「帶來死亡的商人死了！」這是一則訃告的標題，或許這正是讓發明炸彈的阿佛列．諾貝爾（Alfred Nobel）改正人生軌道的原因。其實，那是報章搞錯了，當時阿佛列依然健在，過世的是他哥哥路德維希（Ludvig Nobel）。在阿佛列明白世人只會記得他發明了殘酷的殺人武器之後，他決定捐出自己大部分的財產並設立獎項，頒發給那些增進人類福祉的人。這就是眾所周知的諾貝爾獎。

遠在兩千多年前，一個滿有權勢的人也回轉歸正。那人就是猶大王瑪拿西，他因悖逆上帝而被擄到巴比倫，但後來「他在急難的時候就懇求耶和華他的上帝」。當他「祈禱耶和華」的時候，耶和華就「使他歸回耶路撒冷，仍坐國位」（歷代志下33章12-13節）。此後，瑪拿西在位期間國中得享太平，他事奉上帝，並盡力改正以往的過錯。

瑪拿西向耶和華禱告，「耶和華就允准他的祈求」（13節）。上帝會垂聽謙卑的呼求，當我們領悟到自己的錯誤，要改變生活方式並回轉歸向上帝的時候，上帝絕不會拒絕我們。祂會以我們不配得的恩典接納我們，以祂在十架上犧牲的愛來更新我們。來到祂面前，我們就可以有新的開始。

“The Merchant of Death is Dead!” That was the headline for an obituary that may have caused Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, to make a course correction in his life. But the newspaper made a mistake—Alfred was very much alive. It was his brother Ludvig who had died. When Alfred realized he’d be remembered for a dangerous invention that claimed many lives, he decided to donate most of his significant wealth to establishing an award for those who had benefited humanity. It became known as the Nobel Prize.

More than two thousand years earlier, another powerful man had a change of heart. Manasseh, king of Judah, rebelled against God. As a result, he was taken captive to Babylon. But “in his distress he sought the favor of the Lord,” and “when he prayed,” God “brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom” (2 Chronicles 33:12-13). Manasseh spent the rest of his rule in peace, serving God and doing his best to undo the wrongs he’d done before.

“The Lord was moved” by Manasseh’s prayer (v. 13). God responds to humility. When we realize we need to make a change in the way we’re living and turn to Him, He never turns us away. He meets us with grace we don’t deserve and renews us with the self-giving love He poured out at the cross. New beginnings begin with Him.