Show Up
READ
When my high school friend Heather started learning violin, she didn't just read about music theory or watch videos. She picked up the instrument daily, placed her fingers awkwardly on the strings, and produced sounds that—let's be honest—weren't always pleasant. But day after day, she showed up with her whole self: her eager heart, her concentrating mind, and her physically engaged body. That's participation. Paul's words in today’s passage paint a similar picture of our spiritual life.
Let’s take a moment to read Romans 12:1-2:
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
REFLECT
Paul is not calling us to intellectual agreement or emotional feelings alone. He's inviting us into full-bodied participation with God—offering our entire selves as "living sacrifices." This isn't the passive sacrifice of something dead on an altar; it's the active, ongoing choice to bring our heart, mind, and body into willing engagement with God's purposes.
The phrase "living sacrifice" might sound contradictory at first. How can something be both living and sacrificed? But that's precisely the beauty of participation. Unlike the Old Testament sacrifices that were offered once and consumed, we get to offer ourselves repeatedly, day after day, moment by moment. We wake up each morning with the opportunity to say, "God, here I am again. How can I participate in what you're doing today?"
This kind of participation requires intentionality. Paul says not to "conform to the pattern of this world." The world's pattern often looks like distracted living—going through the motions without purpose, presence scattered across a dozen concerns, love reserved only for those who earn it. But transformation happens when we deliberately choose a different way of showing up.
The "renewing of your mind" isn't just about changing our thoughts; it's about retraining our whole approach to life. It's learning to notice where God is already at work and joining him there. It's developing the capacity to bring ourselves with purpose, presence, and love into each situation we encounter.
Think about the last conversation you had with a family member. Were you fully present, or were you mentally composing your next text message? When you helped a colleague yesterday, did you engage with genuine care, or were you simply checking a box? These seemingly small moments are actually opportunities for worship—chances to offer ourselves as living sacrifices.
The beautiful promise in this passage is that this kind of participation leads to discernment. When we consistently show up with our whole selves, we develop the ability to "test and approve what God's will is." We begin to recognize the difference between activities that align with God's purposes and those that don't. We start to sense when our participation is life-giving versus when it's merely going through motions.
This isn't about perfection; it's about intention. Sarah didn't become a master violinist overnight, and she still hits wrong notes. But her consistent, whole-hearted participation has transformed both her skill and her joy in music. Similarly, our spiritual growth happens not through flawless performance but through faithful showing up.
God's mercy, which Paul mentions at the beginning, is what makes this possible. We don't participate to earn God's love; we participate because we've already received it. This transforms our motivation from obligation to gratitude, from fear-based compliance to love-driven engagement.
RESPOND
Take a moment to process what God might be leading you to do in light of what you read.
In what areas of your life are you going through the motions rather than participating with your whole self?
How might bringing purpose, presence, and love to your daily interactions change both you and those around you?
What would it look like to view your ordinary activities—work, relationships, errands—as opportunities for worship?
REST
Take a moment to rest in God’s presence and consider one thing you can take away from your time reading, then close your devotional experience by praying:
God, thank you for your incredible mercy that makes participation possible. Help me offer myself as a living sacrifice today, bringing my heart, mind, and body into willing engagement with your purposes. Transform my patterns of distracted living into intentional presence, and give me eyes to see where you're already at work so I can join you there. Amen.