--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Moses does not encounter the living God…" description: "\"Moses does not encounter the living God at the mall. He finds Him (or is found by Him) somewhere out in the deserts of Sinai, a long way from the comfo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c37/john-eldredge-1487_baptists_moses-does-not-encounter-the-living-god_1581076.jpg" --- # Moses does not encounter the living God at the mall. He… ![“Moses does not encounter the living God at the mall. He finds Him (or is found by Him) somewhere out in the deserts of Sinai, a long way from the comforts of Egypt... Where did the great prophet Elijah go to recover his strength? To the wild. As did John the Baptist, and his cousin, Jesus, Who is…” quote by John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c37/john-eldredge-1487_baptists_moses-does-not-encounter-the-living-god_1581076.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c37/john-eldredge-1487_baptists_moses-does-not-encounter-the-living-god_1581076.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c37/john-eldredge-1487_baptists_moses-does-not-encounter-the-living-god_1581076.jpg) > “Moses does not encounter the living God at the mall. He finds Him (or is found by Him) somewhere out in the deserts of Sinai, a long way from the comforts of Egypt... Where did the great prophet Elijah go to recover his strength? To the wild. As did John the Baptist, and his cousin, Jesus, Who is led by the Spirit into the wilderness.” [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts divine encounters in desolate wilderness versus comfortable settings, suggesting spiritual growth occurs away from familiar comforts. **In simple terms:** Spiritual insight often comes in remote, challenging places. Key Takeaway Seek solitude for deeper faith. Themes spirituality solitude growth Mood contemplative inspirational Type aphilosophical spiritual When to use this quote - personal retreat - spiritual pilgrimage - reflection - meditation - prayer Key Concepts faith divine encounter wilderness Questions to Reflect On - How does discomfort foster faith? - What wilderness experience transformed you? A Different Perspective Comfort can hinder spiritual depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baptists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baptists/) [Christian inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-inspirational/) [Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfort/) [Desert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desert/) [Egypt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egypt/) [Elijah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elijah/) [Encounters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encounters/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [John the baptist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/john-the-baptist/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Malls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/malls/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moses/) [Prophet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prophet/) [Sinai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sinai/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Wilderness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wilderness/) ## Related quotes > [“Did the Prophet Elijah really restore to life the dead child of the Widow? This story, along with all the other stories of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-goddard/did-the-prophet-elijah-really-restore-to-life-the-dead-child-of-the/) [Neville Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-goddard/) > [Every mother is like Moses. She does not enter the promised land. She prepares a world she will not see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-paul-vi/every-mother-is-like-moses-she-does-not-enter-the-promised-land-she/) [Pope Paul VI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-paul-vi/) > [Know that no one can have indulged in the Holy Writers sufficiently, unless he has governed churches for a hundred years with the prophets,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/know-that-no-one-can-have-indulged-in-the-holy-writers-sufficiently/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“There is a beautiful moment in the bible when the prophet Elijah feels God’s resence. The Scriptures say that a great and powerful wind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/there-is-a-beautiful-moment-in-the-bible-when-the-prophet-elijah/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [“he takes as his text and example the unfortunate Ahab, seventh king of Israel, who lived in a palace of ivory. Under the influence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/he-takes-as-his-text-and-example-the-unfortunate-ahab-seventh-king-of/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [There comes the time at every Passover seder when someone will open a door to let in the prophet Elijah. At that moment, something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/there-comes-the-time-at-every-passover-seder-when-someone-will-open-a/) [Andre Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/) > [All of my role models, whether it was the disciples, or John the Baptist or Arthur Rimbaud, slept under the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/all-of-my-role-models-whether-it-was-the-disciples-or-john-the/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [It is not the business of religion in these days to isolate herself from the world like John the Baptist. She must go down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-reginald-haweis/it-is-not-the-business-of-religion-in-these-days-to-isolate-herself/) [Hugh Reginald Haweis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-reginald-haweis/) > [No honest theologian therefore can deny that his acceptance of Jesus as Christ logically binds every Christian to a belief in reincarnation - in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/no-honest-theologian-therefore-can-deny-that-his-acceptance-of-jesus/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [The poet's, commonly, is not a logger's path, but a woodman's. The logger and pioneer have preceded him, like John the Baptist; eaten the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-poet-s-commonly-is-not-a-logger-s-path-but-a-woodman-s-the-logger/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [It’s all right,” she said. “You’re through.” “Jesus,” he finally managed, pushing water off his face. “Jesus Christ and John the Baptist. For that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-dare/it-s-all-right-she-said-you-re-through-jesus-he-finally-managed/) [Tessa Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-dare/) > [I