The Gamble

On a recent trip to Las Vegas to visit some friends, we walked through the casinos. It amazes me every time I'm there to see the commitment that people maintain to their game. I think its more amazing because its my understanding that some of these individuals can remain committed to little else. After all, Las Vegas isn't exactly known for its reputation of promoting long-term relationships.

Every individual who is sitting at a table (or at a machine as the case may be) is making a wager that through the random distribution of cards (and in poker, their own strategic intelligence) they will be able to win more money than that which they bet. It's a wager that few win. After all, there's a reason the buildings in Las Vegas are so big and bright and its not because the house has a tendency to lose. Its a gamble that has caused much destruction as people have wagered their lives to vie for its fulfillment.

There is another wager that's happening on a regular basis. It's the gamble that people take when they choose to acknowledge that they know about God and yet they are not sure whether they want to follow Him. Along with countless hours at the table, its a proposition that I don't completely understand. I believe wholeheartedly that God reveals Himself who those who seek Him, but there are those who, while acknowledging His presence refuse to obey His precepts. The admitted Creator of the world is pursuing a relationship with them, and they are rebuffing His attempts.

The gambling industry in Las Vegas causes the lost of money, of time, of marriages, and at the extreme, of life. With God, the wager is your soul. Is the ability to feel like you're living life you're own way really worth that bet?