Yimithandazo Yoobani Ephendulwayo?
“ZININZI ngakumbi izinto ezenzeka ngomthandazo kunokuba abantu behlabathi becinga.” Yatsho njalo imbongi eliNgesi yenkulungwane ye-19 uAlfred Tennyson. Kodwa ngokulilize abaninzi baye bathandazela impilo, ulonwabo, uxolo nempumelelo. Enyanisweni, bambi bavakalelwa kukuba uThixo ngokwenene akayiphulaphuli imithandazo. Ukanti, iBhayibhile imbiza ngokuba ‘ngumphulaphuli wemithandazo.’—INdumiso 65:2.
Oku kusenokukubangela ukuba ubuze uthi: ‘Ngubani lo “mphulaphuli wemithandazo”? Ngaba kukho iimfuneko ezikhethekileyo esimele sihlangabezane nazo ukuze imithandazo yethu iviwe? Sifanele sithandaze njani? Ibe yimithandazo yoobani ephendulwayo?’
Imithandazo Yabo Yeviwa
Umthandazo uyinto yakudala njengoluntu. Khawucinge ngoAbheli, unyana wabazali bethu bokuqala, uAdam noEva. Xa wanyusa idini elathi lamkeleka kuThixo, ngokungathandabuzekiyo laphelekwa ngamazwi okukhunga nawokudumisa.—Genesis 4:1-5.
Ngenkulungwane yesithoba ngaphambi kweXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, umprofeti kaThixo uYona “wathandaza kuYehova uThixo wakhe embilinini wentlanzi” eyayimiselwe ukuba imginye. Ngaba loo mthandazo waba nempumelelo? Ewe, kuba “uYehova wathetha nentlanzi, yamhlanzela uYona emhlabeni owomileyo.” Wandula ke uYona waqhubeka ephumeza isabelo sakhe awayesinikwe nguThixo sokuya eNineve.—Yona 1:17; 2:1, 10; 3:1-5.
Xa iintshaba zikaDavide woSirayeli wamandulo zazinxanelwe igazi lakhe, wadanduluka wathi: “Yehova, yiva umthandazo wam, kubekele indlebe ukutarhuzisa kwam; ndiphendule ngokunyaniseka kwakho, ngobulungisa bakho.” (INdumiso 143:1) Imithandazo kaDavide yokufuna ukuhlangulwa yaphendulwa, njengoko iintshaba zakhe zingazange ziphumelele ekumbulaleni. Ngoko ke, wayenokuthi: “Usondele uYehova kubo bonke abamnqulayo, kubo bonke abamnqulayo ngenyaniso.”—INdumiso 145:18.
Ukuhlangabezana Neemfuneko Eziziintloko
Ngoko, ngokucacileyo, abakhonzi bakaThixo bamaxesha amandulo baphendulwa kwimithandazo yabo. Kakade ke, abazange benze umthandazo nje onguphela sonwabe kuThixo ongenagama. Bathandaza benokholo kuYehova, “Osenyangweni phezu kwehlabathi lonke.” (INdumiso 83:18) Ngoko, ukuze kunikelwe ingqalelo kwimithandazo yethu, ziziphi iimfuneko eziziintloko esimele sihlangabezane nazo?
Thandaza kuYehova kuphela. Kulilize—enyanisweni, akukho ngokwezibhalo—ukuthandaza koothixo bobuxoki, abazizithixo ezingaphiliyo ezingathethiyo ngemilomo yazo, ezingevayo ngeendlebe zazo, ezingenakuphatha ngezandla zazo, ezingakwaziyo ukuhamba ngeenyawo zazo nezingadumzeliyo ngemiqala yazo. (INdumiso 115:5-7; 1 Yohane 5:21) Ngokungafaniyo nabo thixo bangento yanto, uYehova wenza okuthile ngenxa yabo bamthandayo nabamkhonzayo. Ngokomzekelo, kwiinkulungwane ezadlulayo abaprofeti bothixo wobuxoki uBhahali bambongoza ukuba ahlise umlilo ezulwini. Nangona bathandaza ukususela kusasa de kwangokuhlwa, uBhahali akazange abaphendule. Ngoko uEliya wakhunga kuYehova, owaphendula ngokuhlis’ umlilo owalitshisa ngokupheleleyo idini elingumnikelo elaliphezu kwesibingelelo.—1 Kumkani, isahluko 18.
