JOY "Sarah" March 30

March 30, 2011
Life In the Margins
Genesis 17:1-18:15, 21:1-7, 23:1

I     Miracles Do Happen  
II    Unexpected Guests
III   A Reason for Laughter

My grandmother, Willie Bertie Lane Hill, was a wonderful woman. I know, without a doubt, that she is the one person, who has had the greatest influence on my life, my whole life. She didn't have a great education; she didn't invent some life-changing discovery and she wasn't famous for some incredible accomplishment, that's been written about, in the history books. If you were to read a biography about her------you would think that she was a simple, work-worn little woman, who bound her joys and her sorrows up, in the same basket, and walked through her life, in the margins, of the lives, of the people that she loved------allowing them, to always take center-stage. And that would be, a correct assumption-------but she was so much more than that-------and she was anything, but on the side-lines, in the lives of her family members and her neighbors.

She has been with the Lord, for 21 years, now, and Her voice, is still the voice, that I hear in my head, guiding me and cautioning me and instructing me, with her home-spun wisdom; her "you-don't know-what-tomorrow-holds, so-make-each-day" count philosophy, and her unerring belief, in the simplicity, of living a life that is patterned, solely and completely, after the words and the teachings, of the Lord Jesus.

In our family, my grandaddy, James Wilson Erie Hill, was the revered patriarch.
And he was one-----everyone deferred to him---not just his children did, but the in-laws and the grandchildren did, too. If he said it, then we all believed it, and we all acted accordingly. He was was a wise, self-taught, biblical scholar; he was a loving and compassionate pastor; he was an honest, to-the-point-of-pain, disciplinarian (with him, black was black and white was white); and, he was a preacher, who could deliver hellfire and damnation sermons or gentle and engaging ones, from the pulpit------ depending on the way that the Spirit lead him to speak, to his congregation. We all catered to him and afforded him all the respect and honor and dignified obedience, that he deserved.

I was an adult and married, before I realized, that it wasn't him, but that it was my grandmother, who was the real center of our family. She, is the reason, why we adored and respected him, in the way that we did. He wasn't perfect, he had plenty of faults, I'm sure-----but growing up, I never saw them, because she made it so easy, for him to rest in the place of honor, that she had carved out for him, and so easy for us to approach him there.

My grandma, is the person who knew what was going on, in the lives of each of her
4 surviving children and her 15 grandchildren. And, she kept up, almost, on a daily basis, with her own siblings and their families. In their church family, she knew the name of every single person and she knew, the personal heartaches and praises, of most of them. She was on a first name basis, with many of the neighbors, that lived around her. She single-handedly, kept one neighbor-family, with 8 children and a dead-beat dad and a defeated mama, from starving, wearing rags and being thrown out of their house, for most of my childhood.

She fixed a full, breakfast, lunch and dinner, every day (most of the time) 7 days a week, because she never knew, family, friend or foe, who would show up for a meal. And her meals were unbelievable-----(she made me either pork chops or fried chicken for breakfast, every day)----you talk about spoiled rotten--we all were, whoever happened to be there, you could bet, that something, that each person loved, would be on the table. There were always 2 or 3 meats and 4 or 5 vegetables, biscuits and cornbread and 2 or 3 desserts. She lavished everyone who came into her home or even, just called her on the phone, with hospitality.

She is who taught me "to get up and get my bread baked", before the sun came up. And before I even knew what a quiet time was, I saw my grandmother sitting by the window with a tiny little lamp, reading her bible, and committing her day to the Lord, before she went into the kitchen, to begin her work. She taught me that if I couldn't say something good about somebody, then I didn't need to say it at all. She taught me that I should always make sure that when I speak, that I say what I mean and I mean what I say. She taught me that I should never make plans, without considering the Lord first-----her favorite response to "can I…..?"  was "If the Lord tarries…" She taught me that we should hold everything we have, with an open palm, because it may not be here tomorrow. She taught me that everything we have, belongs to the Lord, and that we should honor Him, with our tithes and offerings-------(she tithed her social security check------and that was money, that had already been tithed on-------because she firmly believed that our 10 % is what we are commanded to do, and the rest of our giving, should born, out of a generous heart, in gratitude, for what the Lord had done for us). She taught me to open up my home, so that people would feel free to stop by, anytime, and know that they're welcome. She taught me that people and relationships matter-----and that we have a responsibility, to stop, whatever else, we might be doing, and make sure that we are fully present and focused, in the moment, that we have the privilege to share, with another person.

