Things didn’t go well with Sarai (Abram’s wife) and Hagar, their Egyptian maidservant. Sarai was barren so she had the idea of Abram sleeping with Hagar as a way of obtaining children. Sarai’s plan and Abram’s compliance demonstrated a lack of faith in God, for God had promised that He would give them a son. Problems started right away. After Hagar became pregnant, Sarai treated her rather harshly until Hagar took to the road. Soon an angel persuaded her to go back and patch things up, and also let her know that her son’s name would be Ishmael. Much encouraged by this, she ate her humble pie and was given her old job back.

Shortly after Ishmael was born, Sarai, now called Sarah, surprisingly gave birth to a son named Isaac, and once again she had Hagar and her son thrown out of the house.

In the desert Hagar ran out of water and gave her son up for dead; the tears came. Behind the scenes God saw it all and took care of all her needs, and let her know that her son would grow up to be a father of a great nation. In the midst of this story of jealousy and misguided trust, God kept exhibiting His spendthrift love to all in involved, showing His concern for the outcast and helpless.