It was late in the game. With each passing second the realization starting setting in. For another year, they couldn’t quite get it done on the hardwood. And that’s when it finally happened. The seconds ticked down one by one, and then the clock struck zero. The game was over, and the results were not what any of us wanted.

Last weekend many of us watched as our beloved Tennessee Volunteers once again came up short in the NCAA basketball tournament. Despite the Vols being a #3 seed in the tournament, poised to make a run at a Final Four and perhaps even a national championship, the Vols came up short in the second round to the Michigan Wolverines. Once again, we watched a great season end in utter disappointment.

While many of us who bleed orange were disheartened at the results last weekend, we realize the sadness is only temporary. In just a few short months, the Volunteers will take the court once again with another opportunity to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament. That is the beauty of sports; there is always the hope that next season will have a different outcome.

While sports provides another season or a new opportunity, life is not always that way. Sometimes the outcome of life decisions are final, and there is no next season. One area where this is the case is our relationship with God. Someday the clock is going to strike zero. Our time on this earth is going to come to an end. We are going to die, and the only thing that will be left is the judgment (Heb. 9:27). We will stand before the Lord and give an account for the life we lived (2 Cor. 5:10). And in that moment, how will we feel? Will we be excited and joyful or disappointed and sad?

Friends, we are in the game of life. Whether we realize it or not, the clock is ticking. While some may have more time than others, eventually the clock strikes zero. The game will be over, and the results will be final. When that time comes, will we be celebrating or will we wish we still had more time to play?