Boyd - Present Perfect: Finding God in the Now

Bestselling Author of The Myth of a Christian Nation

ZONDERVAN

Present Perfect

Copyright 2010 by Gregory A. Boyd

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ePub Edition MARCH 2010 ISBN: 978-0-310-56062-3

Requests for information should be addressed to: Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Boyd, Gregory A., 1957

Present perfect: discovering Gods kingdom in the now / Gregory A. Boyd.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 163)

ISBN 978-0-310-28384-3 (softcover)

1. Spiritual lifeChristianity. I. Title.

BV4501.3.B693 2010

248.4-dc22

2010001878

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

The song Time by Roger Waters is used by permission of Hampshire House Publishing. All rights reserved.

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This book is dedicated to my precious son, Nathan, my wonderful daughters, Denay and Alisha, my two outstanding sons-in-law, Heighlos and Tim, and my two unbelievably adorable grandchildren, Soel and Sage.

Shelley and I love all of you more than words could possibly convey

Can I bring the Lord back into my mind-flow every few seconds so that God shall always be in my mind? I choose to make the rest of my life an experiment in answering this question.

Frank Laubach

Ever-present Abba, you uphold all things by the power of your Word and your love surrounds us every moment of every day.

Help us to remember you in this moment and in every moment.

The surest sign that youre awake is that youre aware of your surroundings. The surest sign that youre asleep is that youre not.

The present moment is all that matters.

J.-P. de Caussade

If God is present in all places at all times, which is what the Bible teaches, then God is part of our surroundings each and every momentor as the apostle Paul says, In him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). The question is, Are you aware of God surrounding you? Are you awake or asleep to Gods presence?

This book was written to help you stay awake to Gods presence and discover for yourself why this is the most important discipline you could ever practice.

But dont wait till you finish this bookor even read another sentencebefore you wake up! The only thing thats real is this present moment, and the only thing that matters is waking up to Gods presencenow. I encourage you to become aware of Gods presence all around you. As you read this sentence, be aware that God is closer to you than the air you breathe.

Some people have compared [remaining aware of Gods presence] to getting out of a dark prison and beginning to live. We still see the same world, yet it is not the same, for it has a new, glorious color and a far deeper meaning.

Frank Laubach

Dont try to feel his presence. In fact, dont try to do anything at all. Simply be mindful of the fact that you are, in this present moment, submerged in the ocean of Gods perfect love.

Right now, stop reading for a second and just breathe in Gods presence as you take your next couple breaths. Then, as you continue to read, see how often you can remind yourself of that fact. How awake can you remain?

I used to run in ultramarathons (ranging from 50 to 100 miles)dont ask me why. To train, Id occasionally go on three- to six-hour runs through the woods.

One fall morning, as I ran my laps on a beautiful fivemile trail that circled a lake, I prayed and enjoyed the scenery, though my mind was mostly focused on an upcoming race. I wondered whether I could win and what my strategy should be. I thought about what had and hadnt worked in previous races, and I worried that perhaps I hadnt trained enough. I wondered if the soreness in my left Achilles tendon would improve or worsenall the sort of things runners typically obsess about.

About two hours into my run, however, something unusual happened. I noticed a cricket chirping. For reasons that still escape me, I slowed down to pay closer attention.