From 10:34 to 10:35: A Lesson in Purpose

Recently, I read a reflection from author, speaker, and visionary Bob Goff that drew inspiration from the Wright brother's extraordinary first flight on December 17, 1903, at 10:35 AM on the beaches of Kitty Hawk, NC. 

They'd had more than a few failed attempts before that date, including a crash on December 14, but it worked on that fateful day.  

Goff reflected on the flight this way: 

But I always wonder: What were they thinking at 10:34? None of us live at 10:35.  We don't know if what we attempt will work or not.  

He's absolutely right. The Wright brothers didn't know whether the changes they'd made three days earlier would work. So, at 10:34 AM, they were living in a moment of uncertainty but pushed forward anyway. 

Goff is also right that none of us live at 10:35, which means even when we find the strength to push forward and succeed, we never stay there.  The goals we reach aren't our real home; we just pause there for a moment, visiting, and then we need to keep going. 

We face a certain amount of resistance when we are at what I like to call "the moment before the moment."  The moment "before the moment" is the most critical. What we are doing at 10:34 determines what will happen at 10:35.  

There are doubts, fears, and questions that arise in the moment before the moment.  But as Goff puts it, we need to push through them because, in the end, our purpose is what should drive us:  

Don't give in to the resistance pushing against your vision.  Be wholly sold out and captivated with purpose instead. 

You might say, "I have no idea what my purpose is."  I think that's a common and natural thing to wonder.  

Let's just say that even though you may not have a clear notion of your greater purpose or vision in life, you have a calling to fulfill that is always before you every single day: to bring God's peace wherever you go. 

Jesus called this the "kingdom of God," but it means the same thing.  As followers of Christ, we have a constant purpose to share the peace of God every chance we get.  

Trust me, this is a 10:34 kind of purpose.  There is all manner of resistance to it, as most of us well know.  But if we stay captivated by this vision and the purpose that goes with it, we will find ourselves soaring soon enough. 

May it be so for all of us.  And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us all, now and forever. Amen.