always wanted to be Robin Hood or John the Baptist when I was growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-grylls/i-always-wanted-to-be-robin-hood-or-john-the-baptist-when-i-was/) [Bear Grylls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-grylls/) > [It has never been recommended to confuse "loving" with "seeking to please"... ...Salome pleased Herod's guests; I can hardly believe she was burning with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/it-has-never-been-recommended-to-confuse-loving-with-seeking-to/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [When Jesus stepped into the waters of the Jordan and was baptized by John the Baptist, he did so not because he was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/when-jesus-stepped-into-the-waters-of-the-jordan-and-was-baptized-by/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [John the Baptist never performed any miracles. Yet, he was greater than any of the Old Testament prophets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/john-the-baptist-never-performed-any-miracles-yet-he-was-greater-than/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) ## More by John Eldredge > [To find God, you must look with all your heart. To remain present to God, you must remain present to your heart. To hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/to-find-god-you-must-look-with-all-your-heart-to-remain-present-to/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [ “There is a satisfaction we don't want to come to until we come to it in God…\[Disappointments\] serve to remind us every day that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/there-is-a-satisfaction-we-don-t-want-to-come-to-until-we-come-to-it/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [The early Celtic Christians called the Holy Spirit 'the wild goose.' And the reason why is they knew that you cannot tame him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/the-early-celtic-christians-called-the-holy-spirit-the-wild-goose-and/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [The real you is on the side of God against the false self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/the-real-you-is-on-the-side-of-god-against-the-false-self/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [“The authors challenge that the marriage in which one cannot express disappointment has become an idol – The Thing that Cannot Be Questioned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/the-authors-challenge-that-the-marriage-in-which-one-cannot-express/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [A man's calling is written on his true heart, and he discovers it when he enters the frontier of his deep desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/a-man-s-calling-is-written-on-his-true-heart-and-he-discovers-it-when/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [In the end, it doesn’t matter how well we have performed or what we have accomplished—a life without heart is not worth living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/in-the-end-it-doesn-t-matter-how-well-we-have-performed-or-what-we/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [Whatever their age, most men have never received true fathering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/whatever-their-age-most-men-have-never-received-true-fathering/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [I'm married. I have three children. I have a mortgage to pay. The plumbing breaks and the yard needs trimming. However, what my wife…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/i-m-married-i-have-three-children-i-have-a-mortgage-to-pay-the/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [“He is on a mission to rescue a people who are so utterly deceived most of them don’t even want to be rescued.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/he-is-on-a-mission-to-rescue-a-people-who-are-so-utterly-deceived/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [“Something has gone wrong in us, very wrong indeed. So wrong that we have to be told that joy is found not in having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/something-has-gone-wrong-in-us-very-wrong-indeed-so-wrong-that-we/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [“We don’t need accountability groups; we need fellow warriors, someone to fight alongside, someone to watch our back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/we-don-t-need-accountability-groups-we-need-fellow-warriors-someone/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [We don't see clearly because we don't see with the eyes of our heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/we-don-t-see-clearly-because-we-don-t-see-with-the-eyes-of-our-heart/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [The story of your life is the story of the long and brutal assault on your heart by the one who knows what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/the-story-of-your-life-is-the-story-of-the-long-and-brutal-assault-on/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [I have a call to speak, to write, to do sort of deep-heart surgery in people's lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/i-have-a-call-to-speak-to-write-to-do-sort-of-deep-heart-surgery-in/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) [Explore all 233 John Eldredge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) ## More Baptists quotes > [I was overcome by the Holy Ghost one time, but in a Baptist way. 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I don't believe in man-made religions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whoopi-goldberg/my-family-is-jewish-buddhist-baptist-and-catholic-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Whoopi Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whoopi-goldberg/) > [Martha Stewart contributes more to our civility than the Baptist Church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hickey/martha-stewart-contributes-more-to-our-civility-than-the-baptist/) [Dave Hickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hickey/) > [If my ruling disposition is self-interest, I perceive that everything that happens to me is always for or against my self-interest; if, on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-my-ruling-disposition-is-self-interest-i-perceive-that-everything/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Christianity has a built-in defense system: anything that questions a belief, no matter how logical the argument is, is the work of Satan by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/christianity-has-a-built-in-defense-system-anything-that-questions-a/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [I grew up in that minority. 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