Khonza UNkulunkulu Ngomoya Wokuzithandela

UMPHOSTOLI UPAWULU wabhala: “Ngizokuthokozela kakhulu ukusebenzisa konke enginakho nokuba ngisetshenziswe ngokuphelele ngenxa yemiphefumulo yenu.” (2 Korinte 12:15) Akutshelani la mazwi ngombono nesimo sengqondo okufanele izinceku zikaJehova zizame ukusihlakulela? Ngokwesinye isazi seBhayibheli, lapho uPawulu ebhalela amaKristu aseKorinte lawo mazwi, wayethi: “Ngizimisele ukusebenzisa amandla, isikhathi nokuphila kwami, nakho konke enginakho ngenxa yenhlalakahle yenu, njengoba nje ubaba ekwenza ngokwenama ngenxa yezingane zakhe.” UPawulu wayezimisele ‘ukusetshenziswa ngokuphelele,’ noma “ukutubeka,” uma kwakuzodingeka lokho ukuze afeze inkonzo yakhe yobuKristu.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, uPawulu wenza konke lokhu ‘ngokuthokoza okukhulu.’ I-Jerusalem Bible ithi, ‘wayezimisele ngokuphelele’ ukukwenza. Kuthiwani ngawe? Ingabe uzimisele ukusebenzisa isikhathi, amandla iziphiwo nempahla yakho ekukhonzeni uJehova uNkulunkulu nezithakazelo zabanye, ngisho noma ukwenza kanjalo kusho “ukutubeka” ngezinye izikhathi? Ungakwenza yini lokhu ‘ngokuthokoza okukhulu’?

Benqaba Ngokuphelele Ukukhonza

Iningi labantu aligcini nje ngokuba manqikanqika ukukhonza uNkulunkulu, kodwa lenqaba ngokuphelele. Linomoya wokungabongi, wokuzibusa okunobugovu ngisho nowokuvukela. USathane wayenga u-Adamu no-Eva ukuba bacabange kanjalo. Waqamba amanga wathi babeyoba ‘njengoNkulunkulu, bakwazi okuhle nokubi’—bakwazi ukuzinqumela okulungile nokungalungile. (Genesise 3:1-5) Labo abanomoya ofanayo namuhla bacabanga ukuthi kufanele bakhululeke ngokuphelele ukwenza lokho abakufisayo, bangabi nasibopho kuNkulunkulu futhi angangeneli. (IHubo 81:11, 12) Bafuna ukusebenzisa konke abanakho ekuphishekeleni izithakazelo zabo siqu.—IzAga 18:1.

Cishe wena awunawo lo mbono oweqisayo. Kungenzeka usazisa ngobuqotho isipho sokuphila okujabulelayo manje nethemba elimangalisa nakakhulu lokuphila phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi. (IHubo 37:10, 11; IsAmbulo 21:1-4) Kungenzeka umbonga ngokujulile uJehova ngenxa yobuhle akubonise bona. Kodwa sonke kudingeka siqaphele ingozi yokuthi uSathane angasonta ukucabanga kwethu kangangokuba inkonzo yethu empeleni ingamukeleki kuNkulunkulu. (2 Korinte 11:3) Kungenzeka kanjani lokhu?

Kufuneka Inkonzo Yokuzithandela

UJehova ufuna inkonzo yokuzithandela eyenziwa ngenhliziyo yonke. Akalokothi asiphoqe ukuba senze intando yakhe. NguSathane owenza noma yini ukuze acindezele noma anxenxele abantu ekwenzeni intando yakhe. Lapho iBhayibheli likhuluma ngokukhonza uNkulunkulu liyakhuluma ngesibopho, imiyalo, izimfuneko, njalonjalo. (UmShumayeli 12:13; Luka 1:6) Nokho, isisusa sethu esiyinhloko sokukhonza uNkulunkulu siwukuthi siyamthanda.—Eksodusi 35:21; Duteronomi 11:1.

Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uPawulu wayezikhandla kangakanani enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu, wayazi ukuthi lokhu kwakungeke kusho lutho ‘uma ayengenalo uthando.’ (1 Korinte 13:1-3) Lapho abalobi beBhayibheli bebhekisela kumaKristu njengezigqila zikaNkulunkulu, ababhekisele ebugqileni bokucindezelwa nokuphoqwa. (Roma 12:11; Kolose 3:24) Basho ukuzithoba ngokuzithandela okusekelwe othandweni olujulile nolusuka enhliziyweni ngoNkulunkulu neNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu.—Mathewu 22:37; 2 Korinte 5:14; 1 Johane 4:10, 11.

