The Haven of Rest is a church-supported ministry to people who are homeless. It is a wonderful ministry. I had been asked to preach there one evening, and so I was sitting on the platform waiting for the song service to finish.

Actually, waiting is too calm of a word. I was fidgeting ... very calmly. Ever heard the one about the duck who is peaceful on the top but paddling like mad underneath? That was me. I was on the platform about to preach to a hundred strangers, and I had no idea what I was going to say!

As the song service came to a close, I walked 'confidently' to the podium. Sometimes you just have to do these things by faith. I opened my Bible to Isaiah 53, and began to speak at verse 1.

Soon I was preaching the Cross of Jesus in the flowing river of the Spirit of God. God took over. I don't even remember what I said.

When I finished, I gave an invitation. Probably 8 or 9 people came forward, several for salvation. I was told later that the women who came from the back rows were very hardened to the gospel, but even some of them came forward to get saved!

Among those at the altar was a man in his mid-thirties. I prayed for him, and then he started to walk away.

"Wait a minute," I said, "come here for a second."

When he did, I put my arms around him and hugged him like he was a prodigal son coming home. He began to cry. And cry.

He told me, "I've been asking God for a hug all day, and he just gave it to me."

Turns out the fella was a Bible school graduate who was going through some pretty awful marital problems. He didn't know where to turn, and had ended up at the Haven of Rest. He really needed to know that God had not abandoned him.

And apparently he hadn't! He sent me there to show him the love of God!

"The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms:" Deut 33:27