Escape Room

Posted On March 20, 2022

“So if we refuse this great way of being saved, how can we hope to escape? The Lord himself was the first to tell about it, and people who heard the message proved to us that it was true.”

Hebrews 2:3 CEV

Recently I participated in an escape room activity with my younger daughter, my nieces, my sister-in-law, and my mom. We had a lot of fun working together to solve the puzzles, and I got a lot of inspiration for this week’s post. I hope you enjoy it!

Seeing the Unseen

“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.'”

John 8:12 NLT

Before we entered the escape room, we were given a briefcase containing papers and other materials we would need, including flashlights and a UV light. The room was dark and we needed light to see. Without it we wouldn’t be able to make sense of our surroundings or fully understand the papers we were given to read. Also, some of the clues in the escape room were only visible in special UV light, so without this crucial piece of equipment we would have been lost.

This reminds me of what Christ does for us. This world is full of darkness that makes it hard to see the clues God has laid out for us. Without Christ we can’t make sense of our lives. We are lost in sin and death with no hope of escape. But Christ came to save us and light our way to Heaven. He is the light of the world, and He is the living Word of God. This means reading the Bible requires His light to fully understand what’s written there. Without a personal relationship with Christ, we will miss much of what He wants to tell us. It’s through faith in Him that we unlock the transforming power of His Word and discover how to see the unseen. As we learn to walk with Him we begin to sense His leading in amazing ways, leading us out of our darkness and confusion. Through clues which glow like neon arrows shining under His special light, He points the way to freedom and life.

“We will one day be delivered from the blindness that obscures the light of God’s world. In the meantime, here in what C. S. Lewis called the Shadowlands, we must remind ourselves what Scripture tells us about the life to come. What we otherwise could not have known about Heaven, ‘God has revealed to us through the Spirit’ (1 Corinthians 2:10). God tells us about our eternal home in His Word . . . because it has the power to transform the way we live today.”

Randy Alcorn, Seeing the Unseen

A Voice to Guide Us

“I will instruct you and teach you about the direction you should go.
I’ll advise you and keep my eye on you.”

Psalm 32:8 CEB

While we were in the escape room we were monitored via radio and hidden cameras by our Game Navigator. He met with us before the one-hour adventure began to go over the rules, instructions, and background information we needed. And then he kept an eye on us once we were in the room, offering small hints (what he called “nudges”) as needed if we were having trouble solving a puzzle or if we were wasting time on something that wasn’t going to help us. If we had refused to listen, we would have been stuck with no way out. We would have continued toiling fruitlessly until time ran out. His voice of guidance was an indispensable resource when we were confused.

God does the same thing for us — He is our Life Navigator. He lays out the rules, instructions, and background information we need in His Word. And then He keeps an eye on us as we live out our lives, offering hints as needed to keep us on the right path. If we’re having trouble working through a problem or wasting time on something that’s not going to help us, He speaks to us to let us know the direction we should go. Sometimes all it takes is a small nudge to get us back on track — a Scripture verse that comes to mind, a thought that seems to come from out of nowhere, a word from a friend. Sometimes it takes more direct intervention, especially if we refuse to listen to His previous hints — a door that refuses to open, wasted efforts that lead to a dead end, a hardship that makes us realize that we can’t do this on our own. It may even take something supernatural to get our attention. We can believe this: God will do whatever it takes to show us His will for our lives. Our time on this earth is short, and He doesn’t want us to waste it on unproductive pursuits. He sees and understands everything infinitely better than we do, and He wants to lead us out of the confusion and into victory.

“So as you try to figure out what is best for you — anticipating obstacles and opportunities you cannot see in a future that is unsure — don’t rely solely on your limited wisdom. Depend on your loving Father to guide you. He will certainly show you what to do.”

Charles F. Stanley, God’s Purpose for Your Life

Working Together

“Just as iron sharpens iron, friends sharpen the minds of each other.”

Proverbs 27:17 CEV

The escape room adventure I participated in would have been impossible to complete on my own. It wasn’t designed that way. The online description listed a requirement of 4-6 players, so we knew up front that it was meant to be a cooperative activity. There were obstacles that required several of us working simultaneously in different parts of the room. And the final escape required three keys in three locks to be turned all at once. Even if that weren’t the case, completing the puzzles in the allotted time would have been very difficult for one person. We all had different ideas and different points of view on how to approach the problem we had to solve, and often one person saw something that the others didn’t see. So it took all of us to escape the room. Working together is the whole point of the adventure. Plus, it’s a lot more fun!

Our life is Christ is not designed to be a solitary activity either. We are all created with different talents and abilities, and we are all given unique gifts that are meant to be used to serve each other. The Church is full of people who are lovingly and deliberately designed to be different. We have different ideas and different points of view so that we can help each other see things that might otherwise be missed. Even if that weren’t the case, remember what Jesus said the greatest commandments are: We are called to love God and love people (Matthew 22:37-39). We can’t truly love others if we always keep to ourselves. So we know up front that life in Christ is meant to be a cooperative adventure. Learning to love each other is how we learn to become more like Christ and discover His purpose for our lives. It takes all of us working together in His Church to accomplish His work. Plus, it’s much more fun that way!

