Bonisa Isimo Sengqondo Sokulinda!
“Ngiyakulindela uNkulunkulu wokusindiswa kwami; uNkulunkulu wami uyakungizwa.”—MIKA 7:7.
1, 2. (a) Isimo sengqondo esingalungile sawalimaza kanjani ama-Israyeli ehlane? (b) Kungenzekani kumKristu ongasihlakuleli isimo sengqondo esifanele?
IZINTO eziningi ekuphileni zingabhekwa kahle noma kabi, kuye ngesimo sethu sengqondo. Lapho ama-Israyeli esehlane, alungiselelwa imana ngokuyisimangaliso. Kwakufanele aqalaze ezweni eliwuqwathule futhi abonge uJehova ngokujulile ngokuwalungiselela ukudla. Lokho kwakuyobonisa isimo sengqondo esiqondile. Kunalokho, akhumbula ukudla okunhlobonhlobo kwaseGibithe ayesekhononda ngokuthi imana lalingemnandi. Yeka isimo sengqondo esingaqondile!—Numeri 11:4-6.
2 Isimo sengqondo somKristu namuhla ngokufanayo singenza izinto zibonakale ziqhakazile noma zizimbi. Uma engenaso isimo sengqondo esifanele, umKristu angalahlekelwa kalula yinjabulo yakhe, futhi lokhu kungaba kubi ngoba, njengoba uNehemiya asho: “Injabulo kaJehova iyinqaba [yethu].” (Nehemiya 8:10) Isimo sengqondo esiqondile, nesokujabula sisisiza ukuba sihlale siqinile futhi sithuthukisa ukuthula nobunye ebandleni.—Roma 15:13; Filipi 1:25.
3. Isimo sengqondo esifanele samsiza kanjani uJeremiya ezikhathini ezinzima?
3 Nakuba ayephila ezikhathini ezinzima, uJeremiya wabonisa isimo sengqondo esiqondile. Ngisho nalapho ebona usizi lokuwa kweJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E., wayezibona izinto ezinhle. UJehova wayengeke amkhohlwe u-Israyeli, futhi isizwe sasiyosinda. UJeremiya wabhala encwadini yesiLilo: “Ngumusa kaJehova ukuthi asiqediwe, ngokuba ububele bakhe abupheli. Busha ekuseni njalo; ukuthembeka kwakho kukhulu.” (IsiLilo 3:22, 23) Kuwo wonke umlando, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezisezimweni ezinzima kakhulu ziye zafuna ukulondoloza isimo sengqondo esiqondile, ngisho nesokujabula.—2 Korinte 7:4; 1 Thesalonika 1:6; Jakobe 1:2.
4. Yisiphi isimo sengqondo uJesu asilondoloza, futhi samsiza kanjani?
4 Eminyakeni engamakhulu ayisithupha ngemva kukaJeremiya, uJesu wasizwa yisimo sakhe sengqondo esiqondile ukuba akhuthazele. Siyafunda: “Ngenxa yenjabulo eyayibekwe phambi [kukaJesu] wakhuthazelela isigxobo sokuhlushwa, edelela ihlazo, futhi useye wahlala phansi ngakwesokunene sesihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu.” (Heberu 12:2) Kungakhathaliseki ukuphikiswa noma ukushushiswa okwadingeka uJesu abhekane nakho—ngisho nobuhlungu besigxobo sokuhlushwa—wagcina ingqondo yakhe ‘isenjabulweni eyayibekwe phambi kwakhe.’ Leyo njabulo kwakuyilungelo lokulwela ubukhosi bukaJehova nokungcwelisa igama lakhe kanye nethemba lokulethela isintu esilalelayo izibusiso ezinkulu esikhathini esizayo.
