Ukuhamba NoThixo—sinethemba Lobomi Obungunaphakade
“Thina ke sihamba egameni likaYehova uThixo wethu, ngonaphakade kanaphakade.”—MIKA 4:5.
1. Kutheni uYehova enokubizwa ngokuba ‘nguKumkani wamaphakade’?
UYEHOVA UTHIXO akazange abe nasiqalo. Ngokufanelekileyo ubizwa ngokuthi ‘nguNyangelemihla,’ ekubeni ebekho ukususela emaphakadeni asemaphakadeni. (Daniyeli 7:9, 13) Kwakhona uYehova akasayi kuba nasiphelo. Nguye yedwa ‘uKumkani wamaphakade.’ (ISityhilelo 10:6; 15:3) Yaye emehlweni akhe, iwaka leminyaka “linjengemini yezolo, xa idluleyo, linjengomlindo wasebusuku.”—INdumiso 90:4.
2. (a) Iyintoni injongo kaThixo ngabantu abathobelayo? (b) Sifanele siwajolise entwenini amathemba nezinto esizicebayo?
2 Ekubeni uMniki-bomi ephila ubomi obungenasiphelo, wayenako ukunika isibini sokuqala, uAdam noEva, ithemba lobomi obungenasiphelo eParadesi. Kodwa ke, ngenxa yokungathobeli kwakhe, uAdam walilahla kude ilungelo lokuphila ubomi obungenasiphelo, waza wadlulisela isono nokufa kwinzala yakhe. (Roma 5:12) Kodwa, le mvukelo ka-Adam ayizange iyikatyise injongo yantlandlolo kaThixo. UYehova ufuna ukuba abantu abathobelayo baphile ngonaphakade, ibe nakanjani uya kuyiphumeza loo njongo yakhe. (Isaya 55:11) Ngoko, hayi indlela ekufaneleke ngayo ukuba amathemba neenjongo zethu sizisekele ekukhonzeni uYehova sicinga ngobomi obungenasiphelo. Ngoxa sifuna ukuyigcina ngokusondeleyo engqondweni ‘imini kaYehova,’ kubalulekile ukukhumbula ukuba usukelo lwethu lukukuhamba noThixo ngonaphakade.—2 Petros 3:12.
UYehova Wenza Izinto Ngexesha Elimiselwe Nguye
3. Sazi njani ukuba uYehova ‘unexesha alimiseleyo’ lokuzalisekisa iinjongo zakhe?
3 Ekubeni sihamba noThixo, siyakulangazelela ukuphunyezwa kokuthanda kwakhe. Siyazi ukuba uYehova unguMgcini-xesha Obalaseleyo, kwaye siqinisekile ukuba akaze asilele ukuzalisekisa iinjongo zakhe ngexesha alimiseleyo. Ngokomzekelo, “xa umda ozeleyo wexesha wafikayo, uThixo wathumela uNyana wakhe.” (Galati 4:4) Umpostile uYohane waxelelwa ukuba kwakukho “ixesha elimisiweyo” lokuzalisekiswa kweziprofeto awazibona ziyimiqondiso. (ISityhilelo 1:1-3) Kukho “nexesha elimisiweyo lokuba abafileyo bagwetywe.” (ISityhilelo 11:18) Kwiminyaka engaphezu kweli-1 900 edluleyo, umpostile uPawulos waphefumlelwa ukuba athi uThixo “umise imini anenjongo ngayo yokuba agwebe umhlaba omiweyo ngobulungisa.”—IZenzo 17:31.
