God's mercy and plan

7 And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.  8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.  9 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.  10 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.  11 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.  12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.  13 And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?  14 Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.  15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.  16 And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram (Genesis 16: 7-16).

     There is a certain wideness in God’s mercy.  God’s mercy is always though, unmerited.  God’s purposes are served even when people make mistakes and are disobedient.  In fact, it is part of God’s unknowable and unsearchable will to ultimately bring about His purposes even from others’ disobedience.  And so it is with Abraham, Sarah, Hagar and Ishmael that God would both bless and set the stage for future conflict.  This dichotomy is only reconcilable in the recesses of the will and purposes of an all powerful, all knowing Creator God.