The story is told of some men who, during the middle of their basketball game, decided to take a break. As they gathered around the water cooler, one man spoke up. He asked, "What would you guys do if you knew you only had one more hour to live?" Some said, "Well, I'd go to the church and pray." Others replied, "Well, I'd go to the bank, transfer some funds and payoff my bills." One man had not yet responded, so the others turned and asked, "What would you want to do if you only had one hour left?" The man calmly replied, "I'd want to finish the game."
This man's response implies a readiness to leave this world. No need to panic, no use making regrets, no last minute attention to details, he had made the necessary preparations. Long ago, Isaiah told a sick King Hezekiah, "set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live" (Isa. 38: 1). How is your house, your spiritual house?
Death is certain. "...It is appointed unto man once to die" (Heb.9:27). Are you ready? Why not behave in such a way that you can say with Paul, "for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Phil. 1:21). Be Iike Jesus who was "obedient to the point of death" (Phil. 2:8). Only then can you talk about death calmly. Only then can you peacefully "finish the game."
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