Knowing when to listen to your spouse and when not to?

When Abraham told his wife Sarah to go to his servant Hagar to have children,

he should not have listened to her (Gen. 16:2).

Instead, he should have waited in faith until God's promise,

"One who will come from your own body will be your heir" (15:4),

was fulfilled through the birth of Isaac (21:2-3).

Interestingly, when Sarah saw Ishmael, the son of Hagar, mocking Isaac as he grew,

and she told Abraham to cast out Hagar and Ishmael,

God spoke to Abraham, saying, "Listen to whatever Sarah tells you

because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned" (21:12).

God gave this instruction to Abraham because the promised seed,

through whom Abraham's descendants would be named,

was to come through Isaac (vv. 8-12).