Hamba Endleleni Yobuqotho
“Kepha mina, ngizohamba ngobuqotho bami.”—IHUBO 26:11.
1, 2. (a) Kungani ubuqotho bomuntu buyingxenye ebalulekile yempikiswano yobukhosi bukaNkulunkulu bendawo yonke? (b) Abantu nezingelosi bangabonisa kanjani ukuthi basekela ubukhosi bukaJehova?
NGESIKHATHI uSathane ehlubuka ensimini yase-Edene, wasusa impikiswano yendawo yonke yokufaneleka kobukhosi bukaNkulunkulu phezu kwazo zonke izidalwa zaKhe. Kamuva, waphikisa ngokuthi abantu bayokhonza uNkulunkulu kuphela uma ukwenza kanjalo kuzobazuzisa. (Jobe 1:9-11; 2:4) Ngakho, ubuqotho bomuntu buye baba ingxenye ebalulekile yempikiswano yobukhosi bukaJehova bendawo yonke.
2 Nakuba ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu bungancikile ebuqothweni bezidalwa zakhe, abantu namadodana kaNkulunkulu omoya bangabonisa ukuthi bami kuphi kule mpikiswano. Kanjani? Ngokukhetha ukuthi balandela indlela yobuqotho yini noma cha. Ngakho, ubuqotho bomuntu ngamunye buyisisekelo esiqinile angahlulelwa ngaso.
3. (a) Yini uJobe noDavide ababefuna ukuba uJehova ayihlole futhi ayahlulele? (b) Imiphi imibuzo evelayo ngobuqotho?
3 Ngokuqiniseka uJobe wathi: “[UJehova] uzongikala esikalini esinembile futhi uNkulunkulu uzobazi ubuqotho bami.” (Jobe 31:6) INkosi uDavide yakwa-Israyeli wasendulo yayicela ukuba uJehova ayihlole ubuqotho lapho ithandaza: “Ngahlulele, Jehova, ngoba mina ngihambé ngobuqotho bami, futhi ngithembelé kuJehova, ukuze ngingaxegezeli.” (IHubo 26:1) Akuve kubalulekile ukuba nathi sihambe endleleni yobuqotho. Kodwa buyini ubuqotho, futhi kusho ukuthini ukuhamba ngabo? Yini eyosisiza ukuba sihlale endleleni yobuqotho?
“Ngihambé Ngobuqotho Bami”
4. Buyini ubuqotho?
4 Ubuqotho bunomqondo wokungabi nacala, ukulunga nokungabi naphutha. Nokho, ukuba qotho kuhilela okungaphezu kokwenza okulungile. Kuwukuziphatha okuqotho noma ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu ngenhliziyo ephelele. USathane wayengabaza izisusa zikaJobe lapho ethi kuNkulunkulu: “Ngiyacela, ake welule isandla sakho, uthinte kuze kufike ethanjeni [likaJobe] nasenyameni yakhe ubone ukuthi ngeke yini akuthuke khona kanye ebusweni bakho.” (Jobe 2:5) Ngaphandle kokwenza ngendlela efanele, ubuqotho budinga ukuba umuntu ashukunyiswe izisusa ezifanele.
5. Yini ebonisa ukuthi ukugcina ubuqotho akudingi ukuba siphelele?
5 Nokho, ukugcina ubuqotho akudingi ukuba umuntu aphelele. INkosi uDavide yayingaphelele futhi yenza amaphutha amabi amaningana ekuphileni kwayo. Noma kunjalo, iBhayibheli lithi ungumuntu owahamba “ngobuqotho benhliziyo.” (1 AmaKhosi 9:4) Kungani? Kungoba uDavide wayemthanda uJehova. Inhliziyo yakhe yayizinikele kuNkulunkulu. Wawavuma amaphutha akhe ngaphandle kokuphoqwa, wamukela isiyalo, futhi walungisa izindlela zakhe. Ngempela, ubuqotho bukaDavide bubonakala ekuzinikeleni kwakhe ngenhliziyo yonke kuNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova, nasothandweni lwakhe ngaye.—Duteronomi 6:5, 6.
6, 7. Kuhilelani ukuhamba ngobuqotho?
