It has been sixteen years since I have moved, but I still remember the back-breaking work and the emotional upheaval brought on by the physical upheaval of my possessions.  Moving is a chore all of us dread but God told Abraham to move when  he was 75 years old.

Abraham was a great man of faith, and he showed his faith throughout his life by his obedience to God.  He was an old man when God told him to leave Haran, the land of his relatives, and move to Canaan, a place he knew nothing about.  "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance.  And he went out, not knowing where he was going." (Hebrews 11:8)  What an act of faith!   He did not even know where he was going, and he was an old man, but he moved anyway.

The theme of Abraham's life might be, "By (because of) faith, Abraham obeyed."  This was demonstrated throughout his life.  Many people today claim to have faith because they believe in God, Jesus and the Bible.  The problem is that they often fail to obey, not doing what they know they should.  The faith that pleases God is a faith which obeys.  Faith without obedience is called a "dead" faith. (James 2:20)

But Abraham continued to move, even after he reached the land of Canaan.  He was a nomadic shepherd, moving around to find grass and water for his sheep and goats.  The only land he owned in Canaan was the cave at Machpelah where he and Sarah were buried.  He was at the mercy of the residents of the land, but God protected and blessed him.

The Hebrew writer gives a beautiful explanation of why Abraham was willing to endure all the moving from place to place and to live in a land where he was a foreigner.  "By faith he [Abraham] dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob. . . for he waited for the city, whose builder and maker is God."  (Hebrews 11:9,10)  Abraham was willing to wander in a strange land because he had a faith which caused him to obey.  But notice the focus of his faith as explained in this passage.  He was willing to live in tents (without foundation) on the earth because he had faith in a city with foundation, a city built by God.  Abraham's focus was on his heavenly home, where he would never wander again.  This faith in his eternal reward motivated him to live obediently throughout his life.  No one can survive spiritually if they do not have a deep faith in the eternal reward.  They will soon drift away for lack of incentive.  It is wonderful to have faith in your eternal reward, but only if you have a faith like Abraham, a faith that obeys.