Reality Check, Our High Priest, part two

"Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.  And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life..." (1 Kings 19: 2,3)

Elijah ran, not because of Jezebel's threat, for she was a beaten foe.  He ran because he was discouraged and beaten in his mind.  Reality said, victory; but Elijah's thoughts said, defeat. And even though Elijah had distorted thinking God sent help.  Not help to bring Elijah back to the battle, rather He sent an angel to sustain Elijah as he ran away from duty.  That seems counter intuitive. But God does not deal in human logic or intuition.  God deals with the heart and Elijah's heart said, danger.

As Elijah ran he prayed, "It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life...." (1 Kings 19:4)
The Bible says, "And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God." (1Kings 19:7, 8)  God knew that Elijah's feelings were real, He knew the situation was too much for him and he could not see past the danger. So the angel gave him heavenly food that sustained him for forty days and nights  What is interesting is that God did not even try to change Elijah's distorted thinking, instead He spent over six weeks with Elijah strengthening him, blessing him, and loving him.

James 5:17 says "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are..."  That tells me what I already know, that you and I are both plagued by distorted thinking.  Sometimes in victory our minds say defeat.  But the Lord identifies with our thoughts and feelings, whether real or fiction.  He may not encourge distorted thinking, but He understands it. He yearns to free us from it, but does not condemn us for it, because He is a man and knows what is common to mankind.  "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."  (Hebrews 4:15)