4. Sazi njani ukuba uYehova ufuna ukuyiphelisa le nkqubo ingendawo yezinto?
4 UYehova uza kuyiphelisa le nkqubo ingendawo yezinto, kuba igama lakhe liyagculelwa kwihlabathi lanamhla. Abantu abangendawo bandile. (INdumiso 92:7) Bangcikiva uThixo ngamazwi nangezenzo zabo, kwaye kuyamkhathaza ukubona abakhonzi bakhe benyeliswa yaye betshutshiswa. (Zekariya 2:8) Kungoko uYehova eye wayalela ukuba kungekudala ibhangiswe yonke intlangano kaSathana! UThixo sele egqibile ngexesha okuya kwenzeka ngalo oku, ibe ukuzaliseka kweziprofeto zeBhayibhile kuyenza icace into yokuba ngoku siphila ‘kwixesha lokuphela.’ (Daniyeli 12:4) Kungekudala uza kuthabatha inyathelo eliya kuba yintsikelelo kubo bonke abo bamthandayo.
5. ULote noHabhakuki bazijonga njani iimeko ababekuzo?
5 Abakhonzi bakaYehova bamandulo babelangazelela ukububona buphelile ubungendawo. ULote owayelilungisa “wayexhwalekiswe kakhulu kukuzifica kwihambo evakalala kwabantu abadelela umthetho.” (2 Petros 2:7) Ekhathazekile ngenxa yoko kwakusenzeka phambi kwakhe, umprofeti uHabhakuki wenza esi sibongozo: “Kunini na, Yehova, ndizibika, ungeva; ndikhala kuwe ndisithi, Ugonyamelo, ungasindisi? Yini na ukuba undikhangelise ubutshinga, ukondele okubi? Yimbuqo nogonyamelo phambi kwam; kukho ubambano, kuphakame ingxabano.”—Habhakuki 1:2, 3.
6. UYehova wathini xa ephendula umthandazo kaHabhakuki, ibe yintoni esinokuyifunda kuloo nto?
6 Inxalenye yempendulo kaYehova kuHabhakuki yathi: “Umbono usaya kuba ngowexesha elimisiweyo, ukhawulezela ekupheleni, angathethi wona amanga; ukuba uthe wazilazila, wulinde, kuba uya kuza, awuyi kubuya umva.” (Habhakuki 2:3) Ngaloo ndlela uThixo wayechaza ukuba wayeza kuthabatha inyathelo ‘ngexesha elimisiweyo.’ Nangona enokubonakala ngathi uyalibazisa, uYehova uya kuyizalisekisa injongo yakhe—akanakusilela!—2 Petros 3:9.
Ukukhonza Ngenzondelelo Engethi Mandla
7. UYesu waqhubeka njani nemisebenzi yakhe nangona wayengalazi elona xesha eyayiya kufika ngalo imini kaYehova?
7 Ngaba ukuze sihambe noThixo ngenzondelelo sixhomekeke ekwazini elona xesha aza kuzenza ngalo ezi ziganeko uYehova? Hayi, akunjalo. Khawuqwalasele eminye imizekelo. UYesu wayenomdla ongazenzisiyo kwixesha ukuthanda kukaThixo okwakuya kwenziwa ngalo emhlabeni njengasezulwini. Enyanisweni, uKristu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathandaze bathi: “Bawo wethu osemazulwini, malingcwaliswe igama lakho. Mabufike ubukumkani bakho. Makwenzeke ukuthanda kwakho nasemhlabeni, njengasezulwini.” (Mateyu 6:9, 10) Nangona uYesu wayesazi ukuba esi sicelo sasiza kuphendulwa, wayengalazi ixesha ekwakuya kwenzeka ngalo oko. Kwisiprofeto sakhe esiphathelele isiphelo sale nkqubo yezinto, wathi: “Ngokuphathelele loo mhla nelo lixa akukho bani waziyo, azazi neengelosi zamazulu engazi noNyana, kodwa nguBawo kuphela.” (Mateyu 24:36) Ekubeni uYesu Kristu enendima ephambili ekuphunyezweni kweenjongo zikaThixo, uya kubandakanyeka ngokungqalileyo xa kugwetywa iintshaba zikaYise wasezulwini. Noko ke, xa wayesemhlabeni, uYesu wayengalazi naye ixesha uThixo awayeya kuthabatha amanyathelo ngalo. Ngaba loo nto yayinciphisa inzondelelo yakhe ngenkonzo kaYehova? Ngokuqinisekileyo akunjalo! Bathi bakubona uYesu ehlambulula itempile eqhutywa yinzondelelo, “abafundi bakhe bakhumbula ukuba kubhaliwe kwathiwa: ‘Ukuzondelela indlu yakho kuya kundidla.’” (Yohane 2:17; INdumiso 69:9) UYesu wazigcina exakekile ngumsebenzi awayewuthunyiwe, ibe wawenza ngenzondelelo engethi mandla. Kwakhona wakhonza uThixo enethemba lobomi obungenasiphelo.