She lost 2 children, one to stillbirth and one to cancer-------and she went on to talk about it, in such a pragmatic way, totally trusting that the Lord new best, in taking them--------that I never questioned God's right, to govern every aspect of our lives. She taught me that right is right and wrong is wrong------and that I need to be careful, not to get the two of them confused. I could go on and on, about what I learned from her, but we would be here all day. My point, in telling you all of this, aside from singing my grandmother's praises, is to make the same point about Sarah.

The story has always been, and is, essentially, about Abraham-------but the truth is------without Sarah, there would be no story--------she is the glue that holds everyone together-----the story is as much about her as it is about anybody. She ran the household. She created a place for her husband, in the lives of their family, friends, neighbors and enemies, that made it easy for him to be seen and respected and revered, as the patriarch. In the scripture, it almost appears, like she's in the margin of their story, but she isn't. In studying about her, we can clearly see, that she is the center wheel and that all the spokes, of their lives, radiate out, from her. Sarah's story is my grandmother's story, and it should be, each one of our stories too. Imperfect as she was--------she is listed in Hebrews, in the great roll-call of faith. I wonder, if we were to die tomorrow, what would our epitaph say? I hope that it would say, that like Sarah, we were known, for our faithfulness, to the Lord.

I. Miracles Do Happen

Sarah was 65 and Abraham was 75, when God first told Abraham, to leave his country and his people and his father's household, and that He would make him into a great nation and bless him and make his name great and bless other people because of him. Abraham had to be thrilled with God's call, but Sarah must have been a little disconcerted, since, to our knowledge, her name wasn't mentioned. We don't know how she interpreted God's silence, toward her, in those early days. But we do know, that God's silence, is one of the most confusing experiences, any of His children, ever, have to endure. We can persevere, through just about anything, as long as we can feel the warmth of His presence and the reassuring  comfort of His love. But our courage will melt and our hearts can be overcome, by fear and hopelessness, when the Lord seems far away, from us. When we experience long stretches of unanswered prayer; and problems that only seem to get worse; and sleepless nights and anxious days, then, what seems like, endless waiting, for God to reveal Himself and His plan or purpose, can drive us to despair. David understood this pain, because he said, in Psalm 28:1, "For if You are silent, I might as well, give up and die." God's, seeming silence, can be agonizing for any of us.

When we read the Bible, in the 21st century, some of the culture from those ancient days, is shocking, to us. Sarah's perfectly legal and proper plan, to physically give Hagar to Abraham, so that they could make a baby, is offensive to us, in our modern world. That dark chapter in Sarah's life, makes us uncomfortable. It is hard for us to see someone that we consider to be, a giant in our faith, being toppled, by desperation, anxiety and collapsing hopes. But the truth is, we couldn't stand it, if the bible didn't show us the bad, as well as the good, about people's lives; because it would be way, too disheartening, for us to even try, to live our lives, faithfully, if the Bible only recorded the success stories, in the lives of the men and women, that are immortalized, inside it's covers.
 There were some really hard places, that Sarah had to walk through, before she was inducted, into the Hebrews Hall of Faith. And, because of her, we can see how difficult it is, to trust God, when everything around us is going wrong and it seems like there is no reason, to keep on hoping and praying for a miracle. The forces, in this world that can assault and damage our faith, can be deep and insidious or they can be quick and violent. It is hard for anybody, to keep from stumbling and falling, sometimes…. But, Sarah's story teaches us, that, in the end, if we keep our focus on the Lord and keep walking in the way, that He's called us to, our faith will be stronger, because of the suffering, not, in spite of it.

The choices that confronted Sarah, were very difficult and complex. They highlight the kinds, of awful, moral dilemmas, that women often have to face. How far will we go ? What will we sacrifice ? What course of action will we compromise; or which worldly principle, will we accept, in order to spare our husbands and our children, pain and disappointment and criticism. Walking with God, doesn't keep us, from facing hard choices, and it doesn't guarantee, that we will always make the right choices. Our lives are full, of well-intentioned mistakes, and sometimes, even, outright sin. But, knowing God, and trusting that He's in control, helps, to guide us, in our faith journey. We have an enormous responsibility, to the Lord; to ourselves; to the people that we love and to our neighbors, not to mindlessly, follow, the path that our culture says, is the right one. We have to figure out,which path, in front of us, is consistent with, our reflecting God's image and our faith in Him and His word, and we have to stick to walking down that path.

