The word “vacation” carries the connotation of a getaway for relaxation. That is not always the case however. “Getaway” is correct, but relaxation is another matter. Our recent getaway took us to the hotspot of Las Vegas to join the cheering section at an athletic competition. What a place! The crowds in the airport were elbow to elbow as we jostled to claim our luggage. It was astounding since it was supposedly the off season. The crowds led us in bumper to bumper traffic as we traveled through the area called The Strip. Even in the daytime, the lights of The Strip produced a festive environment for people in pursuit of pleasure.

            The Strip is defined by hotel after hotel each competing with the others to cast the most majestic image. Once inside, each is lined with stores and food courts all configured so that no destination can be reached without first traveling through its casino. The casinos take on the air of giant carnivals with lights flashing, bells ringing, and the sounds of change falling. Beautiful people are scurrying about everywhere in search of a good time, many of them dressed in scanty or suggestive attire to display their shapely bodies. It is an atmosphere that is in pursuit of pleasure as if pleasure was a god.

When we came upon a man carrying a sign that read, “Fear God,” his effort seemed to be one of futility in such a setting; but it caused me to pause and wonder if our Las Vegas trip was anything like a visit to the ancient city of Sodom might have been. About Sodom the Bible tells us that “the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD (Gen 13:12-13.) Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion (Jude 6-7.) I have seen something horrible: they commit adultery and live a lie. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his wickedness.” (Jeremiah 23:14)

            God destroyed Sodom sparing only Lot and his daughters. Sodom and its modern day version share at least one common theme—pleasure. It’s not that visiting these places is bad or that pleasure is evil. It’s that in these places pleasure is god—

And we don’t have to be a visitor to those places to fall into the same trap.