For those of you who don’t know, I took a trip to Las Vegas, NV to attend an email marketing summit for work. So Monday after work, Tom (my boss) and I boarded a plane and arrived safely in Las Vegas. As the plane was nearing the airport, there was one thing I noticed outside the window. The lights of the city seemed to never end. They just kept going and going and going, out till it reached the horizon and I couldn’t see anymore. Was a spectacular view from above. When we got off the plane and entered the terminal so that we could find transportation from the airport to our hotel, Harrah’s, I noticed something else that I hadn’t seen before. It was like the airport, in itself, was it’s own mini casino. There were slot machines placed throughout the terminal. Because we all know that after a three hour flight, that’s all we want to do is gamble. That’s when I first noticed how deep the seeds of sin had gone in this city.
I’m not saying that all the people here are evil, or all the acts that go on here are evil, I do believe there are genuine believers here who seek to make disciples of all the world (Including their own backyard). But Satan for sure has enjoyed luring people into such deep sin, that they don’t even recognize any of it as bad, or wrong. They’re so blinded by the artificial entertainment of the sinful world. Full of it’s instant pleasure that doesn’t last.
Anyway, we found ground transportation and headed to our hotel. As we ventured into the city, I saw lights everywhere. From hotels, from Casinos, from billboards, and other buildings. It was so colorful, but I couldn’t take my eyes away from it all. I can see why people are drawn in, and the feeling of wanting to be a part of something bigger, is a big draw-in for this city. Even if that “something bigger” is something that’s not good at all. So much spiritual darkness, but a totally different kind than I experienced in India. Like a different flavor that was directly triggered to draw in people from our culture.
We arrived safely at our hotel at around 9:30PM (11:30PM Central time) and discovered we were starving. So, as we made our way choking and holding our breath through the smoke and alcohol filled casino that consumed the lower level of our hotel, we stopped by our rooms on the third floor of the Mardi Gras Tower of the Harrah’z Las Vegas, and headed to find food in the hotel. We ended up at KGB (a burger place) where we were seated at a booth by a lady dressed in way too little clothes (her uniform) and we ordered some food. I felt bad for this lady because I could tell she was not well. Sin was thick in her life, and I could see she had an eating disorder. I began to wonder what in her life had taken her where she was that day. Who in her life told her she is not beautiful, and needed to strive to find love and affection by trying to make herself “more attractive”? So I started praying for her. And all the other waitresses at that restaurant. Not to mention the waiters as well (I’ll discuss them in Day 2 though). After dinner, Tom and I were totally drained and headed back to our hotel rooms and went to bed.
The hotel room I am staying in has a gigantic king sized bed (very comfy), the room is rather cozy, but the walls are really thin. So I had a hard time sleeping as I heard drunk people in the rooms adjacent to mine, and as they fumbled with the keys for their doors. Eventually I got to sleep and so ends day 1 of my journey in Las Vegas.
Stay tuned for Day 2, which I will work on shortly.
