Strangers and Pilgrims - Hebrews 11:8,10,13-16

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. ... For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. ... These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Abraham was a man of great faith. So much faith that he was able to completely trust God under the most trying circumstances. The first of the 10 trials of Abraham was constant wandering. Indeed, the name Hebrew literally means displaced person. But Abraham did not wander aimlessly, nor without a guide. As the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews suggests, he and his claimed to be strangers and pilgrims, because they in fact sought a country - not of the physical type... What they sought was nothing less than the Kingdom of God. Indeed, Abraham's motto could be summarized as: The Kingdom of God or Bust!

Therefore no trial was too great for Abraham. A few examples should suffice.

Despite the promise of a posterity in number like the sands of the sea or the stars in heaven, Sarah didn't conceive Isaac until Abraham was 100 years old. Yet Abraham still believed God would keep his promises. Also, consider that although he was almost killed by idolatrous men (Ref: Abraham in the fiery furnace; Abraham under the knife of the priest of Pharaoh) he did not resist the command to sacrifice Isaac.

Abraham's trust was absolutely unwavering. After rescuing his nephew from the raiding kings, the survivors from Sodom offered him their goods to which his reply was:

And Abram answered the kings of Sodom, saying, As the Lord liveth who created heaven and earth, and who redeemed my soul from all affliction, and who delivered me this day from my enemies, and gave them into my hand, I will not take anything belonging to you, ... For the Lord my God in whom I trust said unto me, Thou shalt lack nothing, for I will bless thee in all the works of thy hands.
Jasher 16:14,15

Abraham cared not for lucre; nor for the praise of men. His care and principles were set in trusting in and pleasing God. The trials of Abraham were many, but his faith was proportional.