I really enjoy watching college basketball in March and getting in the spirit of “March Madness” with watching all of the close games being played. I also enjoy watching my team Duke University play, win or lose.

It’s great to see a lot of the underrated teams beat the top-seeded teams. There have been a lot of clutch plays made by players in the closing moments of some of the games being played that just add to the chaos of the tournament.

Merriam-Webster defines the word “clutch” when used as an adjective as: “being successful in a crucial situation.”

Now, as an athlete myself, I had to think back to remember if I had any clutch moments that stuck out from my career. There are a few that come to mind, but during a lot of those moments, it wasn’t so much about the positive performance I had, but it was the intense emotions I had while performing during those times that eclipsed the result.

The word clutch made me think of Jesus and all of the miracles He did in the Bible that would be considered clutch moments. Like the feeding of the 5,000, or when He calmed the storm when He was awakened by His disciples in the boat, and the list can go on. 

Out of all of His most clutch moments that He performed in the Bible, still none of them compare to the ultimate sacrifice He did for all our sins on the cross.

In today’s verse, the writer talks about Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. He has a human moment where He asks His Heavenly Father for mercy, knowing His future fate.

Jesus knew the importance of going through with the Crucifixion and Resurrection. He battled those intense emotions like any of us would, and still went through being beaten, and laid down His life for us so that we could have eternal life.

That’s the ultimate clutch moment to me, and as believers it shows us how much love God has for all of us.

When the game is on the line and your number is called to take the last shot, or get the team the last points with winning the next race, just know that the fans may always remember your magical moment here on Earth. But when Earth passes away, remember the Lord’s clutch moment and that His mercy has saved you for eternity.

Dean Thornton is the writer and voice behind For My King His Kingdom podcast, a Christian podcast to encourage athletes who deal with mental health issues. For more episodes, check out Dean’s website and follow For My King His Kingdom on Apple Podcasts and Audible.