Ukufuna UJehova Ngenhliziyo Elungisiwe

UMPRISTI ongumIsrayeli u-Ezra wayengumcwaningi, isazi, umkopishi nothisha ovelele woMthetho. Futhi uyisibonelo esihle senkonzo yomphefumulo wonke kumaKristu namuhla. Ngani? Ngoba walondoloza ukuzinikela kwakhe kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu ngisho nalapho ayehlala eBabiloni, umuzi ogcwele onkulunkulu bamanga nokukhulekelwa kwamademoni.

Ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kuka-Ezra akuzange kuzenzakalele. Wakusebenzela. Ngempela, usitshela ukuthi “wayelungise inhliziyo yakhe ukuba ahlole umthetho kaJehova nokuba awenze.”—Ezra 7:10, NW.

Njengo-Ezra, abantu bakaJehova namuhla bafuna ukwenza konke okufunwa uJehova kuyilapho bephila kuleli zwe elimelene nokukhulekela kweqiniso. Ngakho ake sihlole izindlela nathi esingazilungisa ngayo izinhliziyo zethu, ingaphakathi lethu—elihlanganisa imicabango, isimo sengqondo, izifiso nezisusa zethu—ukuze ‘sihlole umthetho kaJehova futhi siwenze.’

Ukulungisa Izinhliziyo Zethu

“Ukulungisa” kusho “ukwenza okuthile kulungele injongo ethile ngaphambi kwesikhathi: ukubeke esimweni sokusetshenziselwa injongo ethile noma ilungele isimo esithile.” Yiqiniso, uma uye wafinyelela olwazini olunembile lweZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi wanikezela ukuphila kwakho kuJehova, khona-ke inhliziyo yakho ngokuqinisekile iye yaba sesimweni sokulungela okuthile futhi ingafaniswa ‘nenhlabathi ekahle’ uJesu akhuluma ngayo emfanekisweni wakhe womhlwanyeli.—Mathewu 13:18-23.

Noma kunjalo, izinhliziyo zethu zidinga ukunakekelwa njalo futhi zicwengwe. Ngani? Ngenxa yezizathu ezimbili. Okokuqala, ngenxa yokuthi ukuthambekela okulimazayo, njengokhula engadini, kungamila kalula, ikakhulukazi phakathi nalezi ‘zinsuku zokugcina’ lapho ‘umoya’ wesimiso sikaSathane ugcwele imbewu elimazayo yokucabanga kwenyama kakhulu kunanini ngaphambili. (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5; Efesu 2:2) Isizathu sesibili siphathelene nenhlabathi ngokwayo. Lapho inganakwa, inhlabathi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ingase yome, iqine futhi ingabe isathela. Noma abantu abaningi bangase bahambe ngokunganaki engadini bese benza inhlabathi igandayeke iqine. Inhlabathi engokomfanekiso yezinhliziyo zethu nayo injalo. Ingase ingabe isathela uma inganakiwe noma inyathelwa abantu abangenasithakazelo enhlalakahleni yethu engokomoya.

Khona-ke, yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kanjani ukuba sonke sisebenzise iseluleko seBhayibheli esithi: “Phezu kwakho konke okugcinayo, gcina inhliziyo yakho, ngokuba kuyilapho kuvela khona ukuphila.”—IzAga 4:23.

Izici Ezicebisa ‘Inhlabathi’ Yezinhliziyo Zethu

Ake sicabangele ezinye zezici, noma izimfanelo, eziyocebisa ‘inhlabathi’ yezinhliziyo zethu ukuze ivunde. Yiqiniso, kunezinto eziningi ezingathuthukisa izinhliziyo zethu, kodwa lapha sizocabangela eziyisithupha: ukuqaphela isidingo sethu esingokomoya, ukuthobeka, ukuthembeka, ukwesaba kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, ukholo nothando.

UJesu wathi: “Bayajabula abaqaphela isidingo sabo esingokomoya.” (Mathewu 5:3) Njengendlala engokwenyama esikhumbuza ngesidingo sethu sokudla, ukuqaphela isidingo sethu esingokomoya kusigcina silambele ukudla okungokomoya. Ngokwemvelo, abantu bayakulangazelela lokhu kudla ngoba kunika injongo ekuphileni. Ukucindezela kwesimiso sezinto sikaSathane noma ukuvilapha nje lapho kuziwa ekutadisheni kungase kuthuntubeze ukuqaphela kwethu lesi sidingo. Noma kunjalo, uJesu wathi: “Umuntu akumelwe aphile ngesinkwa sodwa, kodwa ngawo wonke amazwi aphuma emlonyeni kaJehova.”—Mathewu 4:4.

