Imithandazo Yobani Ephendulwayo?
“ZININGI izinto ezitholakala ngomthandazo kunalezo izwe eliziphuphayo.” Kwasho kanjalo imbongi yekhulu leminyaka le-19 eyiNgisi uAlfred Tennyson. Kodwa abaningi baye bathandazela impilo, injabulo, ukuthula, nokuchuma, bangakuthola. Eqinisweni, abanye banomuzwa wokuthi uNkulunkulu akayilaleli ngempela imithandazo. Kodwa iBhayibheli limbiza ngokuthi ‘ungozwayo imikhuleko.’—IHubo 65:2.
Lokhu kungakwenza ubuze: ‘Ungubani lona “ozwayo imikhuleko”? Ingabe kumelwe sihlangabezane nezimfuneko ezikhethekile ukuze imithandazo yethu izwiwe? Kufanele sithandaze kanjani? Futhi imithandazo yobani ephendulwayo?’
Imithandazo Yabo Yezwiwa
Umthandazo uyinto endala njengesintu. Cabanga ngoAbela, indodana yabazali bethu bokuqala, uAdamu noEva. Lapho enikela kuNkulunkulu ngomhlatshelo owamukelekayo, ngokungangabazeki wawuhambisana namazwi okunxusa nokudumisa.—Genesise 4:1-5.
Ekhulwini leminyaka lesishiyagalolunye ngaphambi kwesiKhathi sethu Esivamile, umprofethi kaNkulunkulu uJona “wakhuleka kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe esezibilinini zenhlanzi” eyayimiselwe ukuba imgwinye. Ingabe lowomthandazo wasebenza? Yebo, ngoba “uJehova wakhuluma kuyo inhlanzi, yamhlanzela uJona emhlabathini owomileyo.” UJona wabe eseqhubeka egcwalisa isabelo sakhe ayesinikwe uNkulunkulu sokuya eNineve.—Jona 1:17; 2:1, 10; 3:1-5.
Lapho uDavide wakwaIsrayeli wasendulo evinjezelwe izitha zakhe, wakhala: “Jehova, yizwa umkhuleko wami, ubeke indlebe ekuncengeni kwami. Ungiphendule ngokuthembeka kwakho nokulunga kwakho.” (IHubo 143:1) Imithandazo kaDavide yokucela ukukhululwa yaphendulwa, njengoba izitha zakhe zingazange ziphumelele ukumbulala. Ngakho, wayengathi: “UJehova useduze nabo bonke abambizayo, bonke abambizayo ngeqiniso.”—IHubo 145:18.
Ukuhlangabezana Nezimfuneko Eziyinhloko
Khona-ke, ngokucacile izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zezikhathi zasendulo zaphendulelwa imithandazo yazo. Yiqiniso, azithandazanga nje kuNkulunkulu ongenagama ngendlela yokugcina umthetho. Zathandaza ngokholo kuJehova, ‘oPhezukonke emhlabeni wonke.’ (IHubo 83:18) Khona-ke, ukuze imithandazo yethu isebenze iziphi izimfuneko eziyinhloko okumelwe sihlangabezane nazo?
Thandaza kuJehova kuphela. Akusizi—eqinisweni, akukho ngokombhalo—ukuthandaza konkulunkulu bamanga, abazithombe zabo ezingaphili zinemilomo engakhulumi, izindlebe ezingezwa, izandla ezingezwa, izinyawo ezingahambi, nemiphimbo engenamazwi. (IHubo 115:5-7; 1 Johane 5:21) Ngokungafani nonkulunkulu abanjalo abangenamsebenzi, uJehova uthatha isinyathelo ngenxa yalabo abamthandayo nabamkhonzayo. Ngokwesibonelo, emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka adlule abaprofethi bamanga bakaBali bamnxusa ukuba ehlise umlilo uvela ezulwini. Nakuba bathandaza kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwahlwa, uBali akakwazanga ukuphendula. Khona-ke uEliya wanxusa uJehova, owaphendula ngokuthumela umlilo owawushisa wawuqeda umnikelo owawubekwe phezu kwe-altare.—1 AmaKhosi, isahluko 18.
