I took my 15 month old to Vegas?

April 25th - 28th marked my first trip to Las Vegas, NV. My family traveled to "sin city" for a family reunion/birthday party. My wife's great grandmother turned 85 and we took in the festivities at Sam's Town Hotel. We opted to stay at the Holiday Inn Express of Henderson, NV. The MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Luxor, and The Palms among others were not the places for us with a 15 month old or for us in general. Also our lungs were pleased to have a hotel that didn't allow smoking ummm.....wherever.

My observations of Vegas came down to what I call the "Land of the living dead" where I saw lots and lots of spiritually dead people walking around and feeling "so alive". My heart hurts for the lost and lost people is what I saw in Las Vegas and what I see here in Fargo as well. I did take comfort in the fact that the Gospel is being preached in this city. We attended First Baptist Church of Henderson, NV on Sunday morning and heard a great sermon on God's intent for marriage from Mark 10. It was comforting to hear this message in a cultural context that has numerous wedding chapels (4 miles away) which frequently have weddings that produce marriages that last no more than 54 hours (thank you Brittany).

The level of the intensity to engulf sex, alcohol, and "straight cash homey" (Randy Moss) is at an all time high. I don't think this exists just in Vegas, but this is the hub. If you fall short in one area in Vegas (sex, alcohol, money) you can always make up for it in another.

I did feel a bit like Chevy Chase driving out to Hoover Dam with my wife's family. We weren't driving a station wagon, but were caravaning with 4 separate vehicles. I must say Hoover Dam is pretty spectacular from an engineering and resource standpoint. If I ever go back Lake Mead is something that I will visit. As a wake boarder I would love to board along a pretty lake with a backdrop of mountains.

What do I make of Vegas? I see a city that is just like every American city - a city filled with sinners. I see tourists and gamblers that come there as normal sinners from all over the world. These people that behave in a sinful way aren't coming to Vegas and learning how to sin. They are already pretty good at it, as we all are. My perspective in visiting this city led me back to examining my own sinfulness and realizing that I suck and I need Jesus as does everyone that I saw in Las Vegas, NV.

The Hymn "Come Ye Sinners" kept coming to my mind as I thought about this weekend visit. This hymn was written in 1759 by a man named Joseph Hart.

Come, ye sinners, poor and needy,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity, love and power.

Come, ye thirsty, come, and welcome,
God’s free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance,
Every grace that brings you nigh.

Come, ye weary, heavy laden,
Lost and ruined by the fall;
If you tarry till you’re better,
You will never come at all.

Refrain

I will arise and go to Jesus,
He will embrace me in His arms;
In the arms of my dear Savior,
O there are ten thousand charms.