Ngomqondo ongokoqobo, ukudla njalo ngendlela efanele ukudla okunempilo kuthuthukisa impilo yomzimba, futhi kwenza umzimba ulangazelele isidlo esilandelayo lapho kufika isikhathi saso. Kungokufanayo nangomqondo ongokomoya. Ungase ungazibheki njengomuntu othanda ukufunda, kodwa uma ukwenza umkhuba ukufunda iZwi likaNkulunkulu nsuku zonke futhi utadisha izincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini njalo, uzothola ukuthi uya ngokuya ukulangazelela. Eqinisweni, uyobheka phambili ngokulangazela ezikhathini otadisha ngazo iBhayibheli. Ngakho ungapheli amandla kalula, sebenza kanzima ukuze wakhe ukulangazelela ukudla okunempilo okungokomoya.

Ukuthobeka Kuthambisa Inhliziyo

Ukuthobeka kuyimfanelo ebalulekile ekulungiseni inhliziyo ngoba kusenza sifundiseke futhi kusisize sisamukele kalula ngokwengeziwe iseluleko nesiqondiso sothando. Cabangela isibonelo esihle seNkosi uJosiya. Phakathi nesikhathi sokubusa kwayo kwatholakala incwadi eyayinoMthetho kaNkulunkulu owanikwa uMose. Lapho uJosiya ezwa amazwi alowo Mthetho futhi eqaphela indlela okhokho bakhe ababephambuke ngayo ekukhulekeleni okumsulwa, waklebhula izingubo zakhe wakhala kuJehova. Kungani iZwi likaNkulunkulu layithinta ngokujule kangaka inhliziyo yale nkosi? Ukulandisa kuthi inhliziyo yayo “yayithambile,” kangangokuba yazithoba lapho izwa amazwi kaJehova. UJehova wayiqaphela inhliziyo kaJosiya ethobekile nesabelayo futhi wambusisa ngokufanelekile.—2 AmaKhosi 22:11, 18-20.

Ukuthobeka kwenza abafundi bakaJesu “abangafundile nabavamile” baqonda futhi basebenzisa amaqiniso angokomoya angazange aqashelwe yilabo “abahlakaniphileyo nabanengqondo” kodwa “ngendlela engokwenyama” kuphela. (IzEnzo 4:13; Luka 10:21; 1 Korinte 1:26) Laba bamuva babengazimisele ukwamukela izwi likaJehova ngoba izinhliziyo zabo zazenziwe lukhuni ukuqhosha. Ingabe kuyamangaza ukuthi uJehova uyakuzonda ukuqhosha?—IzAga 8:13; Daniyeli 5:20.

Ukuthembeka Nokwesaba Kokuhlonipha UNkulunkulu

Umprofethi uJeremiya wabhala ukuthi “inhliziyo iyakhohlisa ngaphezu kwakho konke, futhi imbi; ngubani ongayazi na?” (Jeremiya 17:9) Lokhu kukhohlisa kubonakala ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene, njengalapho sibeka izaba lapho senza okubi. Kubonakala nalapho sithethelela ukushiyeka okungathi sína kobuntu bethu. Nokho, ukuthembeka kuyosisiza ukuba sinqobe inhliziyo ekhohlisayo ngokusisiza sibhekane neqiniso ngokuphathelene nathi ngokwethu ukuze sithuthuke. Umhubi wabonisa ukuthembeka okunjalo lapho ethandaza: “Ngivivinye, Jehova, ungilinge; [cwenga] izinso zami nenhliziyo yami.” Ngokusobala, umhubi wayelungise inhliziyo yakhe ukuze amukele ukucwengwa nokuvivinywa nguJehova, ngisho noma kwakungase kusho ukuvuma ukuba khona kwezici ezinjengamanyela ukuze zinqotshwe.—IHubo 17:3; 26:2, qhathanisa ne-NW.

Ukwesaba kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, okuhlanganisa “ukuzonda okubi,” kuyithuluzi elinamandla kule nqubo yokucwenga. (IzAga 8:13) Nakuba eqaphela umusa wothando nokulunga kukaJehova, umuntu omesaba ngempela uJehova uhlale eqaphela ukuthi uJehova unamandla okujezisa, ngisho nawokubulala, labo abangamlaleli. UJehova wabonisa ukuthi abamesabayo babeyomlalela lapho ethi ngo-Israyeli: “Sengathi kungaba khona kubo inhliziyo enjalo ukuba bangesabe, bagcine njalo yonke imiyalelo yami, kube kuhle kubo nakubantwana babo kuze kube phakade.”—Duteronomi 5:29.

Ngokusobala, injongo yokwesaba kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu ayikona ukusenza silalele ngenxa yokwesaba, kodwa iwukusishukumisela ekubeni silalele uBaba wethu onothando, esaziyo ukuthi usicabangela okungcono kakhulu. Eqinisweni, ukwesaba kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu okunjalo kuyenamisa, kujabulise nokujabulisa, futhi lokho kwaboniswa kahle uJesu Kristu uqobo.—Isaya 11:3; Luka 12:5.