Yiya kuThixo ngoYesu Kristu kuphela. UYehova uThixo wathumela uNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, uYesu Kristu, emhlabeni ukuze abe lidini lokuhlawulela uluntu kwisono nokufa. (Yohane 3:16, 36; Roma 5:12; 6:23) Ngenxa yoko, ukulungiselela abo balisebenzisayo eli lungiselelo, uThixo wavula indlela entsha yokuya kuye ngomthandazo. Abakhonzi bangaphambili bakaThixo abanjengomdumisi uDavide babethandaza bebhekisa ngokuthe ngqo kuYehova. (INdumiso 4:1; 17:1; 55:1; 102:1) Kodwa le ndlela intsha yokuya kuye yayingoYesu, owathi: “Akukho namnye uzayo kuBawo, engezi ngam. Ukuba nithe nacela into ngegama lam, ndoyenza mna.” (Yohane 14:6, 14) Ayikho nayiphi na indawo eZibhalweni ethi imithandazo ifanele ibhekiswe kuThixo ngaye nabani na ongomnye.
Ngoko ke, sakuba sifundile ukuba sifanele sithandaze kuThixo ngegama likaYesu, imithandazo yethu ayiyi kuphendulwa ngaphandle kokuba sithandaza kuphela kuYehova ngoNyana wakhe. Kodwa kukwakho nezinye izizathu ezibangela ukuba uYehova angayiphenduli imithandazo emininzi.
Isizathu Sokuba UThixo Angaphenduli
UThixo akayi kuyiphendula imithandazo yethu ngenxa nje yokuba sisima ngendlela ekhethekileyo ngoxa sithandaza. IZibhalo azigunyazisi ukuba sime kuphela ngendlela enye ekhethekileyo xa sithandaza. Kakade ke, ukuguqa ngamadolo kusenokubonakalisa ukuzithoba phambi kukaThixo. Kodwa kuvumelekile ukuthandaza ngoxa umile, usetafileni, uphumle kumandlalo, okanye xa usenza imisebenzi yemihla ngemihla. (Daniyeli 6:10, 11; Marko 11:25) Ewe, uYehova ukwaphendula nemithandazo engavakaliswa ngamazwi! Ngaphambi kokuxelela uKumkani wamaPersi ukuba wayenqwenela ukuphinda azakhe iindonga zaseYerusalem ezaziphanzisiwe, uNehemiya ethe cwaka ‘wathandaza kuThixo wamazulu,’ ibe uYehova wawuphendula loo mthandazo. (Nehemiya 2:1-6) Ngoko ukuba indlela ome ngayo asinto ibalulekileyo, kutheni le nto imithandazo emininzi kangaka ingaphendulwa nguThixo?
UYehova akavuyiswa yimithandazo yabangendawo. Ewe, “osusa indlebe yakhe ekusiphulaphuleni isiyalo, kwanomthandazo wakhe ulisikizi.” (IMizekeliso 28:9) Ngomprofeti uIsaya, uThixo waxelela abantu Bakhe abaneenkani oku: “Ekoluleni kwenu izandla zenu, ndiya kuwafihla amehlo am kuni; nokuba nandise ukuthandaza, andiyi kuva; izandla zenu zizele ngamagazi.” (Isaya 1:15) Ngokuzenzekelayo, imithandazo yabangendawo ayiphendulwa kwanokuba ibhekiswa kuThixo ngoKristu.
UThixo akayiphenduli imithandazo yabahanahanisi. UYesu Kristu wathi: “Naxa sukuba uthandaza, uze ungabi njengabahanahanisi; ngokuba bethanda ukuthandaza bemi ezindlwini zesikhungu nasezimbombeni zezitrato, ngokokuze babe nokubonwa ngabantu. Inene ndithi kuni, Bawufincile umvuzo wabo.” UYesu walek’ umsundulo esenjenje: “Ke wena, xa sukuba uthandaza, ngena egumbini lakho, uthi, uluvalile ucango lwakho, uthandaze kuYihlo osemfihlekweni; aze noYihlo obona emfihlekweni akubuyisele ekuhleni.” (Mateyu 6:5, 6) Ngokuthetha oku, uYesu wayengayinqunqel’ egoqweni yonke imithandazo eyenziwa ekuhleni, kuba yena ngokwakhe wathandaza ngokuvakalayo kukho nabanye. (Mateyu 14:19) Kodwa uKristu wayebonisa ukuba kuphosakele ukuthandaza ekuhleni ukwenzela nje ukucel’ injezu nokuviwa ngabanye uze ke ufumane udumo.