8, 9. Xa abafundi babuza ngokubuyiselwa koBukumkani, yintoni abayixelelwayo, yaye basabela njani?
8 Babenjalo ke nabafundi bakaKristu. UYesu wadibana nabo ngaphambi nje kokuba anyukele ezulwini. Le ngxelo ithi: “Xa, ngoku, babedibene, basuka bambuza bathi: ‘Nkosi, ububuyisela ngeli xesha na ubukumkani kuSirayeli?’” Nqwa neNkosi yabo, babelangazelela ukuba uBukumkani bufike. Kodwa ke uYesu waphendula esithi: “Asikokwenu ukufumana ulwazi ngamaxesha okanye amathuba uBawo awabeke ngegunya lakhe; kodwa niya kwamkela amandla xa umoya oyingcwele ufika kuni, yaye niya kuba ngamangqina am kokubini eYerusalem nakulo lonke elakwaYuda naseSamariya kude kuse nakwezona nxalenye zikude zomhlaba.”—IZenzo 1:6-8.
9 Ayikho into ebonisa ukuba le mpendulo yabatyhafisa abafundi. Kunoko, ngenzondelelo bazigcina bexakekile ngumsebenzi wokushumayela. Kwisithuba seeveki nje, babesele beyizalisile iYerusalem ngemfundiso yabo. (IZenzo 5:28) Yaye kwiminyaka engama-30, umsebenzi wabo wokushumayela wawusele uhambele phambili ngokokude uPawulos athi iindaba ezilungileyo zashunyayelwa “kwindalo yonke ephantsi kwezulu.” (Kolose 1:23) Nangona uBukumkani bungazange ‘bubuyiselwe kwaSirayeli’ njengoko ngempazamo babecinga njalo abafundi yaye bungazange bumiselwe ezulwini besaphila, baqhubeka bekhonza uYehova ngenzondelelo benethemba lobomi obungenasiphelo.
Ukuhlola Iintshukumisa Zethu
10. Ukungalazi ixesha uThixo aya kuyitshabalalisa ngalo inkqubo kaSathana kusinika ithuba lokubonakalisa ntoni?
10 Nabakhonzi bakaYehova bale mihla bayakulangazelela ukuyibona sele iphelile le nkqubo ingendawo yezinto. Noko ke, eyona nto siyixhalabeleyo asikokuhlangulelwa kwethu kwihlabathi likaThixo elitsha alithembisileyo. Sifuna ukulibona lingcwalisiwe igama likaYehova yaye nolongamo lwakhe luthethelelwe. Ngenxa yoko, siyavuya kuba uThixo engasixelelanga ‘umhla okanye iyure’ ayimisele ukutshabalalisa inkqubo kaSathana. Oku kusinika ithuba lokubonisa ukuba sizimisele ukuhamba noThixo ngonaphakade kuba simthanda yaye kungengenxa yokuba sinosukelo lokwexeshana lokuzingca.
11, 12. Yajamelana naluphi ucelomngeni ingqibelelo kaYobhi, ibe olo celomngeni lufana njani nolwethu?