Yiya kuNkulunkulu ngoJesu Kristu kuphela. UJehova uNkulunkulu wathumela emhlabeni iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, uJesu Kristu, ukuba izoba isihlengo sokuhlenga isintu esonweni nasekufeni. (Johane 3:16, 36; Roma 5:12; 6:23) Ngakho, labo abazenza batholakalele lelilungiselelo, uNkulunkulu ubavulele indlela entsha eya kuye ngomthandazo. Izinceku zesikhathi sangaphambili ezinjengomhubi uDavide zathandaza kuJehova ngokuqondile. (IHubo 4:1; 17:1; 55:1; 102:1) Kodwa indlela entsha yayiwukuya ngoJesu, owathi: “Akakho oza kuBaba ngaphandle kwami. Uma nicela utho kimi egameni lami, ngolwenza.” (Johane 14:6, 14) Akukho ndawo lapho imiBhalo isikisela khona ukuthi imithandazo kufanele iyiswe kuNkulunkulu ngomunye umuntu.
Ngakho-ke, lapho sesifundile ukuthi kufanele sithandaze kuNkulunkulu ngegama likaJesu, imithandazo yethu ngeke iphendulwe ngaphandle kokuba sithandaze kuJehova ngeNdodana yakhe. Kodwa kunezinye izizathu zokuthi kungani uJehova engayiphenduli imithandazo eminingi.
Isizathu Sokuba UNkulunkulu Angaphenduli
UNkulunkulu ngeke ayiphendule imithandazo yethu ngenxa nje yokuthi sithandaza sisesimweni esikhethekile somzimba. ImiBhalo ayidingi ukuba sithandaze kuphela uma sisesimweni esithile esingokomzimba. Yiqiniso, ukuguqa kungabonisa ukuzithoba phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Kodwa kuyamukeleka ukuthandaza umile, uhlezi etafuleni, uphumule embhedeni, noma wenza imisebenzi yosuku. (Daniyeli 6:10, 11; Marku 11:25) Phela, uJehova uphendula ngisho nemithandazo eshiwo buthule! Ngaphambi kokuba atshele inkosi yasePheresiya ukuthi wayefisa ukwakha kabusha izindonga ezidilikile zaseJerusalema, uNehemiya ‘wakhuleka’ buthule “kuNkulunkulu wezulu,” futhi uJehova wawuphendula lowomthandazo. (Nehemiya 2:1-6) Ngakho uma isimo somzimba singeyona into ebalulekile, kungani uNkulunkulu engayiphenduli imithandazo eminingi kangaka?
UJehova akayithokozeli imithandazo yababi. Yebo, “ophendula indlebe yakhe ekuzweni umthetho, nomkhuleko wakhe uyisinengiso.” (IzAga 28:9) Ngomprofethi uIsaya, uNkulunkulu watshela abantu baKhe abaphambukayo: “Lapho nelula izandla zenu, ngiyakufihla kini amehlo ami; yebo lapho nenza imikhuleko eminingi, angiyikuzwa; izandla zenu zigcwele igazi.” (Isaya 1:15) Ngokufanelekile, imithandazo yababi ayiphendulwa ngisho noma iyiswa kuNkulunkulu ngoKristu.
UNkulunkulu akayiphenduli imithandazo yokuzenzisa. UJesu Kristu wathi: “Nalapho nikhuleka, ningabi-njengabazenzisi, ngokuba bethanda ukukhuleka bemi emasinagogeni nasezinhlanganweni zezindlela ukuba babonwe ngabantu. Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Sebewamukele umvuzo wabo.” UJesu wanezela: “Kepha wena, nxa ukhuleka, ngena ekamelweni lakho, uthi usuvalé umnyango wakho ukhuleke kuYihlo osekusithekeni; noYihlo obona ekusithekeni uzakukuvuza.” (Mathewu 6:5, 6) Ngokusho lokhu, uJesu wayengayenqabeli yonke imithandazo yasobala, ngoba naye ngokwakhe wayethandaza ngokuzwakalayo kukhona abanye. (Mathewu 14:19) Kodwa uKristu wayebonisa ukuthi akulungile ukuthandaza obala ukuze nje sibonwe futhi sezwiwe abanye futhi basituse.