UYehova akayiphenduli imithandazo enganyanisekanga, nephindaphindwayo. UYesu wathi: “Nithandaza njalo ke, maningenzi milembelele ingeyanto, njengabeentlanga; kuba beba boviwa ngenxa yamazwi abo amaninzi. Ngoko maningafani nabo; kuba ekwazi uYihlo enikusweleyo, ningekamceli.” (Mateyu 6:7, 8) Abaninzi abakumazwe angaseMpuma bacinga ukuba thuba ngalinye bejikelezisa ivili elinemithandazo (umgqomo ekufakwa kuwo imithandazo ebhaliweyo), izikhungo ziyaphindaphindwa. Izigidi zabanye zisebenzisa iiRosari okanye zicengceleze imithandazo ebhalwe kwiincwadi zemithandazo. Kodwa abo banqwenela ukuviwa nguThixo baya kuyiphepha imithandazo ephindaphindwayo yaye baya kunikela ingqalelo kwimiyalelo kaYesu ebhekele phaya.
“Thandazani . . . Nenjenje”
Ngokulandelayo uYesu wanikela oko abaninzi bakubiza ngokuba ngumthandazo ongumzekelo. (Mateyu 6:9-13) Wathi: “Thandazani ngoko nina nenjenje: Bawo wethu osemazulwini, malingcwaliswe igama lakho.” Ukubhekisa kuThixo ngokuthi “Bawo wethu” kubonisa ukuba nabanye banolwalamano olusondeleyo kunye naye njengenxalenye yentsapho yabanquli bakhe. Ukungcwaliswa kwegama likaThixo, uYehova, kubaluleke ngokonakona, kodwa úya kulingcwalisa njani? Ngokushenxisa abangendawo, uya kulususa lonke ungcikivo oluye lwasegameni lakhe.—Hezekile 38:23.
UYesu wongezelela esenjenje: “Mabufike uBukumkani bakho. Makwenziwe ukuthanda kwakho nasemhlabeni, njengokuba kusenziwa emazulwini.” Ulawulo lukaThixo njengoko luboniswa kobu Bukumkani basezulwini boNyana wakhe onguMesiya luya kuthi kungekudala lube nxamnye nabo bonke abachasi bolongamo lukaThixo, lubashenxisa emhlabeni. (Daniyeli 2:44) Kodwa sithetha ukuthini xa sicela ukuba ukuthanda kukaThixo kwenziwe emhlabeni njengasezulwini? Esi sisicelo sokuba uYehova aphumeze injongo yakhe ngomhlaba, kuquka nokushenxisa abo bamchasileyo.—ISityhilelo 16:14-16; 19:11-21.
Akuba ebeke uThixo, ukungcwaliswa Kwakhe neenjongo Zakhe kuqala kumthandazo ongumzekeliso, uYesu wahlabela mgama esithi: “Siphe namhla isonka sethu semihla ngemihla.” Ukucela uYehova ukuba akunike izinto ozisweleyo “namhla” kubangela ukuba ube nokholo kumandla akhe okunyamekela iintswelo zemihla ngemihla zabanquli bakhe. Esi ayisosicelo sokuzingca nesokufuna amalungiselelo ngokugqith’ emgceni.
UYesu wongezelela esenjenje: “Usixolele amatyala ethu, njengokuba nathi sibaxolela abo banamatyala kuthi.” (ULuka 11:4 ubonisa ukuba la “matyala” ‘azizono’.) Sinokuxolelwa nguThixo kuphela ukuba siyabaxolela abo basonayo. (Mateyu 6:14, 15) Ngoko, ngokufanelekileyo, umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Njengokuba naye uYehova wanixolelayo, yenjani njalo nani.”—Kolose 3:13, NW.
Equkumbela lo mthandazo ungumzekelo, uYesu wathi: “Ungasingenisi ekulingweni, sihlangule enkohlakalweni.” UYehova akaze alinge abantu ‘ngokubi.’ (Yakobi 1:13) Isilingo sivela kongendawo, uSathana uMtyholi, kodwa maxa wambi iBhayibhile ithi ukuvumela kukaThixo izinto ezithile ukuba zenzeke kufana nokungathi zibangelwa nguye. (Rute 1:20, 21; INtshumayeli 7:13) Ekuphenduleni isicelo esithi, “ungasingenisi ekulingweni,” uYehova akabashiyi abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo, nangona evumela ukuba balingwe. Eneneni, “uthembekile ke uThixo, ongayi kuvumela ukuba nilingwe ngaphezu kweninako; owothi, kunye nesilingo eso, avelise ithuba lokuphuma kuso, ukuba nibe nako ukuthwala.”—1 Korinte 10:13.
