He Just Doesn't Get It

“Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.” (Ac 8:24 AV)

It really bothers me that Simon doesn’t get it!  There has always been debate on whether Simon accepted Christ earlier in the chapter or if he never did.  I am of the ilk that he never truly repented and trusted Christ by faith.  He believed.  But belief isn’t faith.  Belief is something you have.  Faith is something you do.  All Simon can see is the intercessory work.  He sees himself as being a positive force in the lives of the people through his sorcery.  They leave him for Christ, so he believes also.  Now, he wishes to continue his influence with Apostolic power.  He believes it is something that can be bought.  He came so close.  But he never really got it.  What I think he missed was grace.   He had done for others and not he wants to do for others again.  What he cannot accept is being done unto.

He is trapped because he is works based.  He cannot see it.  Now, he wants Peter to pray for him that eternal damnation does not come as if the prayers of Peter can save him.  They cannot.  The simplicity of faith is beyond his ability to fully comprehend.  It really bothers me that he cannot get this. 

We struggle with the will of God all the time.  We just don’t get the simplicity of it.  Simon appears to me like the squirrel in Over The Fence.  Running around going each and every which way but the way he should go.  Scurrying about trying to find some other way than God’s way.  Simon doesn’t get it because he doesn’t want to get it.  To Simon, it is all about Simon.  But Salvation and God’s will are all about Christ!  That is what Simon is missing.  Our generation is the ‘me’ generation.  Life is defined within the experiences and effects things have on us. Our world view is very centric.  We miss God’s will because life is all about us.  We cannot see the bigger picture.  We just don’t get it!