According to scripture, there were 13 years, between the birth of Ishmael and the next time, that God appeared to Abraham and reminded him of His promises, for the future of Abraham and his family. Those 13 years, must have been frustrating for Sarah, as she watched Hagar, mother a child, growing into young manhood, and as she watched Abraham's obvious delight in him, as she continued to be barren. By that time she was 89 years old. She had lived in Canaan for 24 years and she was about to celebrate her husband's 100th birthday. If her hope for a child of her own wasn't completely gone, it had to have been hanging by a thin thread.

The Lord appeared to Abraham and renewed His covenant with him. And it was an especially important, restatement of that covenant, because He reiterated His promises and expanded them, to include the whole land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession for Abraham's descendants, forever. It was at that meeting, that the Lord changed Abram's name, which meant, "exalted father" to Abraham, which means, "father of many nations", and He made it clear that circumcision would become the sign and the formal seal, of the covenant between them. God called Himself El Shaddai which means Almighty God, it highlighted, God's omnipotence and was a subtle reminder, to Abraham, that nothing, was too hard for God.
Then, at long last, God spoke Sarah's name. It was the first time that He had, that's recorded in scripture----- He specifically brought her into the covenantal promises. He changed her name from Sarai, which means "my princess" to Sarah, which means simply, "princess". By taking away the personal pronoun, "my,'" God was taking away the limiting aspect of her name, since, she wouldn't belong, to just one person anymore, because she was going to become the ancestress to many nations and people. God promised to give Abraham a son by her and to bless her so that she would be the mother of kings! God, had brought the elderly couple, to the point of impossibility, so that He could show them, that His promises, could only come true by His will.

The announcement, was so, totally, unexpected, that Abraham fell on his face, and  exploded with laughter-------not from disbelief, but from gladness and excitement and incredulous joy. And in the thrill of the moment, Abraham, didn't want Ishmael to be left out. He didn't mean to be disrespectful to the Lord, but he loved Ishmael and he couldn't help but plead with God, not to overlook him, and to allow Ishmael, to inherit the blessing. So, God had to make it clear, that even though, Sarah's child, would be the covenant child-----He wouldn't forget Ishmael and  He would bless him, with many descendants. And then, before God left Abraham, He pinpointed the time, with a fixed date, when the baby would be born, and it was only a year away.

There is no indication, that Sarah was present, to hear what God had said to Abraham, in fact, she probably wasn't. But if they were as close, as it seemed like they were; I can't help but believe, that Abraham, told her about it, as soon as he could, especially, when he explained to her, the reason why, he and all the male members of his household had to be circumcised, immediately. (can you imagine????)

(I read the story, about a little girl, in elementary school, who came across the word, "circumcision" in her bible. Her daddy was a preacher, so she figured that she would get him to explain to her, the meaning, of the strange biblical word. They were riding home from school, one day, just the 2 of them, when she decided that it was a good time to ask the question, "Daddy, what does the word circumcision mean?"  The daddy just about died----he was totally caught off-guard and was completely unprepared to explain the word to his little girl------so he gave the standard answer that most daddies would, "I think you need to ask your mommy when we get home.")

The rite of circumcision, is rich with a symbolism, that is intended, to set God's people apart, from the rest of the world. Circumcision teaches us, that we have a need for soul surgery-----which is the radical, costly and bloody process of removing our sin, that Jesus accomplished, when He bled and died for us, on the cross. Circumcision takes us back to the beginning-----back to God's, great-creation-mandate, "to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth", in a way that included, but went beyond, the call for mankind, to reproduce, physically; it was also the call, for us to reproduce, spiritually. The rite of circumcision comes with the call "to walk blameless before God…. you and your descendants after you, for generations to come." (Genesis 17:9)  Circumcision, was designed, to cut into a man's flesh, a permanent reminder of his call, to walk with God. At first glance, it seems like the circumcision, that God called Abraham to, excluded women---------but it didn't------it actually highlighted them and made women indispensable. Obviously, no man can reproduce, physically, by himself. So, Abraham's need for Sarah, went far beyond, sexual intimacy and the physical birth of a child. Abraham needed Sarah's, not Hagar's help for the bigger and more impossible task of reproducing, spiritually. 

