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Abraham is in the shade during the heat of the day when The Lord and two angels appear under a large tree. He runs from the tent and bows to the ground and asks that, if he has found favor, they stay for a bit and wash their feet and eat and drink a bit. They agree, and Abraham runs back to his tent and gets everybody moving to make a good meal ASAP. Sarah makes three cakes from fine flour, Abraham grabs a tender good calf and has his servant prepare it while he gets butter, cream, and everything else ready and placed it before them. He stands near them as they eat. Then The Lord asks where Sarah is. A lot happens here, so I'm posting the whole section:

9Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” So he said, “Here, in the tent.” 10And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.”

Sarah gets to hear God's promise. Good knows she is listening and wants to prove a point.

11Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. 12Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

Notice she doesn't even say it out loud, but only thinks it.

13And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ 14Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

Called out. Must have been terrifying.

15But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”

Terrified wifejak.jpg. Imagine trying to defend yourself to the creator of the universe when He can and does read your thoughts in your heart. I don't think this was done to make her feel bad, but to strengthen her faith. I doubt there was much questioning of God's promise to her after the fact.

One interesting point is the angels appearing as three. Many have argued that this was or was not The Holy Trinity appearing before Abraham, and treatises have been written on the subject (seriously). I believe the three were at least symbolic of the Trinity, and at the very least it was Christ and two angels. The Icon of The hospitality of Abraham depicts one of the three wearing the same garments typically worn by Christ in Iconography. This is also one of my favorite pieces of Christian art, along with the protective cover or riza (commissioned by Ivan the Terrible) made to protect the tempura. The artist believed it was The Trinity, hence the decision to adorn all three with gold and jewels on the riza.