BY DAWN REED
The timer started when the door closed. We were in a 1950s living room. Clues were hidden about; we just had to find them.
Our niece, Cassie, recently stopped in Lexington on her way to Vermont. Our son thought it would be great to do an escape game while she was there. He chose “Time Machine” at Countdown Games. He knew I’d jump at the chance to join them.
A quick search of the living room revealed hints behind a picture on the wall. After a moment of pondering, we realized they were directing us to the black and white floor-model TV. We turned the knob to the correct channel to get the next clue. Eventually, one of us needed to go through the fireplace. Cassie volunteered for the task. No longer able to see her, we heard a click. She had unlocked a side door that gave us entrance to a 1970s kitchen.
We explored the kitchen, opening cabinets, looking behind pictures, and even in the refrigerator and freezer. One clue had us go back to a safe hidden under the previous room’s rug. Returning to the kitchen, we heard a scraping noise. Unable to find the source, we opened the fridge. The back had opened, showing a passageway through the refrigerator into a kid’s bedroom from the 1990s.
The clock continued to count down. We had a wall-sized puzzle to put together and more clues to solve. I’m glad my son and Cassie were there. They were young and smart, with their brains clicking on all cylinders.
I do love a good escape game. It’s always fun and I learn something every time. I reflected as we traveled back home.
This time I found that because we were racing against the clock, we didn’t pay full attention to the instructions. Excited to accomplish our tasks, we rushed through the words and ran full steam to the next place. Many times, we had to return to the previous room to review the clues and connect the dots. We would have saved time and steps if we had taken more than a moment to read all the words and process the instructions before racing off.
Where do you go for answers or clues about life? Google is great for finding lyrics to “Yakety Yak,” checking out a sloth’s claws, or seeing if Jalen Hurts played for Alabama (my recent inquiries). But God and His Word are the best first choices for real life.
In our regular lives, we, too, are racing against the clock. One day has 24 hours. The days pass quickly. We can get in such a rush each morning that we don’t take time to read the Bible – God’s instructions and guide.
He has given us His Word, not because He is bossy, but because He knows we need it. Through it, He directs our steps, plus other good things.
It’s not enough to skim it on Sunday mornings. It’s for every single day. Like in our escape game, it’s good to keep going back. If you don’t understand something the first time, keep at it.
When we were really stuck in the game, we only had to speak out loud, “We need a clue,” or “We need help.” The game watcher answered immediately.
God listens when we call out to Him every single time!
After the final puzzle was solved, the exit door opened. We high-fived each other and then checked our time. We had made it out in under an hour.
When our time on earth is done and our game of life is over, if we know Jesus as our Savior, our exit will be an entrance to heaven. There will be lots of high-fiving there!