Kodi Kukonda Mulungu Kumatanthauzanji?
PAFUPIFUPI zaka zikwi zisanu ndi chimodzi zapitazo, mwana woyamba waumunthu anabadwa. Atabadwa, amayi wake, Hava, anati: “Ndalandira munthu kwa Yehova.” (Genesis 4:1) Mawu ake amasonyeza kuti, ngakhale kuti anaweruzidwira ku imfa chifukwa cha kupanduka kwawo, Hava ndi mwamuna wake, Adamu, anali kuzindikirabe Umulungu wa Yehova. Pambuyo pake anabala mwana wachiŵiri. Anyamata amenewo anatchedwa Kaini ndi Abele.
Pamene anawo anali kukula, iwo mosakayikira anaphunzira zochuluka ponena za chikondi cha Yehova mwa kungopenda chilengedwe chake. Iwo anakondwa ndi maonekedwe okongola m’chilengedwe ndi nyama ndi zomera zamitundumitundu. Mulungu sanangowapatsa moyo koma anawapatsanso mphamvu ya kusangalala ndi moyo.
Anadziŵa kuti makolo awo analengedwa angwiro ndi kuti chifuno choyambirira cha Yehova chinali chakuti anthu akhale ndi moyo kosatha. Mwinamwake Adamu ndi Hava anawafotokozera za munda wokongola wa Edene, ndipo mwa njira ina yake ayenera kuti anafotokoza chifukwa chake anapitikitsidwa m’mudzi wa paradaiso umenewo. Kaini ndi Abele angakhale atadziŵanso za ulosi wa Mulungu wolembedwa pa Genesis 3:15. Mwa ulosi umenewo Yehova anasonyeza chifuno chake cha kuwongolera zinthu panthaŵi yake kuti aja omkonda ndi osonyeza kukhulupirika kwa iye akapindule.
Kuphunzira za Yehova ndi mikhalidwe yake kungakhale kutakulitsa mwa Kaini ndi Abele chikhumbo cha kupeza chiyanjo cha Mulungu. Chotero iwo anafikira Yehova mwa kupereka nsembe kwa iye. Nkhaniyo m’Baibulo imati: “Panali atapita masiku, Kaini anatenga zipatso za nthaka, nsembe ya kwa Yehova. Ndiponso Abele anatenga iyenso mwana woyamba wa nkhosa zake ndi mafuta omwe.”—Genesis 4:3, 4.
Chikhumbo cha kukhala ndi chiyanjo cha Mulungu chinayala maziko a unansi wawo ndi iye. Kaini anapandukira Mulungu, pamene Abele anapitiriza kusonkhezeredwa ndi chikondi chenicheni pa Mulungu. Abele sakanakhala ndi unansi wotero ndi Mulungu ngati choyamba sakanapeza chidziŵitso cha umunthu wa Yehova ndi zifuno zake.
Inunso mungadziŵe Yehova. Mwachitsanzo, m’Baibulo mungaphunzire kuti Mulungu ndi munthu weniweni, osati mphamvu yopanda moyo imene imangolenga zinthu mwangozi. (Yerekezerani ndi Yohane 7:28; Ahebri 9:24; Chivumbulutso 4:11.) Baibulo limaphunzitsanso kuti Yehova ali “Mulungu wachifundo ndi wachisomo, wolekereza, ndi wa ukoma mtima wochuluka, ndi wachoonadi.”—Eksodo 34:6.
“Kumvera Ndiko Kokoma Koposa Nsembe”
Monga momwe ikusonyezera nkhani ya Kaini ndi Abele, kukhala ndi chidziŵitso cha Mulungu ndi chikhumbo cha kukhala ndi unansi wapafupi ndi iye sikokwanira. Zoona, abale aŵiriwo anafika kwa Mulungu ndi nsembe. Komabe, “Yehova . . . anayang’anira Abele ndi nsembe yake: koma sanayang’anira Kaini ndi nsembe yake. Kaini ndipo anakwiya kwambiri, niigwa nkhope yake.”—Genesis 4:3-5.