6 Ubuqotho abugcini esicini esithile sokuziphatha komuntu, njengokuzinikela okungokwenkolo. Buhilela yonke indlela yethu yokuphila. UDavide ‘wahamba’ ngobuqotho bakhe. I-New Interpreter’s Bible ithi: “Isenzo esithi ‘hamba’ sisho ‘ukuphila’ noma ‘indlela yokuphila.’” Ehlabelela ngalabo “abangenaphutha endleleni yabo,” umhubi wathi: “Bayajabula abagcina izikhumbuzo [zikaNkulunkulu]; bayaqhubeka bemfuna ngayo yonke inhliziyo. Ngempela abazange bakwenze umkhuba ukungalungi. Bahambé ngezindlela zakhe.” (IHubo 119:1-3) Ubuqotho budinga ukuba sifune njalo ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu futhi sihambe endleleni yakhe.
7 Ukuhamba ngobuqotho kudinga ukunamathela kuNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka, ngisho nasezimweni ezinzima. Ubuqotho bethu buyabonakala uma sikhuthazelela uvivinyo, sima siqinile naphezu kobunzima, noma simelana nezilingo zaleli zwe elibi. ‘Senza inhliziyo kaJehova ijabule’ ngoba uyakwazi ukuphendula omklolodelayo. (IzAga 27:11) Ngakho sinesizathu esihle sokuzimisela njengoJobe, owathi: “Ngeke ngiziphuce ubuqotho bami ngize ngiphangalale!” (Jobe 27:5) IHubo lama-26 libonisa lokho okungasisiza ukuba sihambe ngobuqotho.
“Cwenga Izinso Zami Nenhliziyo Yami”
8. Yini oyifundayo esicelweni sikaDavide sokuba uJehova ahlole izinso nenhliziyo yakhe?
8 UDavide wathandaza: “Ngihlole, Jehova, ungivivinye; cwenga izinso zami nenhliziyo yami.” (IHubo 26:2) Izinso zisekujuleni emzimbeni womuntu. Ngokomfanekiso, izinso zimelela imicabango nemizwa yomuntu ejulile. Inhliziyo engokomfanekiso yona ngumuntu ongaphakathi ewonke—izisusa, imizwa nengqondo yakhe. Lapho uDavide ecela uJehova ukuba amhlole, wayethandazela ukuba imicabango nemizwa yakhe ejulile ihlolisiswe.
9. UJehova uzicwenga kanjani izinso nezinhliziyo zethu ezingokomfanekiso?
9 UDavide wacela ukuba izinso nenhliziyo yakhe kucwengwe. UJehova ukucwenga kanjani lokho esiyikho ngaphakathi? UDavide wahlabelela: “Ngizomtusa uJehova, onginiké iseluleko. Ngempela, phakathi nobusuku izinso zami zingiqondisile.” (IHubo 16:7) Kusho ukuthini lokho? Kusho ukuthi iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu safinyelela ezibilinini zikaDavide sahlala khona, saqondisa imicabango nemizwa yakhe. Kungaba njalo nakithi uma sizindla ngokwazisa ngeseluleko esisithola ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu, ngabameleli bakhe nangenhlangano yakhe futhi sisivumela ukuba singene sijule kithi. Ukuthandaza njalo kuJehova simcele ukuba asicwenge ngale ndlela kuyosisiza ukuba sihambe ngobuqotho.
‘Umusa Wakho Wothando Uphambi Kwami’
10. Yini eyasiza uDavide ukuba ahambe eqinisweni likaNkulunkulu?
10 UDavide waqhubeka: “Umusa wakho wothando uphambi kwamehlo ami, futhi ngihambé ngeqiniso lakho.” (IHubo 26:3) UDavide wayezazi kahle izenzo zikaNkulunkulu zomusa wothando, futhi wayezindla ngazo ngokwazisa. Wahlabelela: “Mbonge uJehova mphefumulo wami, ungazikhohlwa zonke izenzo zakhe.” Ekhumbula esinye ‘sezenzo’ zikaNkulunkulu, uDavide waqhubeka wathi: “UJehova wenzela bonke abaphanjiwe izenzo zokulunga nezinqumo zokwahlulela. Wazisa uMose izindlela zakhe, wazisa ngisho namadodana ka-Israyeli izenzo zakhe.” (IHubo 103:2, 6, 7) Mhlawumbe uDavide wayecabanga ngokuphanjwa kwama-Israyeli abaseGibhithe ezinsukwini zikaMose. Uma kunjalo, ukuzindla ngendlela uJehova amazisa ngayo uMose izindlela zakhe zokusindisa kumelwe ukuba kwayithinta inhliziyo kaDavide futhi kwaqinisa ukuzimisela kwakhe ukuhamba eqinisweni likaNkulunkulu.
