Why was Paul anxious to be absent from the body and present with the Lord?
Paul was anxious because years of apostolic labor had brought relentless opposition, beatings, scourgings, sickness, and increasing Roman pressure against Christianity. He had also suffered from Judaizers constantly trying to destroy his work, and faced martyrdom. Thus he was willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord.
Les explains that Paul's circumstances made him long to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. Paul had suffered for years because of his apostolic work. The Judaizers were constantly after him, trying to destroy his work, and in time the pagan Romans began to come down upon Christianity. Paul suffered a martyr's death because of his work with the Gospel. On top of that, he endured sickness and pain from beatings and scourgings. With increasing pressure from the Roman authorities against Christianity, Les says he can see where Paul was anxious to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. Earlier, Les notes that while we are absent from Christ we walk by faith, believing what He has given us in His Word.
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.