Greater than the Gift
Acts 8:20 (NIV)
“Peter answered: ‘May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!’”
One of the greatest dangers in the Christian life is wanting what God can do for us more than we want God Himself. That’s exactly what happened with Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8. Simon had spent his life amazing people with signs, wonders, and displays of power. When he watched the apostles lay their hands on believers and saw them receive the Holy Spirit, his response revealed that while he may have believed the message of Jesus, his heart hadn’t yet been transformed. He offered Peter money and asked, “Give me also this ability.” Simon wasn’t captivated by Christ; he was captivated by power. He didn’t ask for a deeper relationship with Jesus or a greater love for God’s people. He wanted influence. He wanted the ability to do what everyone else couldn’t do. Peter recognized immediately that Simon’s greatest problem wasn’t ignorance. It was misplaced affection.
Before we shake our heads at Simon, we should stop and ask ourselves an uncomfortable question. How often do our prayers sound similar? We ask God to open doors, increase our influence, reveal our gifts, or use us in greater ways. None of those are wrong prayers, but they become dangerous if our desire for ministry grows greater than our desire for intimacy with Christ. The Holy Spirit was never given simply to make us powerful. He was given so we could know God more deeply, become more like Jesus, and then be empowered to participate in His mission. The gifts are wonderful, but they were never intended to become the center of our pursuit. Jesus is.
One of the greatest evidences of spiritual maturity is that your hunger begins to change. You stop asking, “God, what can You do through me?” and begin asking, “God, help me know You more.” Ironically, that’s when He often entrusts us with even more. Throughout Scripture, God consistently gave responsibility to people whose greatest desire was His presence. Moses wanted God’s presence more than the Promised Land. David declared that one day in God’s courts was better than a thousand elsewhere. Paul counted everything as loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. The pattern hasn’t changed. God is still looking for people who love the Giver more than the gift.
As you go through today, pay attention to your prayers. Are they primarily centered on what you want God to do, or are they centered on knowing Him more deeply? There is nothing wrong with asking God to use you, but never let your desire to be used become greater than your desire to simply walk with Him. When intimacy becomes your greatest pursuit, everything else falls into its proper place.
Prayer
Father, forgive me for the times I’ve desired Your gifts more than I’ve desired Your presence. Create within me a deeper hunger to know You, to love You, and to become more like Jesus. Let everything You choose to do through my life flow out of a relationship with You, never a desire for recognition or influence. Teach me to treasure the Giver above every gift. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“Peter answered: ‘May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!’”
One of the greatest dangers in the Christian life is wanting what God can do for us more than we want God Himself. That’s exactly what happened with Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8. Simon had spent his life amazing people with signs, wonders, and displays of power. When he watched the apostles lay their hands on believers and saw them receive the Holy Spirit, his response revealed that while he may have believed the message of Jesus, his heart hadn’t yet been transformed. He offered Peter money and asked, “Give me also this ability.” Simon wasn’t captivated by Christ; he was captivated by power. He didn’t ask for a deeper relationship with Jesus or a greater love for God’s people. He wanted influence. He wanted the ability to do what everyone else couldn’t do. Peter recognized immediately that Simon’s greatest problem wasn’t ignorance. It was misplaced affection.
Before we shake our heads at Simon, we should stop and ask ourselves an uncomfortable question. How often do our prayers sound similar? We ask God to open doors, increase our influence, reveal our gifts, or use us in greater ways. None of those are wrong prayers, but they become dangerous if our desire for ministry grows greater than our desire for intimacy with Christ. The Holy Spirit was never given simply to make us powerful. He was given so we could know God more deeply, become more like Jesus, and then be empowered to participate in His mission. The gifts are wonderful, but they were never intended to become the center of our pursuit. Jesus is.
One of the greatest evidences of spiritual maturity is that your hunger begins to change. You stop asking, “God, what can You do through me?” and begin asking, “God, help me know You more.” Ironically, that’s when He often entrusts us with even more. Throughout Scripture, God consistently gave responsibility to people whose greatest desire was His presence. Moses wanted God’s presence more than the Promised Land. David declared that one day in God’s courts was better than a thousand elsewhere. Paul counted everything as loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. The pattern hasn’t changed. God is still looking for people who love the Giver more than the gift.
As you go through today, pay attention to your prayers. Are they primarily centered on what you want God to do, or are they centered on knowing Him more deeply? There is nothing wrong with asking God to use you, but never let your desire to be used become greater than your desire to simply walk with Him. When intimacy becomes your greatest pursuit, everything else falls into its proper place.
Prayer
Father, forgive me for the times I’ve desired Your gifts more than I’ve desired Your presence. Create within me a deeper hunger to know You, to love You, and to become more like Jesus. Let everything You choose to do through my life flow out of a relationship with You, never a desire for recognition or influence. Teach me to treasure the Giver above every gift. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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