11. Yini engasisiza sihambe endleleni yobuqotho?
11 Ukulitadisha njalo iZwi likaNkulunkulu nokuzindla ngalokho esikufundayo kulo nakho kuyosisiza sihambe endleleni yobuqotho. Ngokwesibonelo, ukukhumbula ukuthi uJosefa wabaleka lapho umkaPotifari emyengela ekuziphatheni okubi nakanjani kuyosikhuthaza ukuba sikubalekele ukuyengwa okunjalo emsebenzini, esikoleni, noma kwenye indawo. (Genesise 39:7-12) Kuthiwani uma silingwa amathuba okuchuma ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo noma okuvelela nokuba negunya ezweni? Sinesibonelo sikaMose, owenqaba ubukhazikhazi baseGibhithe. (Hebheru 11:24-26) Ukukhumbula ukukhuthazela kukaJobe nakanjani kuyosisiza siqinise ukuzimisela kwethu ukuhlala sithembekile kuJehova naphezu kokugula nezinhlekelele. (Jakobe 5:11) Kuthiwani uma sishushiswa? Phela, ukukhumbula okwenzeka kuDaniyeli emgodini wezingonyama kungasinika isibindi!—Daniyeli 6:16-22.
“Angizange Ngihlale Nabantu Abangebona Abeqiniso”
12, 13. Abangane abanjani okufanele sibagweme?
12 Ekhuluma ngesinye isici esaqinisa ubuqotho bakhe, uDavide wathi: “Angizange ngihlale nabantu abangebona abeqiniso; futhi angingeni nalabo abafihla lokho abayikho. Ngiyalizonda ibandla labenzi bokubi, futhi angihlali nababi.” (IHubo 26:4, 5) UDavide wayengeke ahlale nababi. Wayebazonda abangane ababi.
13 Thina? Ingabe siyala ukuhlala nabangebona abeqiniso ngezinhlelo zethelevishini, ama-video, amabhayisikobho, izingosi ze-Internet, noma ngezinye izindlela? Ingabe siyadeda kubantu abakufihlayo abayikho? Abanye esikoleni noma lapho esisebenza khona bangase bazishaye abangane bethu ngezinhloso ezimbi. Ingabe siyafuna ngempela ukwakha ubungane obuseduze nabantu abangahambi eqinisweni likaNkulunkulu? Nakuba zingase zithi ziqotho, izihlubuki zingayifihla injongo yazo yokusisusa ekukhonzeni uJehova. Kuthiwani uma kukhona abathile ebandleni lobuKristu abaphila ukuphila okumbaxambili? Nabo bayakufihla lokho abayikho ngempela. UJayson, manje oseyinceku ekhonzayo, wayenabangane abanjalo esakhula. Uthi ngabo: “Ngelinye ilanga omunye wabo wathi kimi: ‘Akunandaba ukuthi senzani manje ngoba uma isimiso esisha sifika siyobe sifile. Ngeke sazi ukuthi kukhona okusiphuthele.’ Leyo nkulumo yangivusa emaqandeni. Angifuni isimiso esisha sifike ngifile.” Ngokuhlakanipha uJayson wahlukana nalabo bangane. Umphostoli uPawulu waxwayisa: “Ningadukiswa. Ukuzihlanganisa nababi konakalisa imikhuba emihle.” (1 Korinte 15:33) Akuve kubalulekile ukugwema abangane ababi.
‘Ngizomemezela Yonke Imisebenzi Yakho Emangalisayo’
14, 15. ‘Singalizungeza’ kanjani ‘i-altare likaJehova’?
