Devos for Feb. 1st (Jenny's Post)

Scritpure:

Exodus 32, Acts 8:1-25

Obsevation/Application:

In Acts 8, we come across a guy named Simon, who was a magician. He practiced magic in the streets of Samaria and amazed all the people that watched him. Scripture says that he said himself that he was somebody great. He loved being the center of attention and having everybody amazed at his “powers”.

Phillip, a disciple of Jesus, went to the city of Samaria proclaiming the news of Christ and as he was traveling through the city, Simon, along with many other people, heard the Good News and believed and was baptized. The story goes on to say that a couple more apostles were sent to the city to pray for the people that just got saved so that they could receive the Holy Spirit. Now here’s where the story gets interesting. Simon saw what was happening and wanted to take part in it. He saw that people were getting the power of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands, and he wanted to be able to have that same power to lay hands on people so that they can receive the Holy Spirit. He wanted this though for the wrong reason. He wanted it just for the “power” that it gave him, not for what it did for other people or for what having the Holy Spirit actually meant. Basically, Simon thought that it made a really cool trick and he wanted to learn how to do it. He even offered the apostles money so that he could be able to do it.

This story of Simon made me question how often I/we chase after the signs and miracles rather than the One that holds the power. Are we so busy looking for how we can appear to be super-spiritual instead of focusing on how we can truly get closer to God. The Bible tells us that signs and wonders will follow those who believe, so it’s all part of the package deal of following Christ, but first we have to make our hearts right and have pure intentions in what we are striving for. We can’t want to be able to do signs and miracles so that we look really cool, we have to want it so that, through the signs, God is glorified.

Prayer:  

Jesus, You are so great! It’s truly amazing to me that you still choose to use people to show your power and goodness. You tell us to desire certain gifts and so I pray that as we do, that are hearts stay pure and our intentions are only what they should be. Let us focus on and follow only after you and not be caught up in how we think it makes us look to other people. Lord, you are good. Thank you for your Word that it is alive today. Amen.