“You are called to belong, not just believe. . . . The Christian life is more than just commitment to Christ; it includes a commitment to other Christians.”

Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life

A Sacrifice to Free Us

“God Himself made the way so you can have new life through Christ Jesus. God gave us Christ to be our wisdom. Christ made us right with God and set us apart for God and made us holy. Christ bought us with His blood and made us free from our sins.”

1 Corinthians 1:30 NLV

At one point in our escape room adventure we unlocked a big wooden coffin. We opened the door to find a plastic skeleton. Then the voice of our Game Navigator informed us that for the next part we needed someone to be brave and get locked inside the coffin. We all looked at each other, hoping someone else would be the one to volunteer. After a moment, my wonderful sister-in-law (to whom I will be eternally grateful!) stepped inside and my niece shut the door. We heard a disconcerting click as the door locked, and I held my breath as we waited to find out what would happen next. After a few seconds we heard my sister-in-law in the adjacent room, removing the chains from the door between us. The back of the coffin had opened once she was locked inside, allowing her into the next room so she could let us in through the door that was impossible to open from our side.

I think you probably see where I’m going with this! This is exactly what Christ has done for us. He willingly sacrificed Himself to free us. The door between us and God was impossible for us to open ourselves. We needed Christ to be the brave One to volunteer to step into death and then come out on the other side to make a way for us. He removed the chains of sin and death which separated us from God and opened the door to freedom and life. Let’s walk through that door and praise Him for His amazing gift. Because of His love and His sacrifice we have nothing left to fear. No matter what else we will be called to face, we have reason to be eternally grateful!

“Many people miss God’s very best in life because they refuse to remove the chains of sin that Christ has already unlocked for them. . . . The Father wants you to embrace the liberty and joy purchased for you by the blood of Jesus. So today, take hold of the fact that you have been released and have everything you need to overcome. . . . Rejoice in Him and embrace the freedom you’ve been given.”

Charles F. Stanley, God’s Purpose for You Life

Telling Others

“Jesus said to his followers, ‘Go everywhere in the world, and tell the Good News to everyone.'”

Mark 16:15 NCV

After our adventure was over and we had escaped from the room, our Game Navigator asked us to tell others about our experience by leaving a review online. In this way we could reach others and encourage them to try it for themselves. He let us know that posting a review would enter us in a drawing for a free escape room activity in the future. So sharing our story with others could reward us as well.

As Christians we are also called to share what we’ve experienced and tell others about Christ. By doing so we can encourage them to see for themselves what Christ is all about. But how do we do this exactly? Charles F. Stanley offers us some good advice. He reminds us that we are not all called to be preachers. God designed each one of us to serve in a unique way and He will lead us in our mission to speak to others about Christ. The key is to listen for His voice and follow His instructions. And the best part is that doing so not only blesses others, but it blesses us, too. This is our chance to lead others to Christ so that they, too, can be saved. Let’s help them before it’s too late. Time is limited and the clock is ticking…

“Every Christian is called to share the gospel with others in both word and deed — and to do so under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. . . . You are sensitive to His leading — to talk to whomever He tells you, to act when He says to, and to refrain when He calls you to wait or to be silent. . . . God created you for the assignments He gives you (Ephesians 2:19). . . . So do not be afraid. The One who prompts you to speak on His behalf will give you the words you need to glorify Him (Luke 12:12).”

Charles F. Stanley, God’s Purpose for Your Life

This week’s Scripture passages remind us that Jesus sacrificed Himself to set us free. He is our Light and His voice guides us out of the darkness. Let’s share the Good News of what He’s done with others because we are not designed to go it alone. As we learn to love and serve them, we fulfill our purpose and bring blessings not only to them, but to ourselves as well!

“We have escaped with our lives as a bird from a hunter’s snare. The snare is broken and we are free!”

Psalm 124:7 TLB

References:

• Alcorn, Randy. Seeing the Unseen, Expanded Edition: A 90-Day Devotional to Set Your Mind on Eternity. Multnomah, 2017.
• Stanley, Charles F. God’s Purpose for Your Life: 365 Devotions. Thomas Nelson, 2020.
• Warren, Rick. The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? Zondervan, 2002.

Images:

• Combination Lock featured image by joffi from Pixabay (edited by me)
• Escape Room image by Clockedin dk from Pixabay
• Arrow image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay (edited by me)
• Radio image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay
• Keys image by Jen Theodore on Unsplash (edited by me)
• Heart Lock image by Christoph Schütz from Pixabay
• Clock image by Monoar Rahman Rony from Pixabay
• Unlocked image by Kerstin Riemer from Pixabay