If God were trying to exalt men or show any preference for men over women, in His covenant sign-----there would have been better, more visible ways to do it------He could have made the covenant sign, a symbol, on the man's head------like a crown, letting everyone know, that the man is the head of the household, the chief, who is supposed to do all the thinking and deciding and leading. Or He could have marked the man's arm---symbolizing the man's strength and power to rule. But instead, God chose circumcision, not as a symbol of manhood, but as a symbol of intimacy, vulnerability and fruitfulness. Circumcision spoke of a man's intimate relationship with his wife and of their becoming, one, in a union, together, and with God, which reproduces children, both physically and spiritually.
A woman, is actually represented, twice, by circumcision-----1st, as her father's descendant, whom, he has guided, to walk with God and 2nd, as a wife who is united with her husband, in fulfilling the call, to raise up, the next generation, and the next one, and the next one, to follow God.

By circumcising, Abraham's household servants, God broke the covenant boundaries, with Abraham, wide open--------because, all of sudden, Gentiles were included in God's plan, too, right from the very beginning. Both Abraham and Sarah had a responsibility to direct the hearts of their servants and their servant's children, toward God. Circumcision wasn't male- centered------it was descendant-centered and community-centered. The sign of the covenant, was supposed to impress upon the man, his enormous spiritual responsibility, to walk before God and be faithful and to influence others, especially those under his roof, to do the same. What an amazing privilege we have, to be helpmates to our husbands, in taking Jesus to the world: 1st, to our own children and then, to anyone that we come in contact with, who will hear what we have to say.

II  Unexpected Guests

One of the main reasons why the Lord appeared to Abraham, the next time that He did, was to renew the promise for Sarah's sake, so that she could hear it with her own ears. The Lord, in his pre-incarnate form, along with 2 angels, could be seen by Abraham, when he was sitting in front of his tent-------he looked up and they were sanding there. He, immediately, had Sarah start to prepare a meal for them. He promised them "a little water to wash their feet and a morsel of bread…" but he actually had a calf slain and He instructed her, to prepare them a feast. Sarah's willingness to entertain guests so lavishly, on such short notice, is an example her sweet submission to Abraham, which was mentioned by Peter, when he held Sarah up, as a model for wives to follow. In 1Peter 3:5-6, Peter wrote "In this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God, also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husband, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord."

Her submissiveness to Abraham, was not because she was a doormat to him; her submissiveness was born out of her desire, to set him up, to be the king of his own castle, and to feel good about himself, as a man, who could protect and cherish his family and provide for them,everything they needed---- and a lot of what they wanted. She also wanted other people to respect and honor him, so she wanted to make sure that their guests, were taken care of well, because that would be a reflection on him. I don't think she had a clue, who they were entertaining, at first. She took care of all their visitors, with the same kind of hospitality. (That's a lesson for us, that we should treat all our company, like we are entertaining kings or angels, because you never know whose heart your touching, and because, it reflects well on our husbands and our families and most importantly, because it pleases the Lord.)

As was the custom of the day, Sarah stayed out of sight, secluded in her tent, but she was still able to hear what they were saying. We know, that the Lord knew that she was listening, because the scripture says that she was, and we also know, that even though He addressed His conversation to Abraham, He was talking to Sarah. We can just imagine, the mixture of emotions, that ran through Sarah, as she heard the Lord speak her name and promise a son to her. Who can blame her for laughing to herself. I would have laughed too. Sarah had been so defeated by her circumstances, that she couldn't imagine how the man's words could possibly come true. She couldn't have known that the Lord had brought her to the end of her hopes, to bring her to Himself.

Even though a lot of scholars teach, that Sarah's laughter was full of doubt, I don't see that her laughter signified, that she doubted that God could give them a child, I just think that she couldn't understand, how an old woman, who was unable to conceive, while she was young, could conceive life, when her insides were all shriveled up. Anyone would laugh-------Sarah's problem was, that when the Lord asked her why she had laughed, she lied, because she was fearful of a man, who could read her thoughts, because she knew that she had not laughed audibly. The Lord gently insisted that she had laughed and asked her "Is anything too hard for the Lord? (Genesis 18:14) When she realized, that He knew the thoughts of her mind and her heart, and when He made the claim of His omnipotence, I think she knew, then, instantly and definitively, that He was the Lord. I think this is when Sarah accepted God as her Lord, for herself--no longer was she hanging onto Abraham's coattails, she had her own relationship with Him. Joy and amazement, must have flooded, the deepest recesses of her soul, even as she continued to wonder, how in the world, it would come about.

