“ 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: Going home to be with Jesus. In a few more years the Lord’s soldiers, who are now fighting “ the good fight of faith ” ( 1 Timothy 6:12 ) will be done with conflict, and will enter into the joy of their Lord. But although Christ prays that His people will 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, “ Oh 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 corn fully ripe, we shall each be gathered into our Master’s presence. Jesus does not plead for our instant removal by death. Our abiding in the flesh i...