14 “Ngizogeza izandla zami ngobumsulwa, futhi ngizozungeza i-altare lakho, Jehova,” kuqhubeka uDavide. Nganjongoni? “Ukuze ngenze ukubonga kuzwakale kakhulu, futhi ngimemezele yonke imisebenzi yakho emangalisayo.” (IHubo 26:6, 7) UDavide wayefuna ukuhlala ehlanzekile ngokokuziphatha ukuze akwazi ukukhulekela uJehova futhi amemezele ukuzinikela kwakhe kuNkulunkulu.
15 Konke okwakuhlobene nokukhulekela kweqiniso etabernakele nakamuva ethempelini ‘kwakuwumfuziselo nesithunzi sezinto zasezulwini.’ (Hebheru 8:5; 9:23) I-altare lalifanekisela intando kaJehova yokwamukela umhlatshelo kaJesu Kristu wokuhlenga isintu. (Hebheru 10:5-10) Sihlanza izandla zethu ngobumsulwa ‘sizungeze i-altare likaJehova’ ngokuba nokholo kulowo mhlatshelo.—Johane 3:16-18.
16. Kusizuzisa ngani ukumemezela kwabanye imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu emangalisayo?
16 Uma sicabanga ngakho konke isihlengo esenza kwenzeke, izinhliziyo zethu azichichimi yini ukumbonga uJehova neNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa? Ngakho, sinokubonga ezinhliziyweni zethu masazise abanye imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu emangalisayo—kusukela ekudalweni komuntu ensimini yase-Edene kuze kufike ekubuyiselweni okuphelele kwazo zonke izinto ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu. (Genesise 2:7; IzEnzo 3:21) Futhi yeka indlela umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso nokwenza abafundi osivikela ngayo ngokomoya! (Mathewu 24:14; 28:19, 20) Ukuba matasa kuwo kusisiza sigcine ithemba lethu lekusasa likhanya bhá, ukholo lwethu ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu luqinile futhi uthando lwethu ngoJehova nangabanye abantu luphila.
“Ngiyithandile Indawo Yokuhlala Yendlu Yakho”
17, 18. Kufanele siyibheke kanjani imihlangano yobuKristu?
17 Itabernakele, kanye ne-altare lalo lemihlatshelo, laliyisikhungo sokukhulekela uJehova kwa-Israyeli. Ezwakalisa injabulo yakhe ngaleyo ndawo, uDavide wathandaza: “Jehova, ngiyithandile indawo yokuhlala yendlu yakho nendawo ehlala inkazimulo yakho.”—IHubo 26:8.
18 Siyakuthanda yini ukuhlangana ezindaweni lapho sifunda khona ngoJehova? IHholo LoMbuso ngalinye kanye nesimiso salo sasikhathi sonke semfundo engokomoya liyisikhungo sokukhulekela kweqiniso emphakathini. Ngaphezu kwalokho, minyaka yonke sinemihlangano yesigodi, eyesifunda nekhethekile. Kuleyo mihlangano kukhulunywa ‘ngezikhumbuzo’ zikaJehova. Uma sifunda ‘ukuzithanda ngokwedlulele,’ siyoba magange ngokuya emihlanganweni futhi siyofike silalelisise. (IHubo 119:167) Yeka ukuthi kuqabula kanjani ukuba kanye nesikholwa nabo abakhathalela inhlalakahle yethu futhi abasisiza ukuba sihlale endleleni yokugcina ubuqotho!—Hebheru 10:24, 25.
‘Ungakususi Ukuphila Kwami’
19. Iziphi izono uDavide ayengafuni ukutholakala enazo?
19 Ngenxa yokuthi wayeyiqaphela ngokugcwele imiphumela yokuchezuka eqinisweni likaNkulunkulu, uDavide wancenga: “Ungawususi umphefumulo wami kanye nezoni, nokuphila kwami kanye nabantu abanecala legazi, abazandla zabo zinokuziphatha okubi, nabasandla sabo sokunene sigcwele ukufumbathisa.” (IHubo 26:9, 10) UDavide wayengafuni ukubalwa phakathi kwabantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu abaziphatha kabi noma abafumbathisayo.
20, 21. Yini engasiholela endleleni yabangamthandi uNkulunkulu?
