Pray for Vegas

So a few weeks ago I went to Las Vegas for Construct 2008. It's a construction trade show. The internal company that I work for, Stadium Savers, had a booth at the show and my boss' decided that it was necessary to have 2 people in the booth this year - hence, my presence there. I was honored by their faith in my abilities and knowledge of the product/system but also excited about the opportunities that it afforded me; a) do some marketing outside of the office, b) see Vegas.

While in Vegas, my days were fairly routine... Woke up around 6, logged in to the company network to respond to emails and make a few calls, showered and got ready for the day, breakfast with the boss and his wife, and then manned the booth from 11-4 each day. Following the close of the show each afternoon, I had about an hour to relax in my room before we hit the strip each night.

The first evening we spent on the strip was a bit overwhelming. So much to see and everything is amazing. Each of the hotels there has a "theme" if you will. We started at the MGM Grand. Really just a walk-thru to get us to the strip but the interior of it... enormous, flashy, and chic. Then on to New York, New York. They had the statue of liberty, the skyline, the bridge, the works. So much effort and expense had gone into recreating the real thing. We moved on to the Bellagio, Caesars Palace, The Venetian, Treasure Island; each one unique and awe inspiring, each one grander than the last. So many photos and moments taken to admire the view.

We spent several hours on the strip each night just taking things in. Our hotel was off the strip, next to the convention center. When we returned each evening, I was grateful for the privacy the location afforded and for the lack of a casino in our hotel. As I laid in bed that first night, I had a deep feeling of discontent that I just couldn't put my finger on. The more I pondered it, the more I was able to come to realize what it was I was feeling. Sadness. Soul burdened and heart aching I said my prayers that night and included one for the City that I'd just wandered through. The city with the amazing view, towering hotels, flashing lights, and crowds that never sleep... that has no soul.  There is so much to see and so many gods (sex, money, alchohol) but no real God.

Too often as Christians living in a "bible belt" mentality, we forget how much pain there is in our world.  Its easy to go to church and fall into the routine of hoping the lost will find us.  The truth is the lost are just that, lost.  They need us to throw them a lifeline, to find them in the wilderness.  While in Vegas, I got a good glimpse of how very lost people without Christ are.  I hope that I don't forget that glimpse and that the experience is one that continues to weigh on my heart and mind.  We are the hands and feet of Christ...  are we effectively seeking the lost?