers in
God's own time--the going home to be with Jesus. In a few more years
the Lord's soldiers, who are now fighting "the good fight of faith"
will have done with conflict, and have entered into the joy of their
Lord. But although Christ prays that his people may eventually be with
him where he is, he does not ask that they may be taken at once away
from this world to heaven. He wishes them to stay here. Yet how
frequently does the wearied pilgrim put up the prayer, "O that I had
wings like a dove! for then would I fly away and be at rest;" but
Christ does not pray like that, he leaves us in his Father's hands,
until, like shocks of corn fully ripe, we shall each be gathered into
our Master's garner. Jesus does not plead for our instant removal by
death, for to abide in the flesh is needful for others if not
profitable for ourselves. He asks that we may be kept from evil, but he
never asks for us to be admitted to the inheritance in glory till we
are of full age. Christians often want to die when they have any
trouble. Ask them why, and they tell you, "Because we would be with the
Lord." We fear it is not so much because they are longing to be with
the Lord, as because they desire to get rid of their troubles; else
they would feel the same wish to die at other times when not under the
pressure of trial. They want to go home, not so much for the Saviour's
company, as to be at rest. Now it is quite right to desire to depart if
we can do it in the same spirit that Paul did, because to be with
Christ is far better, but the wish to escape from trouble is a selfish
one. Rather let your care and wish be to glorify God by your life here
as long as he pleases, even though it be in the midst of toil, and
conflict, and suffering, and leave him to say when "it is enough."