20 Namuhla izwe ligcwele ukuziphatha okubi. Ithelevishini, omagazini namabhayisikobho kukhuthaza isimilo esixegayo—‘ubufebe, ukungcola, ukuziphatha okubi.’ (Galathiya 5:19) Abanye bayizigqila zezithombe zobulili ezingcolile, okuvame ukuholela ekuziphatheni okubi. Intsha ikakhulukazi ithintwa kalula amathonya anjalo. Kwamanye amazwe, kuwumkhuba ovamile ukuphola nomuntu wobulili obuhlukile, ngakho intsha icindezeleka ukuba icabange ukuthi kumelwe iphole. Intsha eningi iba nomuntu ethandana naye, ngisho noma isencane kakhulu ukuba ingashada. Ukuze yanelise lezo zifiso zobulili ezakheka ngaphakathi kuyo, ngokushesha iziphatha kabi ize yenze ubufebe.
21 Abantu abadala nabo bangathonywa amathonya amabi. Ukungathembeki emsebenzini nokujwayela ukwenza izinqumo zobugovu kuyizimpawu zokuntuleka kobuqotho. Ukuhamba ezindleleni zezwe kuyomane nje kusiqhelise kuJehova. ‘Masizonde okubi, sithande okuhle’ futhi siqhubeke sihamba endleleni yobuqotho.—Amose 5:15.
“Ngikhulule, Ungibonise Umusa”
22-24. (a) Isiphi isikhuthazo ositholayo emazwini okuphetha eHubo 26? (b) Iluphi ugibe okuzoxoxwa ngalo esihlokweni esilandelayo?
22 UDavide waphetha amazwi akhe kuNkulunkulu ngokuthi: “Kepha mina, ngizohamba ngobuqotho bami. Ngikhulule, ungibonise umusa. Unyawo lwami ngokuqinisekile luyokuma endaweni ehlelembekile; phakathi kwezihlwele ezibuthene ngiyomtusa uJehova.” (IHubo 26:11, 12) Ukuzimisela kukaDavide ukugcina ubuqotho kuhambisana nesicelo sokuba akhululwe. Akuve kukhuthaza lokho. Naphezu kokuba kwethu nesono, uJehova uyosisiza uma sizimisele ukuhamba endleleni yobuqotho.
23 Sengathi indlela esiphila ngayo ingabonisa ukuthi siyabuhlonipha futhi siyabazisa ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu kuzo zonke izici zokuphila kwethu. Ngamunye wethu angathandaza kuJehova amcele ukuba ahlole futhi acwenge imicabango nemizwa yakhe esekujuleni. Ngokutadisha iZwi lakhe ngenkuthalo singagcina iqiniso lakhe liphambi kwethu njalo. Ngakho, masenze konke okusemandleni ethu ukuba sigweme abangane ababi kunalokho situse uJehova ezihlweleni ezibuthene. Sengathi singahlanganyela ngentshiseko emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso nokwenza abafundi, singalokothi sivumele izwe libeke engozini ubuhlobo bethu obuyigugu noNkulunkulu. Njengoba senza konke esingakwenza ukuba sihambe endleleni yobuqotho, singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyosibonisa umusa.
24 Njengoba ubuqotho buthinta zonke izici zokuphila, kudingeka siqaphele ugibe oluyingozi—ukusebenzisa kabi utshwala. Lokho kuzoxoxwa ngakho esihlokweni esilandelayo.
Uyakhumbula?
• Kungani kufanelekile ukuba abantu nezingelosi bahlulelwe ngesisekelo sobuqotho babo?
• Buyini ubuqotho, futhi ukuhamba kubo kuhilelani?
• Yini eyosisiza sihambe endleleni yobuqotho?
• Ukuze sigcine ubuqotho, iziphi izingozi okumelwe siziqaphele futhi sizigweme?
[Isithombe ekhasini 14]
Ingabe uyamcela njalo uJehova ukuba ahlole imicabango yakho esekujuleni?
[Isithombe ekhasini 14]
Ingabe uyazigcina izenzo zikaJehova zomusa wothando ziphambi kwamehlo akho?
[Izithombe ekhasini 15]
Ukugcina kwethu ubuqotho lapho sivivinywa kwenza inhliziyo kaJehova ijabule
[Izithombe ekhasini 17]
Ingabe uyawasebenzisa amalungiselelo kaJehova okukusiza ukuba uhambe endleleni yobuqotho?