The year that followed was a difficult and busy one, for Abraham and Sarah. It was the year that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. It was also the year, when Abraham journeyed south again-------this time he went into the land that was ruled by Abimelech, the king of Gerar. Sarah, was still beautiful enough, at 90, to stir the passions of the king. The drama that had taken place, 25 years earlier, down in Egypt, replayed itself, all over again. Abraham tried to pass Sarah off as his sister, because he was fearful about what would happen to his family and to God's promise, if he was killed, because Abimelech wanted to have her for himself. But God, took care of the situation--------He warned Abimilech, in a dream, that she was Abraham's wife. He must have scared Abimelech to death, because not only, did he not touch Sarah, but he lavished gifts on them, and, he publicly declared, her innocence, in the whole sordid business and he told Abraham, that they could dwell anywhere, in the land, that they wanted to.

There is no time lost in waiting, if we're waiting on the Lord. Sarah waited on the Lord for 25 years. Clutching in her hands and pondering in her heart, God's remarkable promise for a son----- she had waited-----right on past her childbearing years. The future looked hopeless, but she never gave up hope and she trusted the Lord, even though biologically, she couldn't understand, how she could possibly conceive and bear a child. In Genesis 18:14 the Angel of the Lord said "at the appointed time, Sarah shall have a son". These words teach us, the discipline of waiting on the Lord. Waiting until His time is right. Nothing is harder than waiting, but in our lives, we have all had to wait for something. And, we will all have to wait again. To tell the truth, we spend most of our time waiting----we are stuck, somewhere in the middle, between here and there------longing to see God's hand, trying to find our place in God's purpose, and struggling to put one foot in front of the other, so that we can keep moving. But, how much of our lives, do we let slip away, while we drum our fingers, waiting to see God move?


We have to remember, that there is great blessing, in waiting on God, because He teaches us and transforms us, while we wait. Waiting blesses us, because it increases the value and the importance of the thing that's being waited for. Whether we're waiting for deliverance from suffering, the discovery of God's purposes, a wedding day, direction for the path we should follow, a family reunion, a prodigal's return or a child's birth. Waiting makes the desired object, a greater treasure, once its received. Waiting also blesses us with time----nobody has enough time; everybody complains about not having enough time! So, when we have to wait, we are given the precious gift of time------time to embrace life's circumstances, time to press closer to God's loving and understanding heart, time to grow, in the hard-won, grace of patience, time to enable us, to feel more deeply, the pain of others, who are also having to wait on the Lord.

What has God promised us? The bible contains, more than 8000 promises. And that doesn't count the promises, that He makes to each one of us individually, as we walk through out own, particular, set of circumstances. In difficulty and discouragement; in trial, tragedy, trauma and testing; in times of physical, emotional and spiritual darkness; in times of satisfaction, joy and laughter-------we can trust the promises of God, because we can trust that God will always do, exactly, what He says He will.
( "There was a young French woman, who once created a "promise box" to teach her children that the promises of God bring special comfort in times of need. The small box contained 200 handwritten promises, copied out of the Bible, onto small pieces of paper. Little did she know, that her own trust, in the Lord, would be severely tested in wartime France.

With no food available for her family------her children emaciated and hungry, wearing rags and shoes, without soles----she turned to her promise box and in desperation, she prayed, "Lord, O Lord, I have such great need. Is there a promise here that is really for me? Show me Lord, what promise I can have, in this time of famine, nakedness, peril and sword." Blinded by tears, she reached for the box to pull out a promise and knocked it over. God's promises showered down all around her, on her lap, and on the floor! Not one was left in the box. What supreme joy in the Lord, she found, as she realized that all the promises of God were hers------in the very hour of her greatest need.!")

III A Reason for Laughter

Scripture says that immediately after the Abimelech incident, Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son. There are no words, in the English language, that can really express the emotion that was felt in that tent, the day that Isaac was born------but in Hebrew, the words, paint a picture, which allows us to see that tent, shimmering in a glorious light, ringing, with the sounds of joy! Sarah would not have been able to contain her gladness, as she held the child of promise, in her arms. It was a season of joyous celebration! Sarah's shameful barrenness had ended and God's promise had come true! Finally, after all the waiting; after all the empty years; after hearing the promise to Abraham, again and again; after visits from the Lord and 2 angels-------little Isaac, new and wrinkled, was born to Abraham and Sarah, who were old and wrinkled-----and they laughed in exuberant, exultant joy, as they named the baby, what the Lord had told them to, which means, "he laughs."