Hlakulela Isimo Sengqondo Sokulinda
5. Yisiphi isimo esingokoqobo lapho isimo sengqondo sokulinda siyosisiza khona ukuba sibheke izinto ngendlela efanele?
5 Uma sihlakulela isimo sengqondo esinjengesikaJesu, ngeke silahlekelwe yinjabulo kaJehova yize izinto zingenzeki njalo ngendlela nangesikhathi esizilindele ngaso. Umprofethi uMika wathi: “Kepha mina ngiyakumbheka uJehova; ngiyakulindela uNkulunkulu wokusindiswa kwami.” (Mika 7:7; IsiLilo 3:21) Nathi singasibonisa isimo sengqondo sokulinda. Kanjani? Ngezindlela eziningi. Phakathi kokunye, singase sibe nomuzwa wokuthi umzalwane onegunya uye waphambuka futhi kudingeka aqondiswe ngokushesha. Isimo sengqondo sokulinda siyosivumela ukuba sizibuze, ‘Ingabe uphambuke ngempela, noma yimi onephutha? Uma ephambukile, kungenzeka yini ukuthi uJehova uvumela ukuba kwenzeke ngale ndlela ngoba enomuzwa wokuthi lo muntu uzothuthuka nokuthi izinyathelo eziqinile zokulungisa ngeke zidingeke?’
6. Isimo sengqondo sokulinda siyomsiza kanjani umuntu olwa nenkinga yakhe?
6 Isimo sengqondo sokulinda singase sidingeke uma sikhathazwa yinkinga yomuntu siqu noma silwa nobuthakathaka obuthile. Ake sithi siyalucela usizo lukaJehova, kodwa inkinga iyaphikelela. Kuthiwani-ke? Kumelwe siqhubeke senza okusemandleni ethu ukuze sixazulule inkinga bese siba nokholo emazwini kaJesu: “Qhubekani nicela, futhi niyophiwa; qhubekani nifuna, futhi niyothola; qhubekani ningqongqoza, futhi niyovulelwa.” (Luka 11:9) Qhubeka uthandaza, futhi ulindele uJehova. Ngesikhathi esifanele nangendlela yakhe, uJehova uyoyiphendula imithandazo yakho.—1 Thesalonika 5:17.
7. Isimo sengqondo sokulinda siyosisiza kanjani embonweni wethu mayelana nokuqondwa kweBhayibheli okuya kucaciswa?
7 Njengoba iziprofetho zeBhayibheli zigcwaliseka, ukuqonda kwethu imiBhalo kuyacaciswa. Nokho, ngezinye izikhathi singase sicabange ukuthi ukucaciswa okuthile sekwephuzile. Uma kungafiki ngesikhathi esingathanda ngaso, sizimisele yini ukulinda? Khumbula, uJehova wakubona kufaneleka ukwambula ‘imfihlo engcwele kaKristu’ kancane kancane esikhathini esingaba yiminyaka engu-4 000. (Efesu 3:3-6) Ingabe-ke sinaso isizathu sokuphelelwa ukubekezela? Siyangabaza yini ukuthi “isigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo” simiselwe ukuba sinikeze abantu bakaJehova “ukudla kwabo ngesikhathi esifanele”? (Mathewu 24:45) Singazincishelani injabulo yokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu ngoba nje singaziqondi zonke izinto ngokugcwele? Khumbula, nguJehova onquma isikhathi nendlela yokwambula ‘izimfihlakalo’ zakhe.—Amose 3:7.
8. Ukubekezela kukaJehova kuye kwabazuzisa kanjani abaningi?
8 Abanye bangase badikibale ngoba benomuzwa wokuthi ngemva kweminyaka eminingi yenkonzo yokwethembeka, bangase bangakwazi ukuphila kuze kufike “usuku olukhulu nolwesabekayo lukaJehova.” (Joweli 2:30, 31) Nokho, bangakhuthazeka lapho bebheka ngasohlangothini lokuhle. UPetru weluleka: “Bhekani ukubekezela kweNkosi yethu njengensindiso.” (2 Petru 3:15) Ukubekezela kukaJehova kuye kwavumela izigidi ezengeziwe zabanhliziyo zilungile ukuba zifunde iqiniso. Akuyona yini into enhle leyo? Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho uJehova eqhubeka ebonisa ukubekezela, kuba yilapho siba nesikhathi esengeziwe ‘sokuqhubeka sikhandlekela ukusindiswa kwethu siqu ngokwesaba nangokuthuthumela.’—Filipi 2:12; 2 Petru 3:11, 12.
