I AM THE GOD OF ALL FLESH

There is no life outside the God of all flesh.

Reflection given at the 12-day prayer program for Year 2024, 4th Day  
Theme: I AM THE GOD OF ALL FLESH 

The theme for today’s prayer is “I am the God of all flesh.” God uses the words to emphasise that humankind are the works of His hand; He formed them and gave them life.  Job says, “In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being” (Job 12:10). God also emphasises His power and influence over mankind. The theme also expresses God’s relation to us, the humankind. 

The theme is taken from Jeremiah 32:27. In the context God emphasises His almighty power. Hence, He adds, “Is anything too hard for me” (Jer. 32:27). His power has no limit. He has power over men. He emphasises this as He says, “Therefore, thus says the LORD: I am going to give this city into the hands of the Chaldeans and into the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and he shall take it” (Jer. 32:28).  

He loves and cares for us

Moses called God the spirits of all flesh to appeal to His love and care. In his words: “They fell on their faces, and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one person sin and you become angry with the whole congregation?” (Num. 16:22). Again he says, “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation” (Num. 16:27). Hence, Moses used the title in reference to God’s connection with human beings. Being the God of all flesh, God has responsibility towards us. He loves and cares for us.  

What does it mean that God is God of all flesh to us? It means we owe Him obedience and worship. God says, “the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise” (Is. 43:21). Samuel says, “If you will fear the Lord and serve him and heed his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well” (1Sam. 12:14).  

We are also to humble ourselves before Him. St. Peter says, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Pet. 5:6).  

He can recreate us and make whatever out of us

Being the God of all flesh, God knows all of us. Prophet Isaiah says, “But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” Again He says, “Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you, you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me” (44:21). 

It also means we are the works of His hand; we are His making, He gave us life. St. Paul says, “For 'In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your poets have said, 'For we too are his offspring'” (Acts 17:28). There is no life outside the God of all flesh.  

Being the works of His hand, He can recreate us and make whatever out of us. We can understand this in the image of potter and clay. God says “Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the Lord. Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. At one moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, but if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it” (Jer. 186-8).  

The God of all flesh has the solution to human problems

Prophet Isaiah also says, “Yet, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand” (64:8).
The God of all flesh has the solution to human problems. God says, “O that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! Then I would quickly subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes. Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, and their doom would last forever. I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you” (Ps. 8113-18). 

The God of all flesh can use anybody to accomplish His plan. It could be the person we least expect. St. Paul says, “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God” (1Cor. 1:27-29). 

January 5th, 2024