Kodi nchifukwa ninji Yehova anakana nsembe ya Kaini? Kodi panali cholakwika ndi nsembe yake? Kodi Yehova anakwiya chifukwa chakuti Kaini anapereka nsembe “zipatso za nthaka” m’malo mwa nsembe ya nyama? Si zimenezo kwenikweni. Pambuyo pake, Mulungu analandira mokondwa nsembe za dzinthu ndi zipatso zina za nthaka kuchokera kwa ambiri a olambira ake. (Levitiko 2:1-16) Chotero, malinga ndi umboni, panali cholakwika china ndi mtima wa Kaini. Yehova anatha kusanthula mtima wa Kaini namchenjeza kuti: “Ukwiyiranji? Yagweranji nkhope yako? Ukachita zabwino, sudzalandiridwa kodi? Ukaleka kuchita zabwino, uchimo ubwatama pakhomo: kwa iwe kudzakhala kulakalaka kwake.”—Genesis 4:6, 7.
Chikondi chenicheni pa Mulungu chimatanthauza zambiri kuposa kungopereka nsembe. Nchifukwa chake Yehova analimbikitsa Kaini “kuchita zabwino.” Mulungu anafuna kumvera. Kumvera Mulungu kumeneko kukanathandiza Kaini kuyala maziko abwino a unansi wachikondi ndi Mlengi wake. Baibulo limagogomezera kufunika kwa kumvera ndi mawu awa: “Kodi Yehova akondwera ndi nsembe zopsereza ndi nsembe zophera, monga ndi kumvera mawu a Yehova? Taonani, kumvera ndiko kokoma koposa nsembe, kutchera khutu koposa mafuta a nkhosa zamphongo.”—1 Samueli 15:22.
Lingaliro limeneli linakhazikika bwino pambuyo pake ndi mawu a 1 Yohane 5:3: “Ichi ndi chikondi cha Mulungu, kuti tisunge malamulo ake: ndipo malamulo ake sali olemetsa.” Palibe njira ina yabwino yosonyezera chikondi chathu kwa Yehova kuposa ife eni kugonjera ulamuliro wake. Zimenezi zikutanthauza kumvera malamulo a Baibulo a makhalidwe abwino. (1 Akorinto 6:9, 10) Zimatanthauza kukonda chabwino ndi kudana nacho choipa.—Salmo 97:10; 101:3; Miyambo 8:13.
Njira ina imene tingasonyezere chikondi chathu pa Mulungu ndiyo chikondi chathu kwa mnansi. Baibulo limatiuza kuti: “Munthu akati, kuti, Ndikonda Mulungu, nadana naye mbale wake, ali wabodza: pakuti iye wosakonda mbale wake amene wamuona, sakhoza kukonda Mulungu amene sanamuona.”—1 Yohane 4:20.
Unansi Wapafupi ndi Mulungu Ngwotheka
Ena anganene kuti, ‘Ndimalambira Yehova. Ndimamvera malamulo ake. Ndimachitira zokoma anthu anzanga. Ndimachita zonsezo. Chikhalirechobe, sindimamva kukhala pafupi ndi Mulungu. Sindimamva kuti ndimamkondadi, ndipo zimenezo ndimamva nazo liwongo.’ Ena angaganize kuti sayenerera kukhala ndi unansi wapafupi umenewo ndi Yehova.
Atatumikira Yehova zaka pafupifupi 37 monga munthu wodzipatulira, Mkristu wina analemba kuti: “Nthaŵi zambiri m’moyo wanga ndinamva mphwayi muutumiki wanga kwa Yehova, ndi kuti mwinamwake sindinaikeko mtima wanga wonse. Koma ndinadziŵa kuti kutumikira Yehova kunali chinthu choyenera kuchita, ndipo sindinasiye. Komabe, nthaŵi iliyonse pamene ndinaŵerenga za wina wake akumanena kuti ‘mtima wake unadzala ndi chikondi kwa Yehova,’ ndinali kudzifunsa kuti, ‘Kodi cholakwika ndi ine nchiyani, popeza sindinamvepo motere?’” Kodi tingaupeze motani unansi wapafupi ndi Mulungu?