Inkonzo yethu kuNkulunkulu kumelwe futhi ibonise uthando olujulile ngabantu. UPawulu wabhalela ibandla laseThesalonika: “Saba mnene phakathi kwenu, njengalapho umama oncelisayo enakekela ngesisa abantwana bakhe siqu.” (1 Thesalonika 2:7) Emazweni amaningi namuhla, omama baboshwe ngumthetho ukuba banakekele izingane zabo. Kodwa ingabe omama abaningi bakwenza lokhu ngoba nje belalela umthetho? Cha. Bakwenza ngoba bezithanda izingane zabo. Umama oncelisayo udela okuningi ngenxa yezingane zakhe! Ngenxa yokuthi uPawulu ‘wayenokusondelana okunesisa’ okufanayo nalabo ayebakhonza, ‘wakujabulela kakhulu’ (‘wayezimisele,’ King James Version; ‘wayekuthokozela,’ New International Version) ukusebenzisa ukuphila kwakhe uqobo ekubasizeni. (1 Thesalonika 2:8) Uthando lusishukumisela ukuba silingise isibonelo sikaPawulu.—Mathewu 22:39.

Kuthiwani Ngenkonzo Eyenziwa Ngokuziqhuba

Yebo, akumelwe sivumele ukuzithanda thina kudlule uthando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu nabantu. Ngale kwalokho, kunengozi yangempela yokuthi singase sinikele inkonzo yokugcina icala nje, yokuziqhuba. Singase siqale ngisho nokuyicasukela, sicasulwe ukuthi asikwazi ukuphila ngendlela esiyithandayo ngokwezifiso zethu kuphela. Lokhu kwenzeka kuma-Israyeli athile aphelelwa uthando ngoNkulunkulu kodwa eqhubeka enikela inkonzo ethile kuye ngoba ezizwa ebophekile. Waba yini umphumela? Ukukhonza uNkulunkulu kwaba “ukuhlupheka” kuwo.—Malaki 1:13.

Noma yimiphi iminikelo eyenziwa kuNkulunkulu kufanele njalo ibe ‘engenasici,’ ‘emihle kunayo yonke’ esingayithola. (Levitikusi 22:17-20; Eksodusi 23:19, qhathanisa ne-NW.) Nokho, kunokuba banike uJehova izilwane zabo ezinhle kunazo zonke, abantu bosuku lukaMalaki baqala ukunikela ngalezo bona ababengazifuni. Wasabela kanjani uJehova? Wathi kubapristi: “Lapho ninikela ngesilwane esiyimpumputhe sibe ngumhlatshelo, [nithi] akukubi na? Lapho ninikela ngesilwane esiqhugayo nesigulayo, akukubi na? Mawusisondeze kumbusi wakho; uyakuba nomusa kuwe na? Uyakukwamukela na? . . . Niletha okuthathwe ngobudlova, nokuqhugayo, nokugulayo, niletha kanjalo umnikelo; bengiyakwamukela lokhu esandleni senu na?”—Malaki 1:8, 13.

Kungenzeka kanjani lokhu kothile kithi? Imihlatshelo yethu ingase ibe “ukuhlupheka” kithi uma singenayo ngempela inhliziyo nomoya ovumayo. (Eksodusi 35:5, 21, 22; Levitikusi 1:3; IHubo 54:6; Heberu 13:15, 16) Ngokwesibonelo, ingabe uJehova uthola izinsalela zesikhathi sethu?

Ukhona yini umuntu ongacabanga ngempela ukuthi kwakungamukeleka kuNkulunkulu ukuba ilungu lomkhaya elinezinhloso ezinhle noma umLevi oshisekayo aphoqe ngandlela-thile umIsrayeli ongazimisele ukuba akhethe isilwane sakhe esingcono kunazo zonke asenze umhlatshelo yize yena engafuni ngempela ukunikela ngaso? (Isaya 29:13; Mathewu 15:7, 8) UJehova wayenqaba imihlatshelo enjalo futhi ekugcineni walahla nabantu ababeyenza.—Hoseya 4:6; Mathewu 21:43.

Kujabulele Ukwenza Intando KaNkulunkulu

Ukuze sinikele kuNkulunkulu inkonzo ayoyamukela, kumelwe silandele isibonelo sikaJesu Kristu. Wathi: “Angifuni intando yami siqu, kodwa intando yalowo ongithumile.” (Johane 5:30) UJesu wakujabulela kakhulu ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngokuzithandela. UJesu wagcwalisa amazwi kaDavide ayisiprofetho: “Ngiyathanda ukwenza intando yakho, Nkulunkulu wami.”—IHubo 40:8.

Nakuba uJesu ayekujabulela ukwenza intando kaJehova, lokhu kwakungelula ngaso sonke isikhathi. Cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka ngaphambi nje kokuba aboshwe, aquliswe icala futhi abulawe. Lapho esensimini yaseGetsemane, uJesu waba “lusizi kakhulu,” futhi ‘waba munyu.’ Wayecindezeleke kakhulu ngokomzwelo kangangokuthi lapho ethandaza, “izithukuthuku zakhe zaba njengamathonsi egazi awela emhlabathini.”—Mathewu 26:38; Luka 22:44.