We are given a fascinating insight into Sarah's real character, by the fact, that she saw genuine humor, in the way that God dealt with her. I think its's funny, that she just seem to marvel, at the fact, that not only could she conceive and bear a baby, but that she could nurse that baby with milk, that came from her own body---even young mothers would have had a wet nurse for their babies, in that ancient culture---but not Sarah, she wasn't going to miss out on anything, that pertained to the joy of motherhood. (She literally, milked the situation, for everything that it was worth.) In spite, of her, occasional, bursts of temper and her struggles with discouragement, Sarah remained an essentially good-humored woman. After the long years of bitter frustration, she could still appreciate the irony and enjoy the comedy, of becoming a mother, at such an advanced age. The years of her bitter disappointment quickly faded, in the glorious light of God's answered promises.

God, who is fully able, had accomplished an incredible miracle. Isaac was Sarah's reward. He was the child of her own body, the child of her old age, the child of God's promise, the fruit of her faith, that had been sorely tested, the gift of God's grace and the heaven-appointed heir. Sarah sang a jubilant song, of pure joy, praising God for bringing her laughter. It was the first cradle hymn, recorded in the scripture, and it came straight from a mother's heart. (I can remember each of my children responded to different cradle songs, when they were babies-----it was funny------Mary Kathryn loved "Oh My Darlin, Clementine", Lizzie loved "Hush Little Baby" and Griff loved "The Old Rugged Cross"-----  You never forget the songs that you sing to your babies, because they come from your  heart, as a mother).  

But taking it a step further, we can join Sarah, in her spiritual song of praise------because, as children of God, we can know joy, here on this earth, even in difficult times, because of the hope that we have in Christ Jesus. We do have a reason to sing, even when we don't feel like singing, even when God's promises aren't' fulfilled yet-----because we can trust, that at the appointed time, either here or in heaven, that God will always give us a reason to sing, and a reason, to laugh, as He demonstrates His faithfulness to us.

After Hagar was cast out, Sarah and Abraham, returned to a healthy, monogamous life together, as far as we know, and raised their son, to trust the Lord God, in the same way that they did. Sarah, apparently lived, 37 more years, and was buried in a cave, at Macpelah, which Abraham purchased, just for her-------and when his turn came to die, Abraham's sons, buried him beside her, symbolizing in death, the love that they had shared, in life.

Despite her failings, (which ought to endear her to us, more than if, she were some paragon of perfection), Sarah left behind her, a strong legacy of faith and a powerful message for the church. We have Sarah to thank, for teaching us, all throughout her long, heart-breaking and ultimately hopeless, self-quest for a child, an invaluable lesson, about God's limitless power. She teaches us that we can't achieve anything, in our own strength, but that God can achieve everything, in His. And her marathon wait for a child, into her 90th year, and her geriatric pregnancy, leave us with a vivid impression, of God's great power to give hope, where there seems to be no hope, because He is a God, who, in His own words, promises, that "nothing is too hard for the Lord". My grandmother learned to understand that promise, just like Sarah learned to understand it. My prayer is, that we will come to understand it, too, and learn to trust Him, through every situation, that the Lord allows, to come our way.

Like I told you earlier, at first glance, when we read Sarah's story, we think that she is in the margin of the story, but when we really get to know her, we can see that she was anything but….
She was the 1st person to taste the blessings of God's covenant because she was protected from being abused by Pharaoh and by Abimelech-----because God let them know, through plagues and a threatening dream, that if either of them laid a hand on Sarah, then, they would have to answer to Him.
She played a crucial role in God's purposes. She gave birth to Isaac, the child whose family line, would ultimately lead to Jesus.
She was a wife to Abraham, beyond compare----where-ever God led him, she was right beside him. She wanted only good for him. She put him and his desires before herself and her desires. She wanted to elevate him to a place of honor in the eyes of their family and their neighbors. Peter, the apostle, commended her for being a model wife.
She did make mistakes-----giving in the Abraham's scheme to lie and using Hagar and then mistreating her and losing her temper at Isaac's weaning party-----but sending Hagar and Ismael away was not a mistake---God made that clear, when He told Abraham, to do what Sarah said.
Sarah was not a tag-along to Abraham-----God valued her wisdom and her desire to protect her family. God trusted her to follow Him, just as much as He did Abraham---and it was counted to her as righteousness, just like it was, to Abraham.
Abraham bought his first piece of property in the Promised Land, so that he could have a place to bury her------so that he could visit it and remember her.
Isaac loved his mother-----later, when he married Rebecca, the first place he took her, was to the tent of his mother, where he married her and loved her and was comforted, after his mother's death. (Genesis 24:66)
She is one of only 2 women, who is immortalized for her faith, in the book of Hebrews.

*She was definitely not in the margin of the story-------her legacy of wife, mother and God-fearing woman, is a shining example for all of us to follow!*