Ngati mumakondadi munthu wina, nthaŵi zambiri mumaganiza za iye. Mumakhala ndi chikhumbo chachikulu cha kukhala pafupi naye chifukwa mumasamala za iye. Pamene muonana naye kwambiri, kulankhula naye, ndi kuganiza za iye, chikondi chanu pa iye chimakulanso kwambiri. Choonadi chimenechi chimagwiranso ntchito pa kukulitsa kwanu chikondi pa Mulungu.
Pa Salmo 77:12, mlembi wouziridwa akuti: “Ndidzalingalira ntchito yanu yonse, ndi kulingalirabe zimene munazichita inu.” Kusinkhasinkha kumafunika kwambiri pa kukulitsa chikondi pa Mulungu. Zimenezi zili choncho makamaka chifukwa chakuti iye ali wosaoneka. Koma pamene muganiza kwambiri za iye, amakhaladi weniweni kwa inu. Mpokhapo pamene mungakhale naye pa unansi wapamtima ndi wachikondi—chifukwa ali weniweni kwa inu.
Kukonda kwanu kusinkhasinkha kaŵirikaŵiri za njira za Yehova ndi zochita zake kumadalira pa kuchuluka kwa nthaŵi imene mumamvetsera kwa iye. Mumamvetsera mwa kuŵerenga ndi kuphunzira Mawu ake, Baibulo nthaŵi zonse. Wamasalmo amalankhula kuti munthu wachimwemwe ndi uja amene ‘chikondwerero chake chili m’chilamulo cha Yehova; ndipo m’chilamulo chake amalingirira usana ndi usiku.’—Salmo 1:1, 2.
Mbali ina yofunikanso ndi pemphero. Nchifukwa chake Baibulo mobwerezabwereza limatilimbikitsa kupemphera—“nthaŵi yonse,” ‘kudzipereka pa kupemphera,’ ‘kulimbika chilimbikire m’kupemphera,’ ndi ‘kupemphera kosaleka.’ (Aefeso 6:18; 1 Akorinto 7:5; Aroma 12:12; 1 Atesalonika 5:17) Mapemphero athu osaleka kwa Yehova adzachititsa iye kutikonda, ndipo kudziŵa kuti adzatimva kudzatiyandikiza kwa iye. Wamasalmo anatsimikizira zimenezi pamene anati: “Ndimkonda, popeza Yehova amamva mawu anga ndi kupem[ph]a kwanga. Popeza amanditcherera khutu lake, chifukwa chake ndidzaitanira iye masiku anga onse.”—Salmo 116:1, 2.
Kutsanzira Mulungu Wachikondi
Yehova ngwabwino kwa ife. Pokhala Mlengi wa chilengedwe chonse, alidi ndi zinthu zambiri zozilingalira ndi kuzisamalira. Komabe, Baibulo limatiuza kuti ngakhale kuti ali wamkulukulu, amasamalirabe zolengedwa zake zaumunthu. Amatikonda. (1 Petro 5:6, 7) Wamasalmo atsimikizira zimenezi ndi mawu ake akuti: “Yehova, Ambuye wathu, dzina lanu liposadi nanga padziko lonse lapansi! Inu amene munaika ulemerero wanu pa thambo la kumwamba. Pakuona ine thambo la kumwamba lanu, ntchito ya zala zanu, mwezi ndi nyenyezi, zimene munazikhazika, munthu ndani kuti mumkumbukira? Ndi mwana wa munthu kuti [mumsamalira, NW]?”—Salmo 8:1, 3, 4.
Kodi Yehova wakumbukirabe munthu motani? Baibulo limayankha kuti: “Umo chidaoneka chikondi cha Mulungu mwa ife, kuti Mulungu anamtuma Mwana wake wobadwa yekha, aloŵe m’dziko lapansi, kuti tikhale ndi moyo mwa iye. Umo muli chikondi, sikuti ife tinakonda Mulungu, koma kuti iye anatikonda ife, ndipo anatuma Mwana wake akhale chiombolo chifukwa cha machimo athu.”—1 Yohane 4:9, 10.
