When the clock gets down to the final minutes, our instinct is to make sure that we are ready for when that final buzzer sounds - we know then that the game is over and the score in final. There is something about a deadline that seems to sharpen our focus on what is most important. For modern followers of Jesus, there is a tendency to wrongly think that the end of the race occurs when we die, therefore many Christians live to maximize this earthly life. We try to work hard, get an education, succeed in a career, raise a family, earn lots of money and retire with wealth at the earliest possible convenience. Many who do this successfully believe they have won. But have they? This message reminds us that the place where it is determined whether or not our lives truly mattered is at the Judgment Seat of Christ where Jesus himself will fully analyze and reveal the value of our earthly lives. Many will be saddened to learn that their “successful” lives did not amount to much in the eyes of the King. If we live with this divine appointment in mind, we will be ready to receive a reward from our King when we stand before Him. If we fail to remember this unavoidable moment, we will suffer loss and forfeit our reward.