9. Uma kungengakanani esingakwenza enkonzweni kaJehova, isimo sengqondo sokulinda siyosisiza kanjani ukuba sikhuthazelele isimo?
9 Isimo sengqondo sokulinda sisisiza ukuba singadikibali lapho ukuphikiswa, ukugula, ukukhula ngeminyaka noma ezinye izinkinga zisithiya enkonzweni yoMbuso. UJehova ulindele ukuba simkhonze ngenhliziyo yonke. (Roma 12:1) Nokho, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, ‘ehawukela odangeleyo nompofu,’ ayifuni okungaphezu kwamandla ethu; noJehova akanjalo. (IHubo 72:13) Ngakho, sikhuthazwa ukuba senze esingakwenza, silinde ngokubekezela zize zishintshe izimo—kungaba kulesi simiso sezinto noma kwesizayo. Khumbula: “UNkulunkulu akayena ongalungile ukuba akhohlwe umsebenzi wenu nothando enalubonisa kulo igama lakhe, ngoba niye nakhonza abangcwele futhi niyaqhubeka nibakhonza.”—Heberu 6:10.
10. Iyiphi imfanelo yokungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu angayigwema umuntu onesimo sengqondo sokulinda? Chaza.
10 Isimo sengqondo sokulinda sisisiza nasekubeni sigweme ukugabadela. Abanye asebeyizihlubuki babengazimisele ukulinda. Kungenzeka babenomuzwa wokuthi kwakudingeka ukulungisa okuthile, kungaba sekuqondweni kweBhayibheli noma ezindabeni zokuhlelwa komsebenzi. Nokho, abakwamukelanga ukuthi umoya kaJehova ushukumisa isigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo ukuba senze ukulungisa ngesikhathi saKhe esifanele, hhayi lapho thina singase sibe nomuzwa wokuthi kuyadingeka. Futhi noma yikuphi ukulungisa kumelwe kuvumelane nentando kaJehova, hhayi imibono yethu siqu. Izihlubuki zivumela isimo sengqondo sokugabadela ukuba sisonte ukucabanga kwazo futhi sizikhubekise. Kodwa ukube laba babehlakulele isimo sengqondo sikaKristu, babeyoqhubeka bejabula futhi behleli phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova.—Filipi 2:5-8.
11. Singasisebenzisa kanjani ngokunenzuzo isikhathi esisuke silinde ngaso, silandela izibonelo zobani?
11 Yebo, ukulondoloza isimo sengqondo sokulinda akusho ukuvilapha noma ukungenzi lutho. Sinezinto okufanele sizenze. Ngokwesibonelo, kudingeka sibe nesifundo seBhayibheli somuntu siqu, kanjalo sibonise isithakazelo esibukhali esaboniswa abaprofethi abathembekile ngisho nezingelosi ezintweni ezingokomoya. Ekhuluma ngesithakazelo esinjalo, uPetru uthi: “Ngokuphathelene nayo kanye lensindiso abaprofethi . . . benza ukuphenya ngenkuthalo nokuhlola kokucophelela. . . . Izingelosi zifisa ukusinga zona kanye lezizinto.” (1 Petru 1:10-12) Akusona sodwa isifundo somuntu siqu esifunekayo nakanjani, kodwa kunjalo nangokuba khona njalo emihlanganweni nangokuthandaza. (Jakobe 4:8) Labo ababonisa ukuqaphela isidingo sabo esingokomoya ngokudla ukudla okungokomoya njalo nokuzihlanganisa namaKristu abakanye nawo babonisa ukuthi baye baba nesimo sengqondo sikaKristu.—Mathewu 5:3.
Yiba Nombono Ongokoqobo?
12. (a) O-Adamu no-Eva babefuna ukukhululeka kuphi? (b) Uye waba yini umphumela wokulandela kwesintu inkambo ka-Adamu no-Eva?