Kungani uJesu aba lusizi kangaka? Ngokuqinisekile kwakungengenxa yokuzicabangela yena noma ukungathandi ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu. Wayezimisele ukufa, waze waphendula ngamazwi anamandla lapho uPetru ethi: “Yiba nomusa kuwe, Nkosi; ngeke neze ube nalesisiphetho.” (Mathewu 16:21-23) Okwakukhathaza uJesu kwakuyindlela ukufa kwakhe njengeselelesi esidelelekile okwakuyomthinta ngayo uJehova negama laKhe elingcwele. UJesu wayeqaphela ukuthi uYise wayeyokuzwa ubuhlungu obukhulu lapho ebona iNdodana yakhe ethandekayo iphathwa ngesihluku ngale ndlela.

UJesu futhi wayeqonda ukuthi wayesondela enkathini ebucayi ekufezekeni kwenjongo kaJehova. Ukunamathela ngokwethembeka emithethweni kaNkulunkulu kwakuyobonisa ngendlela engenakungatshazwa ukuthi no-Adamu wayengakhetha okufanayo. Ukwethembeka kukaJesu kwakuyodalula amanga kaSathane okuthi abantu ngeke bamkhonze ngokuzithandela nangokwethembeka uNkulunkulu lapho bengaphansi kovivinyo. NgoJesu, ekugcineni uJehova wayeyochoboza uSathane futhi asuse imiphumela yokuvukela kwakhe.—Genesise 3:15.

Yeka umthwalo omkhulu uJesu ayewuthwele! Igama likaYise, ukuthula kwembulunga yonke nokusindiswa komkhaya wesintu konke kwakuxhomeke ekwethembekeni kukaJesu. Eqaphela lokhu, wathandaza: “Baba, uma kungenzeka, lendebe mayidlule kimi. Nokho, kungabi njengoba kuthanda mina, kodwa kube njengoba kuthanda wena.” (Mathewu 26:39) Ngisho nalapho ecindezeleke kakhulu, uJesu akalokothanga aphambuke ekuzimiseleni ukuzithoba entandweni kaYise.

“Umoya Uyalangazela, Kodwa Inyama Ibuthakathaka”

Njengoba nje uJesu acindezeleka kakhulu ngokomzwelo lapho ekhonza uJehova, nathi singalindela ukuba uSathane asicindezele njengezinceku zikaNkulunkulu. (Johane 15:20; 1 Petru 5:8) Ngaphezu kwalokho, asiphelele. Ngakho, ngisho noma simkhonza ngokuzithandela uNkulunkulu, ngeke kube lula ukwenza kanjalo. UJesu wabona indlela okwakunzima ngayo kubaphostoli bakhe ukwenza konke ayecela ukuba bakwenze. Yingakho athi: “Yebo, umoya uyalangazela, kodwa inyama ibuthakathaka.” (Mathewu 26:41) Kwakungekho lutho olubuthakathaka kweyakhe inyama yobuntu ephelele. Nokho, wayecabanga ngobuthakathaka benyama yabafundi bakhe, ukungapheleli ababekuzuze njengefa ku-Adamu ongaphelele. UJesu wayazi ukuthi ngenxa yokuthi babezuze ukungapheleli njengefa nokulinganiselwa kobuntu okuwumphumela, kwakuyoba nzima kubo ukwenza konke ababefuna ukukwenza enkonzweni kaJehova.

Ngakho-ke, singase sizizwe njengomphostoli uPawulu, owakhathazeka ngokujulile lapho ukungapheleli kumkhinyabeza ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu ngokugcwele. UPawulu wabhala: “Amandla okufisa akhona kimi, kodwa amandla okwenza okuhle awekho.” (Roma 7:18) Nathi sithola ukuthi asikwazi ukuzifeza ngokugcwele zonke izinto ezinhle esifisa ukuzenza. (Roma 7:19) Lokhu akungenxa yokuthi asithandi. Kumane kungenxa yokuthi ubuthakathaka benyama bukhinyabeza ngisho nemizamo yethu emihle kakhulu.

Masingalilahli ithemba. Uma sizimisele ngokusuka enhliziyweni ukwenza konke esingakwenza, ngokuqinisekile uNkulunkulu uyoyamukela inkonzo yethu. (2 Korinte 8:12) Kwangathi ‘singenza konke okusemandleni ethu’ ukuze silingise umoya kaKristu wokuzithoba ngokuphelele entandweni kaNkulunkulu. (2 Thimothewu 2:15; Filipi 2:5-7; 1 Petru 4:1, 2) UJehova uyowuvuza futhi awusekele umoya onjalo wokuzimisela. Uyosinika “amandla angaphezu kwavamile” ukuze sifeze lokho ebesingenakukufeza ngenxa yobuthakathaka bethu. (2 Korinte 4:7-10) Ngosizo lukaJehova, njengoPawulu, ‘siyokuthokozela kakhulu ukusebenzisa konke esinakho nokuba sisetshenziswe ngokuphelele’ enkonzweni yaKhe eyigugu.

[Isithombe ekhasini 21]

UPawulu wakhonza uNkulunkulu ngokuzithandela ngangokusemandleni akhe

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

Ngisho nalapho ecindezeleke kakhulu, uJesu wenza intando kaYise