Kodi chiombolo chimenechi chili motani umboni waukulu koposa wa chikondi cha Mulungu? Tiyeni tilingalire zimene zinachitika m’munda wa Edene. Adamu ndi Hava anafunikira kupanga chosankha kaya cha kumvera lamulo la Yehova ndi chiyembekezo cha moyo wosatha wangwiro kapena kupandukira Yehova ndi imfa monga chilango chake. Iwo anasankha kupanduka. (Genesis 3:1-6) Mwakutero iwo anaperekanso anthu onse ku chilango cha imfa. (Aroma 5:12) Iwo modzikuza anatilanda mwaŵi wa kudzisankhira tokha. Tinalibe chonena pankhaniyo.
Komabe, Yehova mwachikondi wakumbukira munthu, kuzindikira mkhalidwe wake wovuta. Mwa imfa ya nsembe ya Mwana Wake, Yesu Kristu, Yehova wayala maziko alamulo akuti aliyense wa ife adzisankhire kaya moyo kapena imfa, kumvera kapena kupanduka. (Yohane 3:16) Zili monga ngati kuti Yehova anatipatsa tsiku lathulathu m’khoti—mwaŵi wa kubwerera ku Edene, titero kunena kwake, ndi kupanga chosankha chathu. Chimenechi ndi chisonyezero chachikulu koposa cha chikondi chimene sichinachitikepo.
Talingalirani kuvutika mtima kumene Yehova anapirira pamene anaona mwana wake woyamba akunyozedwa, kuzunzidwa, ndi kupachikidwa monga mpandu. Ndipotu Mulungu anapirira zonsezo kaamba ka ife. Momwemonso, kuzindikira kwathu chikondi chimene Yehova anayamba nacho kutikonda kuyenera choyamba kutisonkhezera kumkonda ndi kutilimbikitsa kumfunafuna iye. (Yakobo 1:17; 1 Yohane 4:19) Baibulo limatipempha kuti “funani Yehova, ndi mphamvu yake; funsirani nkhope yake nthaŵi zonse. Kumbukirani zodabwiza zake adazichita; zizindikiro zake ndi maweruzo a pakamwa pake.”—Salmo 105:4, 5.
Kukhala ndi unansi wolimba ndi wachikondi ndi Mulungu, kukhala bwenzi lake, si chinthu chosatheka. Nkotheka. Zoona, sitingalinganize chikondi chathu kwa Mulungu ndi maunansi aumunthu. Chikondi chimene timakhala nacho kwa mnzathu wa muukwati, makolo, ang’ono athu, ana, kapena mabwenzi chimasiyana ndi chikondi chimene tili nacho kwa Mulungu. (Mateyu 10:37; 19:29) Kukonda Yehova kumaphatikizapo kudzipereka kwathu, kulambira, ndi kudzipatulira kwathu kotheratu kwa iye. (Deuteronomo 4:24) Palibe unansi wina umene umatanthauza zimenezo. Chikhalirechobe, tingakhale ndi chikondi cholimba ndi chachikulu kwa Mulungu mwaulemu, ndi mantha.—Salmo 89:7.
Ngakhale kuti muli opanda ungwiro, monga Kaini ndi Abele mukhoza kukonda Mlengi wanu. Kaini anasankha zimene anali kufuna, anagwirizana ndi Satana, nakhala woyamba kupha munthu. (1 Yohane 3:12) Komabe, Yehova adzamkumbukira Abele monga munthu wachikhulupiriro ndi wolungama ndipo adzafupidwa ndi moyo m’Paradaiso akudzayo.—Ahebri 11:4.
Nanunso mufunikira kusankha. Mothandizidwa ndi mzimu wa Mulungu ndi Mawu ake, mungafikedi pa kumkonda Mulungu “ndi mtima wanu wonse, ndi moyo wanu wonse, ndi mphamvu yanu yonse.” (Deuteronomo 6:5) Nayenso Yehova adzapitiriza kukukondani, pakuti “ali wobwezera mphotho iwo akumfuna iye.”—Ahebri 11:6.
[Chithunzi patsamba 7]
Mulungu analandira nsembe ya Abele