“Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him…” Philippians 3:8-9a

Found in Him

Walk His Way Revisited

“A girl needs to be so lost in God that a guy has to seek Him to find her” (seen on a t-shirt).

This quote intrigued me. It is referring to an unmarried woman who is so immersed in the Lord, so hidden in Him, that if someone should come looking, he will have to look into the things of God to find her. It reminds me of Job—Satan had to go to God to get to Job.

This should be true of all believers, not just the unmarried. Paul counted everything in his life—past accomplishments, present good works, future endeavors, hopes and dreams, as worthless garbage, as thrown-out trash, useless compared to knowing Christ, gaining Christ, and being found in Him.

What does it mean, to be found in Christ?

Perhaps its inverse is easier to understand: to NOT be found OUTSIDE of Christ.

If Jesus were to return today, would He find you in the world, bowing to the god of self-centeredness, wealth, comfort, in pursuit of pleasure? Or would He find you hidden under His wings, taking refuge in Him, abiding in Him, doing His will, wearing the robes of righteousness that Christ put on us? “Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing” (Matthew 24:46).

Would He find you seeking Him? “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near” (Isaiah 55:6). Would He find you living as the sojourner you really are, not placing your hope in anything temporary, not settled in, but living as if there is a better tomorrow on its way?

The moment you became a Christian, you were positioned in Christ. When the Father looks at you, He doesn’t see you, but His spotless and blameless Son. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

If we are in Christ, we have no condemnation (Romans 8:1).

If we are in Christ, nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:39).

If we are in Christ, we are one body, Christ’s body (Romans 12:5).

If we are in Christ, we have every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3b). These are SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS, separate from physical or material blessings. Blessings aren’t so much FROM Jesus as IN Jesus.

Pastor Jon Courson says, “God has the ability to hide His people.” We can be found in Christ because, “You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion” (Psalm 31:20). “You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance” (Psalm 32:7).

I long to have no interests outside of Christ—that is, I long to be interested in only what Christ has ordained for me. I want to put to death my own interests and desires, dreams and plans that are outside of Christ, and be found hidden in the fullness of the life of our living Savior. “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).

Father, hide us in Your Son. Let us be found there at all times. May we never wander from that position.