Beginning of the End - Ellen G. White

temporary home as near as possible to the Land of Promise.
The Lord in His wisdom had brought this trial on Abraham to
teach him lessons for the benefit of everyone after him who would
be called to endure affliction. God does not forget or cast off those
who put their trust in Him. The trials that test our faith most severely
and make it seem that God has forsaken us are to lead us closer to
Christ. We may lay all our burdens at His feet and in exchange
experience the peace that He will give us.
The heat of the furnace is what separates the dross from the
true gold of Christian character. By difficult, testing trials God
disciplines His servants. He sees that some have powers that may be
used in the advancement of His work and in His wisdom He brings
them into positions that test their character and reveal weaknesses of
which they were unaware. He gives them opportunity to correct
these defects showing them their own weakness and teaching them
to lean on Him. In this way they are educated, trained, and
disciplined, prepared to fulfill the grand purpose for which their
powers were given to them. Heavenly angels can unite with them in
the work to be accomplished on earth.
Abraham's Sad Mistake
In Egypt, Abraham showed that he was not free from human
weakness. His wife, Sarah, was "very beautiful," and he was sure
that the Egyptians would covet the lovely stranger and kill her
husband. He reasoned that he was not guilty of lying in describing
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