Xa sicela ukuhlangulwa kongendawo, sicela ukuba uSathana angavunyelwa ukuba asoyise njengabanquli bakaYehova abathembekileyo. Ukuba singabakhonzi bakaThixo abanyanisekileyo, sinokuba nentembelo yokuba uya kuziphendula izikhungo ezinjalo, ekubeni umpostile uPetros wabhala oku: “Iyakwazi iNkosi [“uYehova,” NW] ukubahlangula ekuhendweni abahlonela uThixo.” (2 Petros 2:9) Ibe hayi indlela ebaluleke ngayo le nxalenye yomthandazo ongumzekelo, kuba uSathana uMtyholi “uhamba njengengonyama egqumayo, efuna ubani angamginyayo”!—1 Petros 5:8.
Isizathu Sokuba Imithandazo Yabo Iphendulwe
UThixo uyayiphendula imithandazo yabanquli bakhe abathembekileyo. Kutheni? Ngokunyinxenye, uYehova wenjenjalo kuba bathandaza kuye yedwa, besiya kuye ngoYesu Kristu. Bayacezela kokungendawo baze bakuphephe ukuhanahanisa nemithandazo eyimilembelele. Kunokuphindaphinda umthandazo ongumzekelo, amaNgqina kaYehova awusebenzisa njengokhokelo olubalaseleyo ekuvakaliseni kuThixo izicelo zawo ezisuka entliziyweni. Kodwa kukho ezinye izizathu zokuba imithandazo yawo iphendulwe.
Abo bamithandazo yabo iphendulwayo baye bahlangabezana neemfuneko ezisisiseko. Ezichaza, uPawulos wabhala: “Lowo uzayo kuThixo, umelwe kukukholwa ukuba ukho, nokuba ungumvuzi wabo bamfunayo.” (Hebhere 11:6) Phawula ezi ngongoma zimbini zisisiseko: UYehova uphendula imithandazo (1) yabo bakholwayo ukuba uThixo ukho, (2) nabo “bamfunayo.”
Omnye onjalo wenkulungwane yokuqala yayingoweeNtlanga owayezinikele uKorneli. Wakholelwa ukuba uThixo ukho, ibe wayemfuna. Wenza ntoni uKorneli akuba efumene ulwazi oluchanileyo? Ewe, wazinikela kuYehova uThixo ngentliziyo epheleleyo waza wabhaptizwa ukufuzisela oko kuzinikela. Emva koko, kuyabonakala ukuba uKorneli waba nolwalamano olusondeleyo noThixo, ibe oku kwakuza kuba nomphumo omhle kwimithandazo yakhe.—IZenzo 10:1-44.
Ngaphambi kokuba uKorneli abhaptizwe, imithandazo yakhe ‘yenyuka nje njengesikhumbuzo emehlweni kaThixo.’ (IZenzo 10:4) Noko ke, ngokuzahlulela kuThixo ngesizinzi sokukholwa kwidini lentlawulelo likaYesu, nangokubhaptizwa, uKorneli wazinikela ngokupheleleyo kuYehova. Oku kwabangela unxulumano olusondele ngokumangalisayo phakathi kukaThixo nale ndoda izinikeleyo—ulwalamano olwalunika uKorneli ilungelo elingenakuthintelwa lokuthandaza. (Yakobi 4:8) Wayenokuya kuBawo wakhe wasemazulwini ngoKristu Yesu elindele ukuviwa. Oko koko kwenzekayo kubo bonke abazahlulela kuThixo ngoKristu baze babhaptizwe. Nabo banelungelo elingenakuthintelwa lokuthandaza.
Ngokuqinisekileyo, unqwenela ukuba imithandazo yakho iphendulwe. Ngoko ke, ukuba ngoku akukhonzi uYehova njengomnye wabanquli bakhe abazahluleleyo, hayi indlela ekububulumko ngayo ukumfuna! Phuthuma ikhondo elifana nelo likaKorneli, ibe uThixo uya kuyiphendula imithandazo yakho.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 6]
Ukuzahlulela kuThixo nokubhaptizwa kukaKorneli kwayichaphazela njani imithandazo yakhe?