Sarai, still childless, gives her servant Hagar to Abram to bear a child for her. When Hagar conceives, she despises Sarai; Sarai treats her harshly and Hagar flees. The Angel of the LORD finds Hagar at a spring in the wilderness, tells her to return, promises that her son Ishmael will be great, and she names God 'El Roi' — the God who sees. Hagar returns and Ishmael is born when Abram is 86.
When we try to fix God's plan our own way, things can get messy. But God still sees everyone — even people who feel forgotten — and He is always kind.
This is a difficult chapter — Sarai's scheme (using a slave as surrogate) reflects both ancient practice and human impatience with God. The beautiful theological core is Hagar's encounter: she is the first person in the Bible to name God, and she calls Him 'the God who sees me' (El Roi). For children, the Hagar story is the most important part: God sees and cares for people who feel invisible or overlooked. Avoid over-explaining Sarai's arrangement to young children; focus on the theme of God's sight and care.
God sees you, even when you feel alone or forgotten. You can call out to Him any time — He is always watching and He always cares.