UJehova akayiphenduli imithandazo engeqotho, ephindaphindayo. UJesu wathi: “Kodwa nxa nikhuleka, ningathemelezi [ningaphindaphindi, NW] njengabezizwe, ngokuba bathi bayakuzwiwa ngokukhuluma kwabo okuningi. Ngakho-ke maningafani nabo; ngokuba uYihlo uyakwazi enikuswelayo ningakaceli kuye.” (Mathewu 6:7, 8) Abaningi emazweni aseMpumalanga bacabanga ukuthi isikhathi ngasinye lapho bephendula isondo lomthandazo (umphongolo okufakwa kuwo imithandazo ebhaliwe), izicelo ziyaphindeka. Izigidi zabanye zisebenzisa amaRosary noma zifunde imithandazo ezincwadini zemithandazo njengesilandelo. Kodwa labo abafisa ukuzwiwa uNkulunkulu bayoyigwema imithandazo ephindaphindwayo futhi bayonaka iziyalezo zikaJesu eziqhubekayo.
“Anokhuleka Kanje”
Ngokulandelayo uJesu wanikeza lokho abaningi abakubiza ngokuthi umthandazo oyisibonelo. (Mathewu 6:9-13) Wathi: “Ngakho-ke anokhuleka kanje, nithi: Baba wethu osezulwini, malingcweliswe igama lakho.” Ukubiza uNkulunkulu ngokuthi “Baba wethu” kubonisa ukuthi nabanye banobuhlobo obuseduze naye njengengxenye yomkhaya wakhe wabakhulekeli. Ukungcweliswa kwegama likaNkulunkulu, elithi, Jehova, kubaluleke ukwedlula konke, kodwa uyolingcwelisa kanjani? Ngokususa ababi, uyosusa kulelogama sonke isihlamba esiye sanqwatshelwaniswa phezu kwalo.—Hezekeli 38:23.
“Mawufike umbuso wakho; mayenziwe intando yakho emhlabeni njengasezulwini,” kwenezela uJesu. Ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu njengoba kubonakala eMbusweni wasezulwini wobuMesiya weNdodana yakhe ngokushesha kuyolwa nabo bonke abaphikisi bobukhosi basezulwini, kubasuse emhlabeni. (Daniyeli 2:44) Kodwa sisho ukuthini uma sicela ukuba intando kaNkulunkulu yenziwe emhlabeni njengasezulwini? Lesi yisicelo sokuba uJehova afeze izinjongo zakhe ngomhlaba, kuhlanganise nokususwa kwabaphikisi bakhe.—IsAmbulo 16:14-16; 19:11-21.
Esebeke phambili uNkulunkulu, ukungcweliswa kwaKhe, nezinjongo zaKhe emthandazweni oyisibonelo, uJesu waqhubeka: “Usiphe namuhla isinkwa sethu semihla ngemihla.” Ukucela uJehova ukuba alungiselele izidingo ‘zemihla ngemihla’ kuthuthukisa ukholo emandleni akhe okunakekela izidingo zansuku zonke zabakhulekeli bakhe. Lesi akusona isicelo sobugovu samalungiselelo eqile.
UJesu wanezela: “Usithethelele amacala ethu, njengalokhu nathi sibathethelela abanecala kithi.” (uLuka 11:4 ubonisa ukuthi ‘lamacala’ ‘yizono.’) Singathola intethelelo kuNkulunkulu kuphela uma sibathethelela labo abasonayo. (Mathewu 6:14, 15) Khona-ke, ngokufanelekile umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Njengokuba neNkosi yanithethelela, yenzani njalo nani.”—Kolose 3:13.
Ephetha umthandazo oyisibonelo, uJesu wathi: “Ungasingenisi ekulingweni, kodwa usikhulule kokubi.” UJehova akalokothi alinge abantu “ngokubi.” (Jakobe 1:13) Isilingo sivela komubi, uSathane uDeveli, kodwa iBhayibheli ngesinye isikhathi lithi ukuvumela kukaNkulunkulu izinto ezithile kufana nokuthi uyazenza. (Ruthe 1:20, 21; UmShumayeli 7:13) Lapho ephendula isicelo esithi, “ungasingenisi ekulingweni,” uJehova akazishiyi izinceku zakhe ezithembekile, nakuba ezivumela ukuba zilingwe. Ngempela, “uNkulunkulu uthembekile, ongayikuvuma ukuba nilingwe ngokungaphezu kwamandla enu, kepha oyakuthi kanye nokulingwa anenzele indlela yokuphepha, nize nibe-namandla okukuthwala.”—1 Korinte 10: 13.
