Daily Devotional: Offer Your Body

Hello, friends! It's wonderful to welcome you back. Today, we’ll immerse ourselves in our daily devotional and embrace a moment of grace, offering a gentle thought to uplift and inspire your day.

If you have a moment, take some time to read Romans 12 in your preferred Bible translation before continuing here.

If you’re short on time, consider this passage and note what resonates with you:

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship”.

When you think of worship, what images come to mind? Music? Instruments? Singing? Perhaps raised hands, closed eyes, or moments of quiet reflection?

Paul’s message in his letter to the Romans offers a different perspective: worship as something embodied.

What does it mean to offer your body as a sacrifice? To me, it evokes images of activists like those who chained themselves in pharmaceutical offices to demand life-saving treatments, or the Freedom Riders who risked their lives to challenge racial injustice. It brings to mind Indigenous communities standing their ground to protect sacred lands, and the way my queer family has shown up in hospitals and supported friends through challenging times.

Offering our bodies as living sacrifices isn't solely about protest. It’s also about the everyday acts of care and solidarity. Consider how transgender individuals thoughtfully and courageously use their bodies to express their true selves, or how queer couples and groups came together to love and celebrate in defiance of societal constraints.

There’s a story I’d like to share that beautifully illustrates the concept of embodied worship. It’s about a person who once had a brief encounter with someone they had seen a few times before. What was intended to be a fleeting moment evolved into something deeply significant. As they lay together, their bodies intertwined, the other person began to reveal their heartbreak. In that intimate space, they held each other and shared their vulnerabilities. This profound exchange of raw, unfiltered emotions created a deep connection that felt like the truest form of worship.

Reflection Questions:
What does worship look like to you?
Are there aspects of your life that seem “secular” or “profane” that you might reconsider as forms of worship?
Describe a time when you felt the presence of God. What was that experience like?

Practical Exercises:
Offer a massage to a friend, partner, lover, or family member.
Participate in a protest or social justice event.
Go out dancing with friends, carrying with you an intention of worship.

That concludes today’s devotional! I hope this message has brightened your day. Thank you for joining us, and remember to celebrate your unique self! Stay well and keep a positive mindset until we meet again!

Footnotes:

Source: Kearns, S., & Murphy, B. (2020). "Queers the Word" - (Adapted for reflection of A Living Sacrifice). Scripture: Romans 12

Image Title: "Celestial Queer Spark" Source: Midjourney’s image generation model.

These daily devotionals are intended for personal inspiration and may be shared as needed, including via our RSS feed. Interpretations may vary, so we encourage thoughtful engagement with the content. Please attribute appropriately when sharing to maintain integrity. Please subscribe to receive updates via email.