「主啊，祢讓我去哪裡都好，就是不要去那裡。」這是我在十幾歲時的一個禱告。當時我成為交換學生，即將展開為期一年的海外生活。我雖然不知道會被安排去哪裡，但我知道自己不想去什麼地方。因為我不會說那個國家的語言，對當地風俗與人民也充滿偏見，所以我求上帝別讓我去那裡。

但上帝以祂無限的智慧還是讓我去了那個國家。為此我十分感恩！如今四十年過去了，我還有一些好朋友在那個國家，其中包括史提芬。我結婚時，他做我的伴郎；他結婚時，我也搭飛機去當他的伴郎。如今，我們正計劃找時間再聚一聚。

當上帝使人回心轉意時，美好的事就會發生！亞拿尼亞說的「兄弟掃羅」（使徒行傳9章17節），正是這種轉變的最佳寫照。

掃羅相信耶穌後，亞拿尼亞隨即被上帝差遣去為掃羅禱告，讓他重見光明（10-12節）。一開始亞拿尼亞因掃羅之前的惡名而不願前往，且對上帝說：「我聽見許多人說，這人怎樣在耶路撒冷多多苦害祢的聖徒。」（13節）

但亞拿尼亞終究還是順服了上帝。因亞拿尼亞回心轉意，便多得了一位弟兄，掃羅成為福音使者保羅，而耶穌的福音也大有能力地被傳開了。上帝總能帶來真實的改變！

“Lord, please send me anywhere but there.” That was my prayer as a teenager before embarking on a year as a foreign exchange student. I didn’t know where I would be going, but I knew where I didn’t want to go. I didn’t speak that country’s language, and my mind was filled with prejudices against its customs and people. So I asked God to send me elsewhere.  

But God in His infinite wisdom sent me precisely where I asked not to go. I’m so glad He did! Forty years later, I still have dear friends in that land. When I got married, my best man Stefan came from there. When he got married, I flew there to return the favor. And we’re planning another visit soon.

Beautiful things happen when God causes a change of heart! Such a transformation is illustrated by just two words: “Brother Saul” (Acts 9:17).

Those words were from Ananias, a believer God called to heal Saul’s sight immediately after his conversion (vv. 10–12). Ananias resisted at first because of Saul’s violent past, praying: “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people” (v. 13).

But Ananias was obedient and went. And because he had a change of heart, Ananias gained a new brother in faith, Saul became known as Paul, and the good news of Jesus spread with power. True change is always possible through Him!