11 Ukugcina kwethu ingqibelelo kuThixo kukwasinceda simngqine elimenemene uMtyholi xa watyhola uYobhi owayegqibelele—nabanye abantu abanjengaye—esithi bamkhonza uThixo ngenxa yokuba benyeke okuthile. Emva kokuba uYehova echaze umkhonzi wakhe uYobhi njengendoda engenakubekwa bala, egqibeleleyo neyoyik’ uThixo, ezel’ umoya wezikhova uSathana wankqangaza esithi: “UYobhi lo ufumana emoyikela ilize na uThixo? Akuthanga na wena wambiyela wamjikeleza, wayijikeleza indlu yakhe; wayijikeleza into yonke anayo ngeenxa zonke; wawusikelela umsebenzi wezandla zakhe, imfuyo yakhe yaligqiba ilizwe? Kodwa ke khawuse isandla sakho ngoku, uchukumise into yonke anayo, ukuba akayi kukulahla na nawe lo, akwenze oko ebusweni bakho.” (Yobhi 1:8-11) Ngokugcina kwakhe ingqibelelo xa wayephantsi kovavanyo, uYobhi wabonisa ukuba elo bango libonakalisa ulunya libubuxoki.
12 Xa nathi sibambelela kwikhondo lengqibelelo, sinokulibonakalisa libubuxoki naliphi na ibango likaSathana lokuba sinqula uThixo kuba nje sisazi ukuba sele siza kufumana umvuzo. Ukungazi kwethu elona xesha uThixo aza kuziphindezela ngalo kwabangendawo kusinika ithuba lokuzibonakalisa ukuba simthanda ngokwenene uYehova yaye sifuna ukuhamba ngeendlela zakhe ngonaphakade. Kubonisa ukuba sinyanisekile kuThixo yaye sikholose ngendlela yakhe yokusingatha imicimbi. Ngaphezu koko, ukungawazi kwethu umhla nelixa kusigcina somelele yaye sithe qwa ngokomoya ekubeni siqonda ukuba isiphelo sinokufika nanini na, njengesela ebusuku. (Mateyu 24:42-44) Ngokuhamba noYehova imihla ngemihla, siyayivuyisa intliziyo yakhe yaye siyamphendula uMtyholi, omngcikivayo.—IMizekeliso 27:11.
Cebela Ubomi Obungunaphakade!
13. Ithini iBhayibhile ngokucebela ikamva?
13 Abo bahamba noThixo bayazi ukuba kububulumko ukulicebela ngokusengqiqweni ikamva. Ekubeni besazi ukuba iingxaki nokungabi namandla kuba ngumqobo umntu akwaluphala, abaninzi bazama ukubusebenzisa kakuhle ubutsha namandla abo ukuze kamva ebomini bame kakuhle ngokwemali. Kodwa ke, kuthekani ngelona kamva lethu libalulekileyo? IMizekeliso 21:5 ithi: “Iingcinga zabakhutheleyo zisingisa elungeniselweni lodwa; konke ukungxama kusingisa entswelweni yodwa.” Ukubucebela kusengaphambili ubomi obungunaphakade kuzisa iingenelo zokwenene. Ekubeni singalazi elona xesha esiya kufika ngalo isiphelo sale nkqubo, kufuneka sicingisise ngeentswelo zethu zexesha elizayo. Kodwa ke masilungelelane yaye sibeke izilangazelelo zikaThixo kwindawo yokuqala ebomini. Abantu abaswele ukholo basenokugqiba ngelithi ukusekela izilangazelelo zikabani ekwenzeni ukuthanda kukaThixo bubutyhakala. Kodwa ngaba yinyaniso leyo?
14, 15. (a) Nguwuphi umzekeliso owenziwa nguYesu ngokuphathelele ukucebela ikamva? (b) Yintoni eyenza indoda esisityebi ekumzekeliso kaYesu ibe yecinga phambi konyawo?
