giving blood as worship
For a long time, I have found the words of Romans 12:1 compelling. Partly explained
by the fact that the original writer would not have split the letter into sections, it flows
from the end of the previous chapter so fluidly. If you have time, I’d encourage you to
read the end of Romans 11 before this verse which says:
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God
because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice –
the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.
I’ve had a bee in my proverbial bonnet about how worship has been understood in
the church for more time than I can remember. It is possibly due to this that, more
recently, the realisation has struck me that one of my acts of worship involves some
me-time and being served snacks and drinks. I am referring to the fact that around
three times a year, I donate blood.
Giving blood is something I have done regularly since being a teenager. For the
slight inconvenience of taking an hour or so out of my day and having a needle in
your arm for a few minutes, you have the knowledge that your actions can literally
save someone’s life. Initially, I chose to donate from mildly altruistic reasons along
with the smug assurance that I’d done something a bit virtuous. As my
understanding of the verse above has developed, I have reframed my donations as
worship. During the period of screening and waiting, I am more reflective, especially
in remembering those I know who have needed a blood transfusion. I see my actions
as something that I can practically give to benefit others. I am reminded that all areas
of life are intended to be lived out for God.
Putting aside the potentially clumsy literal link of physically giving your body, I
wonder what sort of sacrifices God might expect of his followers in our day and age.
Giving blood for me involves a tiny fraction of my time each year. It makes me think
about what other areas of our lives we can reframe as service or sacrifice. Whether it
is caring for children or other family members, preparing packed lunches for a loved
one or making a phone call to someone who we know would benefit from it, this can
all be our worship. Potentially this mental shift will shift the emphasis we give to
those acts or mould the way we act.
I tend to look forward to the act of giving blood. I get to read a book, am encouraged
by health professionals to have a sugary or salty snack afterwards and have no
problem or phobia of needles. This won’t be the case for everyone. Sometimes
worship can be enjoyable but perhaps there more often it will be hard – sacrifice
tends to be. However, sometimes the reframing of our acts as part of our devotion
to the divine will help provide us with the purpose when worship is tough and is
costly in terms of time and energy.