Lapho sicela ukukhululwa komubi, sisuke sicela ukuba uDeveli angavunyelwa ukuba asinqobe njengabakhulekeli bakaJehova abathembekile. Uma siyizinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile, singaqiniseka ukuthi uyosiphendula isicelo esinjalo, njengoba umphostoli uPetru abhala: “INkosi iyakwazi ukuhlangulisa ekulingweni abamesabayo uNkulunkulu.” (2 Petru 2:9) Futhi yeka ukuthi ibaluleke kanjani lengxenye yomthandazo oyisibonelo, ngoba uSathane uDeveli ‘uhamba njengebhubesi elibhodlayo efuna angamgwinya’!—1 Petru 5:8.
Isizathu Sokuba Imithandazo Yabo Iphendulwe
UNkulunkulu uyayiphendula imithandazo yabakhulekeli bakhe abathembekile. Ngani? Ngokwengxenye, uJehova ukwenza ngoba bathandaza kuye kuphela, beza kuye ngoJesu Kristu. Bayabuxwaya ububi futhi bayayigwema imithandazo engeqotho nephindaphindwayo. Esikhundleni sokuphindaphinda umthandazo oyisibonelo ngekhanda, oFakazi BakaJehova basebenzisa iziqondiso zawo ezinhle kakhulu ekuvezeni kuNkulunkulu imizwa yabo esuka enhliziyweni. Kodwa kusekhona ezinye izizathu zokuthi kungani imithandazo yabo iphendulwa.
Labo abaphendulelwa imithandazo yabo baye bahlangabezana nezimfuneko eziyisisekelo. Eziphawula, uPawulu wabhala: “Ozayo kuNkulunkulu umelwe ukukholwa ukuthi ukhona nokuthi ungumvuzi walabo [abamfuna ngobuqotho, NW].” (Heberu 11:6) Phawula lamaphuzu amabili ayisisekelo: UJehova uphendula imithandazo (1) yalabo abakholelwayo ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona, (2) nalabo “abamfuna ngobuqotho.”
Omunye onjalo wekhulu lokuqala leminyaka kwakunguKorneliyu weZizwe ozinikele. Wayekholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona, futhi wayemfuna ngobuqotho. Yini uKorneliyu ayenza lapho ethola ulwazi oluqondile? Phela, wazinikezela ngenhliziyo yonke kuJehova uNkulunkulu futhi wabhapathizwa ukuze abonakalise lokho kuzinikezela. Ngemva kwalokho, uKorneliyu ngokusobala waba nobuhlobo ubuseduze noNkulunkulu, futhi lokhu kwakuyoba nethonya elihle emithandazweni yakhe.—IzEnzo 10:1-44.
Ngaphambi kokuba uKorneliyu abhapathizwe, imithandazo yakhe ‘yayiyisikhumbuzo’ nje kuphela “emehlweni kaNkulunkulu.” (IzEnzo 10:4) Nokho, ngokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu ngesisekelo sokholo lwakhe emhlatshelweni kaJesu wesihlengo, nangokubhapathizwa, uKorneliyu wazinikela kuJehova ngokungagodli. Lokhu kwakha ukusondelana okuhle phakathi kukaNkulunkulu nalendoda ezinikele—ubuhlobo obanikeza uKorneliyu ilungelo lokuthandaza elingabekelwe mingcele. (Jakobe 4:8) Wayengasondela kuYise wasezulwini ngoJesu Kristu ngethemba lokuzwiwa. Yilokho okwenzekayo kubo bonke abazinikezela kuNkulunkulu ngoJesu Kristu futhi babhapathizwe. Nabo futhi banelungelo lokuthandaza elingabekelwe mingcele.
Ngokuqinisekile, uyafisa ukuba imithandazo yakho iphendulwe. Ngakho, uma ungamkhonzi uJehova manje njengomunye wabakhulekeli bakhe abazinikezele, yeka ukuthi kuwukuhlakanipha kanjani ukumfuna ngobuqotho! Phishekela inkambo efana nekaKorneliyu, uNkulunkulu uyoyiphendula imithandazo yakho.
[Isithombe ekhasini 6]
Imithandazo kaKorneliyu yathintwa kanjani ukuzinikela kwakhe kuNkulunkulu nokubhapathizwa kwakhe?