12 Lapho uNkulunkulu edala abantu ababili bokuqala, igunya lokubeka izindinganiso zokulungile nokungalungile waligcina lingelakhe. (Genesise 2:16, 17) U-Adamu no-Eva babefuna ukukhululeka esiqondisweni sikaNkulunkulu, futhi lokhu kwaphumela ezweni esilibona namuhla. Umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Ngomuntu oyedwa isono sangena ezweni nokufa kwangena ngesono, futhi kanjalo ukufa kwasakazekela kubantu bonke ngenxa yokuthi bonke bonile.” (Roma 5:12) Iminyaka engu-6 000 yomlando wabantu kusukela esikhathini sika-Adamu iye yabonisa ukuba yiqiniso kwamazwi kaJeremiya: “Ngiyazi, Jehova, ukuthi indlela yomuntu ayikuye uqobo; akukuyo indoda ukuba ihambe, iqondise izinyathelo zayo.” (Jeremiya 10:23) Ukuvuma ukuthi amazwi kaJeremiya ayiqiniso akukhona ukuba nesimo sengqondo sokulindela ukwehluleka. Kuwukubhekana namaqiniso. Kwenza aqondakale wonke lawo makhulu eminyaka lapho ‘umuntu eye wabusa omunye kwaba ngukulimala kwakhe’ ngoba abantu baye babusa ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu.—UmShumayeli 8:9.
13. Yimuphi umbono ongokoqobo oFakazi BakaJehova abanawo ngalokho abantu abangakufeza?
13 Ngenxa yesimo isintu esikuso, oFakazi BakaJehova bayaqaphela ukuthi izinto ezingafezwa kulesi simiso sezinto zilinganiselwe. Isimo sengqondo esiqondile singasisiza sihlale sijabule, kodwa asilona ikhambi lazo zonke izinto. Ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1950, umfundisi waseMelika wanyathelisa incwadi eyathengiswa kakhulu ethi The Power of Positive Thinking. Le ncwadi yasikisela ukuthi iningi lezithiyo linganqotshwa uma zisingathwa ngesimo sengqondo esiqondile. Isimo sengqondo esiqondile siyancomeka impela. Kodwa izenzakalo zokuphila zibonisa ukuthi ulwazi, ikhono, amandla angokwezimali nezinye izici eziningi ziyasinqanda kulokho esingakufeza njengabantu ngabanye. Ngokwezinga lomhlaba wonke, izinkinga zimane zinkulu kakhulu ukuba zingaxazululwa abantu ngempumelelo—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi banokucabanga okuqonde kangakanani!
14. Ingabe oFakazi BakaJehova banesimo sengqondo esingaqondile? Chaza.
14 Ngenxa yombono wabo ongokoqobo ngezinto ezinjalo, ngezinye izikhathi oFakazi BakaJehova bamangalelwa ngokuthi banesimo sengqondo esingaqondile. Kunalokho, bamagange ukutshela abantu ngaLowo okuwukuphela kwakhe ongakuthuthukisa phakade ukuphila kwesintu. Nakulokhu balingisa isimo sengqondo sikaKristu. (Roma 15:2) Futhi bamatasa basiza abantu ukuba babe nobuhlobo obuhle noNkulunkulu. Bayazi ukuthi ekugcineni, lokhu kuyofeza okuhle kakhulu.—Mathewu 28:19, 20; 1 Thimothewu 4:16.
15. Umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova ubathuthukisa kanjani abantu ngabanye?
15 OFakazi BakaJehova abazishalazeli izinkinga zezenhlalo ezibazungezile—ikakhulukazi imikhuba engcolisayo elahlwa yimiBhalo. Ngaphambi kokuba umuntu othakazelayo abe ngomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, wenza izinguquko, ngokuvamile kudingeke anqobe imikhuba emibi eluthayo engamjabulisi uNkulunkulu. (1 Korinte 6:9-11) Ngakho oFakazi BakaJehova baye basiza abasabelayo ukuba banqobe ukudakwa, ukuluthwa yizidakamizwa, ukuziphatha okubi nokuluthwa ukugembula. Abantu abanjalo abashintshile baye bafunda ukondla imikhaya yabo ngendlela eqotho nenokwethembeka. (1 Thimothewu 5:8) Lapho abantu ngabanye nemikhaya besizwa ngale ndlela, izinkinga ziyancipha emphakathini—imilutha yezidakamizwa iyancipha, ubudlova basekhaya buyancipha, njalonjalo. Ngokuba yizakhamuzi ezigcina umthetho bona ngokwabo nangokusiza abanye bashintshe ukuphila kwabo kube ngcono, oFakazi BakaJehova banciphisa umthwalo wezikhungo ezisebenzela ukusingatha izinkinga zezenhlalo.
16. Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova bengazigaxi ezinhlanganweni zezwe zokulungisa izimo?
16 Ngakho, ingabe oFakazi BakaJehova baye basishintsha isimo sokuziphatha emhlabeni? Phakathi neminyaka eyishumi edlule, inani loFakazi abashumayelayo lakhuphuka lisuka kwabangaphansana kuka-3 800 000 laya cishe ku-6 000 000. Lokho ukwanda ngabantu abangaba ngu-2 200 000, abaningi babo abayeka imikhuba engalungile lapho beba ngamaKristu. Kuningi ukuphila okwathuthukiswa! Noma kunjalo, leli nani lincane kakhulu uma kuqhathaniswa nokwanda kwenani labantu emhlabeni wonke phakathi nenkathi efanayo—abangu-875 000 000! OFakazi BakaJehova baye bakuthola kujabulisa ukusiza abantu abasabelayo, nakuba beqaphela ukuthi bambalwa esintwini abayothatha umgwaqo oya ekuphileni. (Mathewu 7:13, 14) Lapho oFakazi besalinde izinguquko ezinhle zomhlaba wonke ezingenziwa nguNkulunkulu kuphela, abazigaxi ezinhlanganweni zezwe zokulungisa izimo, ezivame ukuqala zinezinhloso ezinhle kodwa zigcine zibangela ukudumazeka ngisho nobudlova.—2 Petru 3:13.
17. Yini uJesu ayenza ukuze asize labo ayephakathi kwabo, kodwa yini angayenzanga?
17 Ngokuthatha le nkambo, oFakazi BakaJehova babonisa ukuthembela kuJehova okufana nokwaboniswa uJesu lapho esemhlabeni. Emuva ekhulwini lokuqala, uJesu wenza izimangaliso zokuphulukisa. (Luka 6:17-19) Wavusa ngisho nabafileyo. (Luka 7:11-15; 8:49-56) Kodwa akazange ayisuse inkinga yokugula noma anqobe isitha esiwukufa. Wayazi ukuthi kwakungakabi yisikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esifanele salokhu. Ngamakhono angcono omuntu ophelele, cishe uJesu wayengenza lukhulu ekuxazululeni izinkinga ezinkulu zezombangazwe nezenhlalo. Kubonakala sengathi abanye babantu besikhathi sakhe babefuna athathe umbuso, azixazulule, kodwa uJesu wenqaba. Siyafunda: “Lapho abantu bebona izibonakaliso ayezenza, baqala ukuthi: ‘Ngokuqinisekile lona ungumprofethi owayezofika ezweni.’ Ngakho-ke, uJesu azi ukuthi base bezoza bambambe ukuze bamenze inkosi, waphinde wasuka waya entabeni eyedwa kuphela.”—Johane 6:14, 15.
18. (a) UJesu uye wasibonisa kanjani ngaso sonke isikhathi isimo sengqondo sokulinda? (b) Umsebenzi kaJesu uye washintsha kanjani kusukela ngo-1914?
