"We should mark, finally, in these verses [18-26 of John chp.17], how Jesus prays that His people may at last be with Him and behold His glory. "I will," He says, "that those whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am: that they may behold My glory."
This is a singularly beautiful and touching conclusion to our Lord's remarkable prayer. We may well believe that it was meant to cheer and comfort those who heard it, and to strengthen them for the parting scene which was fast drawing near. But for all who read it even now, this part of His prayer is full of sweet and unspeakable comfort.
We do not see Christ now. We read of Him, hear of Him, believe in Him, and rest our souls in His finished work. But even the best of us, at our best, walk by faith and not by sight, and our poor halting faith often makes us walk very feebly in the way to heaven. There shall be an end of all this state of things one day. We shall at length see Christ as He is, and know as we have been known. We shall behold Him face to face, and not through a glass darkly. We shall actually be in His presence and company, and go out no more. .... No wonder that when St. Paul has written, "We shall ever be with the Lord," he adds, "Comfort one another with these words." (1 Thess. 4:17,18.) -JC Ryle
Jesus desires that all who believe in Him, and love Him, see His glory. What an honor that is, and a glory that will be, for unworthy men and women, made worthy in the gracious death and mercy of Christ our Lord!
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