but in the depths of my heart I truly know that you have become my Shield; You take me and surround me with yourself. (Psalm 3:3 tPt)

Can you imagine a life where you are surrounded with Christ? A life where people look at you and do not see your shortcomings and weaknesses but Christ and His fullness embracing your entire being.

For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O LORD, You surround him with favor as with a shield. (Psalm 5:12 NASB)

A life where people here you speak and all they hear are the graceful Word of God that touches the deepest parts of their beings. A life where people observe your actions and first see God’s hand over your life and the great works He is doing through you. A life where everything about you is about God and little about you.

A life that is impossible to obtain through self-effort but which is completely in your reach as you allow yourself to be hidden in Christ in all you say, do or think.

Can you imagine such a life? Would you like to have such a life?

You can.

In Christ you have become the fullness of Christ already as you are one with Christ (1 Corinthians 6:17). Christ is in you and you possess every good thing He has. His greatness is in you. His presence is in you through His Holy Spirit. His existence is so great it is impossible to have Him in you and to keep Him shut inside. As you allow Him to work through you He embraces your entire being. He is in us because we are in Him.

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. (1 John 4:13 ESV)

If we go back to Psalm 3:3 and the words, “You take me and surround me with yourself” paints a beautiful picture of God that comes to us and closes us in His embrace in presence. The Father’s love that cannot be denied. He shields us with His entire being that all that can be seen is Him. What greater shield than God Himself could you have?

For anyone to get to you, they have to go through God first. When you are looked upon, people will notice there is something different about you. You will be looked upon and the presence of God will be evident. When you are hidden in Christ this way the enemy will not see you. The attacks he attempts to send your way will fail as they will not prosper against as you are clothed in Him and the armor He has given you (Ephesians 6).

Maretha Retief