14 UYesu wakha wenza umzekelo oza kutsho usikhanyisele ngalo mba. Wathi: “Umhlaba womntu othile osisityebi wavelisa kakuhle. Ngenxa yoko lo mntu waqalisa ukuqiqa ngaphakathi kwakhe, esithi, ‘Ndiya kwenza ntoni na, ekubeni ngoku kungekho naphi na apho ndingahlanganisela khona izilimo zam?’ Ngoko wathi, ‘Ndiza kwenza oku: Ndiza kubachitha oovimba bam ndize ndakhe abo bakhulu ngakumbi, yaye ndiza kuhlanganisela apho konke ukudla kwam okuziinkozo nazo zonke izinto zam ezilungileyo; kwaye ndiza kuthi kumphefumlo wam: “Mphefumlo, unezinto ezininzi ezilungileyo eziqwetyelwe iminyaka emininzi; khululeka, yidla, sela, ziyolise.”’ Kodwa uThixo wathi kuye, ‘Wena ungenangqiqo, ngobu busuku bayawufuna kuwe umphefumlo wakho. Ngubani, ngoko, eziza kuba zezakhe izinto oziqwebileyo?’ Kuba njalo ngomntu oziqwebela ubuncwane kodwa engesosityebi kuThixo.”—Luka 12:16-21.
15 Ngaba uYesu wayebethelela into yokuba esi sityebi sasingafanelanga ukuba sisebenzele ukuba nemali esiza kuyisebenzisa kwixesha elizayo? Akunjalo, kuba kaloku iZibhalo zikhuthaza ukuba umntu azibhokoxe emsebenzini. (2 Tesalonika 3:10) Esi sityebi sazonela ngokuthi singakwenzi oko kuyimfuneko ukuze sibe ‘sisityebi kuThixo.’ Kwanokuba sasiqhubeke kangangeminyaka emininzi sixhamla ubunewunewu baso, isiphelo saso sasiya kuba lingcwaba. Sasicinga phambi konyawo, singacingi nokucinga ngobomi obungunaphakade.
16. Kutheni sinokwayama ngentembelo kuYehova ukuze sifumane ikamva elinqabisekileyo?
16 Ukuhamba noYehova sicinga ngobomi obungunaphakade kuluncedo yaye kububulumko. Kuyeyona ndlela ilungileyo yokucebela ikamva. Ngoxa kububulumko ukusicebela kakuhle isikolo, umsebenzi wempangelo neembopheleleko zentsapho, ngalo lonke ixesha sifanele sikhumbule ukuba uYehova akaze abalahle abakhonzi bakhe abanyanisekileyo. UKumkani uDavide wavuma ingoma esithi: “Ndaka ndamtsha, kungokunje ndimdala; ukanti andizanga ndilibone ilungisa lishiywa, nembewu yalo ivukela ukutya.” (INdumiso 37:25) Ngokufanayo uYesu wanikela isiqinisekiso sokuba uThixo uya kubalungiselela bonke abo bafuna kuqala uBukumkani nabahamba ngeendlela zikaYehova zobulungisa.—Mateyu 6:33.
17. Sazi njani ukuba isiphelo sisemnyango?
17 Nangona uThixo simkhonza sinethemba lobomi obungunaphakade, sisayigcina ngokusondeleyo engqondweni imini kaYehova. Ukuzaliseka kweziprofeto zeBhayibhile kutsho kucace ukuba isondele loo mini. Le nkulungwane ibibalasele ngeemfazwe, iindyikityha zokufa, iinyikima, ukunqongophala kokutya, kunye nokutshutshiswa kwamaKristu okwenyaniso nokushunyayelwa kweendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo emhlabeni wonke. Zonke ezi zinto ziziimpawu zexesha lesiphelo sale nkqubo ingendawo yezinto. (Mateyu 24:7-14; Luka 21:11) Ihlabathi lizaliswe ngabantu “abazithandayo, abathandi bemali, abazidlayo, abanekratshi, abanyelisi, abangabathobeliyo abazali, abangenambulelo, abanganyanisekanga, bengenawo umsa wemvelo, abangayifuni kwaphela imvisiswano, abajindi, abangenakuzeyisa, iindlobongela, abangenakuthanda kulunga, abangcatshi, abaneentloko ezilukhuni, abakhukhumele yinkqayiso, abathandi beziyolo kunokuba ngabathandi bakaThixo.” (2 Timoti 3:1-5) Kule mihla yamanqam, ubomi bungumzamo kuthi bakhonzi bakaYehova. Hayi indlela esiyilangazelela ngayo imini obuya kuthi uBukumkani bukaYehova bubutshayele buthi tu bonke ububi! Okwangoku, masizimisele ukuhamba noThixo sinethemba lobomi obungunaphakade.