Inhliziyo Elungisiwe Icebe Ngokholo

Inhliziyo eqinile okholweni iyazi ukuthi noma yini uJehova ayifunayo noma asiqondisa ngayo ngeZwi lakhe ilungile njalo futhi izuzisa thina. (Isaya 48:17, 18) Umuntu onenhliziyo enjalo uthola ukwaneliseka okujulile ekusebenziseni isikhuthazo esikuyizAga 3:5, 6, esithi: “Themba kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, ungenciki kokwakho ukuqonda. Mazise yena ezindleleni zakho zonke, uyakuqondisa imikhondo yakho.” Nokho, inhliziyo entula ukholo ngeke ithambekele ekumethembeni uJehova, ikakhulukazi uma ukwenza kanjalo kuhilela ukudela okuthile, njengokwenza ukuphila kube lula ukuze umuntu agxile ezithakazelweni zoMbuso. (Mathewu 6:33) Ngesizathu esihle, uJehova ubheka inhliziyo engenalukholo ‘njengembi.’—Heberu 3:12.

Ukholo lwethu kuJehova lubonakala ezicini eziningi, kuhlanganise nasezintweni esizenza ngasese emakhaya. Ngokwesibonelo, cabangela isimiso esikweyabaseGalathiya 6:7 esithi: “Ningadukiswa: UNkulunkulu akayena owokuhlekwa insini. Ngoba noma yini umuntu ayihlwanyelayo, uyovuna yona futhi.” Ukuba kwethu nokholo kulesi simiso kuyobonakala ezintweni ezinjengamafilimu esiwabukayo, izincwadi esizifundayo, isikhathi esisisebenzisela ukutadisha iBhayibheli nasemithandazweni yethu. Yebo, ukholo oluqinile olusishukumisela ukuba sihlwanyele ‘sinombono womoya’ luyisici esiyinhloko ekubeni nenhliziyo elungele ukwamukela iZwi likaJehova nokulilalela.—Galathiya 6:8.

Uthando—Imfanelo Enhle Kunazo Zonke

Ngaphezu kwazo zonke ezinye izimfanelo, uthando lwenza inhlabathi yezinhliziyo zethu isabele ngempela eZwini likaJehova. Ngakho, lapho eluqhathanisa nokholo nethemba, umphostoli uPawulu wachaza uthando ‘njengolukhulu kunazo zonke lezi’ zimfanelo. (1 Korinte 13:13) Inhliziyo egcwele uthando ngoNkulunkulu yaneliseka ngokugcwele futhi ijatshuliswe ukumlalela; ayizicasukeli neze izimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu. Umphostoli uJohane wathi: “Yilokhu okushiwo uthando ngoNkulunkulu, ukuba sigcine imiyalo yakhe; futhi imiyalo yakhe ayiwona umthwalo osindayo.” (1 Johane 5:3) Ekhuluma ngento efanayo, uJesu wathi: “Uma noma ubani engithanda, uyogcina izwi lami, noBaba uyomthanda.” (Johane 14:23) Phawula ukuthi uthando olunjalo luboniswa labo abalubonisayo. Yebo, uJehova ubathanda ngokujulile labo abadonsekela kuye ngothando.

UJehova uyazi ukuthi asiphelele futhi sihlale simona. Noma kunjalo, akaziqheliseli kude nathi. UJehova akufunayo ezincekwini zakhe ‘yinhliziyo epheleleyo,’ esishukumisela ukuba simkhonze ngokuzithandela “ngenhliziyo ethokozayo.” (1 IziKronike 28:9) Yiqiniso, uJehova uyazi ukuthi kuthatha isikhathi futhi kudinga umzamo ukuhlakulela izimfanelo ezinhle ezinhliziyweni zethu ukuze sibe nezithelo zomoya. (Galathiya 5:22, 23) Ngakho, uyasibekezelela, “ngokuba uyakwazi ukubunjwa kwethu; uyakhumbula ukuthi siluthuli.” (IHubo 103:14) Ebonisa isimo sengqondo esifanayo, uJesu akazange nanini agxeke abafundi bakhe ngamaphutha abo kodwa wabasiza futhi wabakhuthaza ngesineke. Uthando olunjalo, umusa nesineke sikaJehova noJesu ingabe akusishukumiseli ukuba sibathande nakakhulu?—Luka 7:47; 2 Petru 3:9.

Uma ngesinye isikhathi ukuthola kuwumzabalazo ukusiphula imikhuba egxilile enjengokhula noma ukuhlukana nezici ezilukhuni satshe, ungadangali noma udumale. Kunalokho, qhubeka usebenzela ukuthuthuka njengoba ‘uphikelela emthandazweni’ nasekunxuseni umoya kaJehova njalo. (Roma 12:12) Ngosizo asinika lona ngokuzithandela, njengo-Ezra, uyophumelela ukuba nenhliziyo ekulungele ngokuphelele ‘ukuhlola umthetho kaJehova nokuwenza.’

[Isithombe ekhasini 31]

U-Ezra walondoloza ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu ngisho naseBabiloni

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Garo Nalbandian