18 UJesu wenqaba ukuzigaxa kwezombangazwe noma emsebenzini wezenhlalo ngoba wayazi ukuthi sasingakafiki isikhathi sokuba athathe amandla obukhosi, enze imisebenzi yokuphulukisa wonke umuntu yonke indawo. Ngisho nangemva kokuba esekhuphukele ezulwini ekuphileni komoya okungenakufa, wayezimisele ukulinda isikhathi sikaJehova esimisiwe ngaphambi kokuthatha isinyathelo. (IHubo 110:1; IzEnzo 2:34, 35) Nokho, kusukela abekwa esihlalweni sobukhosi njengeNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngo-1914, uphuma “enqoba futhi eyophelelisa ukunqoba kwakhe.” (IsAmbulo 6:2; 12:10) Yeka indlela esibonga ngayo ngokuzithoba ebukhosini bakhe, kuyilapho abanye abathi bangamaKristu bekhetha ukuhlala bengazazi izimfundiso zeBhayibheli mayelana noMbuso!
Ukulinda—Kudala Ukukhungatheka Noma Injabulo?
19. Kunini lapho ukulinda ‘kugulisa inhliziyo,’ futhi kunini lapho kubangela khona injabulo?
19 USolomoni wayazi ukuthi ukulinda kungakhungathekisa. Wabhala: “Ithemba elilitshazisiweyo ligulisa inhliziyo.” (IzAga 13:12) Ngokuqinisekile, uma umuntu enamathemba angenasisekelo, inhliziyo ingaguliswa ukudumala. Nokho, ukulindela izenzakalo ezijabulisayo—mhlawumbe umshado, ukuzalwa komntwana, noma ukuphinde sihlangane nabantu esibathandayo—kungasigcwalisa injabulo yokulinda kusekude ukuba lufike usuku okuyofezeka ngalo. Leyo njabulo iyanda uma sisisebenzisa ngokuhlakanipha isikhathi sokulinda, senza amalungiselelo esenzakalo esizayo.
20. (a) Yiziphi izenzakalo ezimangalisayo esilindele ukuzibona ngokuqiniseka? (b) Singayithola kanjani injabulo lapho sisalindele ukuba kufezeke izinjongo zikaJehova?
20 Lapho siqiniseka ngokugcwele ukuthi amathemba ethu azogcwaliseka—ngisho noma singazi ukuthi ayogcwaliseka nini—inkathi yokulinda akudingeki ‘igulise inhliziyo.’ Abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu abathembekile bayazi ukuthi ukuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane sekuseduze. Bayaqiniseka ukuthi bayobona ukuphela kokufa nezifo. Ngokulangazela okukhulu, balindele ngenjabulo isikhathi lapho beyokwamukela izigidi zibuya kwabafileyo, kuhlanganise nabathandekayo babo abafileyo. (IsAmbulo 20:1-3, 6; 21:3, 4) Kulezi zikhathi zezinhlekelele zezindawo, bajabula kakhulu ngethemba eliqinisekile lokubona iPharadesi selenziwe emhlabeni. (Isaya 35:1, 2, 7) Yeka ukuthi kuhlakaniphe kangakanani-ke ukusebenzisa isikhathi sokulinda ngokuhlakanipha, ‘ngaso sonke isikhathi sinokuningi kokukwenza emsebenzini weNkosi.’ (1 Korinte 15:58) Qhubeka uzondla ngokudla okungokomoya. Yakha ubungane obuseduze noJehova. Funa abanye abanhliziyo zabo zibashukumisela ukuba bakhonze uJehova. Khuthaza okholwa nabo. Sisebenzise ngokugcwele ngangokunokwenzeka noma yisiphi isikhathi uJehova asazosivumela. Khona-ke, ukulindela uJehova ngeke ‘kugulise inhliziyo’ yakho. Kunalokho, kuyokugcwalisa ngenjabulo!
Ungachaza?
• UJesu wasibonisa kanjani isimo sengqondo sokulinda?
• Yiziphi izimo amaKristu adinga kuzo isimo sengqondo sokulinda?
• Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova baneliswa ukulindela uJehova?
• Ukulindela uJehova kungenziwa kanjani ukuba kulethe injabulo?
[Izithombe ekhasini 12]
UJesu wakhuthazela ngenxa yenjabulo eyayibekwe phambi kwakhe
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
Ngisho sesineminyaka sikhonza, singahlala sijabule
[Izithombe ekhasini 15]
Izigidi ziye zathuthukisa ukuphila kwazo ngokuba oFakazi BakaJehova