Ukukhonza Sinethemba Lobomi Obungenasiphelo
18, 19. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba abathembekileyo bamandulo bamkhonza uThixo benethemba lobomi obungunaphakade?
18 Njengoko sihamba noYehova, masikhumbule ukholo luka-Abheli, uEnoki, uNowa, uAbraham noSara. Emva kokubakhankanya, uPawulos wabhala: “Bonke aba bafela elukholweni, nangona bengazange bayifumane inzaliseko yazo izithembiso, kodwa bazibona zisekude baza bazithakazelela baza bavakalisa esidlangalaleni ukuba babengabasemzini nabemi bokwexeshana elizweni elo.” (Hebhere 11:13) Abo bantu bathembekileyo “bazabalazela indawo elunge ngakumbi, oko kukuthi, leyo yasezulwini.” (Hebhere 11:16) Ngokholo, bakhangela phambili kwindawo elunge ngakumbi phantsi kolawulo loBukumkani bukaThixo obungoMesiya. Sinokuqiniseka ukuba uThixo uya kubavuza ngobomi obungunaphakade kuloo ndawo ilunge ngakumbi—iParadesi yasemhlabeni phantsi kolawulo loBukumkani.—Hebhere 11:39, 40.
19 Umprofeti uMika wavakalisa uzimiselo lwabantu bakaYehova lokumnqula uThixo ngonaphakade. Wabhala: “Zonke izizwe zihamba, sona eso egameni lothixo waso; thina ke sihamba egameni likaYehova uThixo wethu, ngonaphakade kanaphakade.” (Mika 4:5) UMika wamkhonza ngokunyaniseka uYehova de kwasekufeni kwakhe. Alithandabuzeki elokuba xa evuswa kwihlabathi elitsha, lo mprofeti uya kuqhubeka ehamba noThixo ngonaphakade. Onjani ukuba mhle umzekelo kuthi thina baphila kanye kwixesha lesiphelo!
20. Yintoni esifanele sizimisele ukuyenza?
20 UYehova uyaluxabisa uthando esilubonakalisa kwigama lakhe. (Hebhere 6:10) Uyazi ukuba akuyondlwan’ iyanetha ukugcina ingqibelelo kuye kweli hlabathi lilawulwa nguMtyholi. Nangona ‘ihlabathi lidlula yaye kunjalo nangomnqweno walo’ “lowo wenza ukuthanda kukaThixo uhleli ngonaphakade.” (1 Yohane 2:17; 5:19) Ngoko, ngoncedo lukaYehova, masizimisele ukuzinyamezela iimvavanyo esijamelana nazo imihla ngemihla. Ngamana singajolisa iingcamango nendlela yethu yokuphila kwiintsikelelo ezimangalisayo ezithenjiswe nguBawo wethu osezulwini onothando. Sinokuzifumana ukuba sinokuqhubheka sihamba noThixo sicinga ngobomi obungunaphakade.—Yude 20, 21.
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
◻ Iyintoni injongo kaThixo ngabantu abathobelayo?
◻ Kutheni uYehova engekathabathi manyathelo nangoku ukuze aphelise eli hlabathi lingahloneli Thixo?
◻ Kutheni ukungazi elona xesha uThixo aya kuthabatha ngalo inyathelo kungamele kuyithibaze inzondelelo yethu?
◻ Ziziphi ezinye zeengenelo zokuhamba noThixo sinethemba lobomi obungunaphakade?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 17]
Ukuhamba noThixo kuthetha ukumkhonza ngenzondelelo njengokuba abafundi bokuqala bakaKristu benzayo