URC Daily Devotion for Tuesday, 11 August 2026

Acts 8:14–22 

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit  (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.  Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me also this power so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”  But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God’s gift with money! You have no part or share in this, for your heart is not right before God. Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.”

Reflection

Before he met Philip, Simon had made his living practising magic. From the perspective of the 21st century, we might say that he had been a con artist, taking money off people that he was playing tricks on – and soaking up their admiration and respect. But when Philip arrived, proclaiming the good news and baptising people in water, Simon became a believer. He stopped ripping off other people and instead stayed with Philip, in awe of his works.

So you might feel that Peter is being pretty harsh when he condemns Simon’s request as wickedness. Isn’t Simon simply living out the parable of the Pearl of Great Value, and offering his savings to obtain the most amazing and precious gift imaginable? Why is it so very wrong for him to want to share in the work of Peter and John and baptise believers in the Holy Spirit?

It is not as if there is any suggestion that Simon plans to return to his former ways and make a living by charging people for the laying on of hands; rather, he seems to want simply to share the gift of the Spirit as widely as possible, with the enthusiasm and zeal of the new convert.

And yet he gets slapped down by his namesake, Simon Peter, because he has failed to understand that it is not money which he needs to give up in order to walk the same path as the apostles. He needs to leave his former self wholly behind; to step away from the person who not only fleeced his customers but basked in their adulation.

Peter doesn’t condemn him because of what Simon offers, but because of what Simon withholds: Simon wants to hang on to his status as he follows in the footsteps of Jesus.

I think we are allowed to hope that Simon’s story has some chance of a happy ending: he asks Peter to pray for him so that he may truly be saved.

Prayer

Lord, 
help me to understand 
how much I depend on what others think of me – 
and how little I should.  
If I am able to be generous in gifts of money, 
remind me constantly how wrong it is to expect 
or ask for anything in return, 
whether that is status or influence – 
or even gratitude. Amen.