Summary: The football season is underway all across America. Fresh out of training camp, the thirty-two teams of the National Football League, are now engaged in a grand competition to see who will reach the playoffs and then go on to the Super Bowl. Each week, thousands of excited fans pack stadiums to eagerly cheer on their favorite team. <br><br> Sometimes a football game is won by a wide margin, with one team dominating the other throughout the hour-long competition. But sometimes, the game is tight down to the very last minute -- often even tied. When this happens, and there is only a few minutes left in the game, the team that has the ball often hustles to get into position for a field goal. This team may be down by one point, two points, three points, or may be tied with their opponents. But they know that if they can get a field goal, they can change the outcome of the game -- they can either win the game in regulation or at least push it into overtime giving them more opportunities to score. <br><br> When the team reach the field goal position, the stadium is finally quiet. The fans wait with great anticipation as the field goal kicker carefully places the ball. When the ball is aligned perfectly, he backs up and then kicks the ball with all his might. The ball sails upward and toward the goal. <br><br> Sometimes the field goal is successful and the ball goes directly between the goal posts. Other times, however, the ball falls short or veers widely to the right or the left missing the goal altogether. When the ball misses the goal, a team often has to accept defeat. <br><br> Our lives are a lot like a missed field goal attempt. We give life our best shot, but we often miss the goal we aimed for. Many of us aim to live a good and upright life, but we fail because of what the Bible calls "sin" -- that is the bad things that we do, such as lying, hating others, adultery, or stealing. In the Bible, the word "sin" literally means 'missing the mark' or 'missing the goal'. And the Bible says all of us have sinned. Romans 3:23 says, "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." <br><br> Because of our sins -- because we missed the mark -- we do not have a chance of going to Heaven or spending eternity with God on our own. The Bible says in Romans 6:23 that the "wages of sin is death..." This means that because of our sins, we must suffer punishment -- physical punishment in Hell and spiritual punishment by being separated from God for eternity. Just like a football team who misses a last minute field goal loses out on victory, our sins cause us to lose out on God's blessings such as eternal life, a home in Heaven, and fellowship with God. <br><br> However, because God loves us, He does not want us to miss out on these blessings. That is why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins -- taking the punishment that we deserve. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” <br><br> + Plus, listen to Natalie Grant singing "Perfect People"
