Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Our devotional today titled Brother Saul was written by James Banks.

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. And 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 in Acts chapter 9,

Brother Saul. Those words were from Ananias, a believer God called to heal Saul's sight

immediately after his conversion. 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.

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.

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