Kutheni Sikhonza UYehova?

“IMINI kaYehova isondele! ‘Imbandezelo enkulu ikufuphi, yaye akuyi kusinda ukuba akumkhonzi uThixo.” Ukuba uthile ebekuxelele oko, ubuya kusabela njani?—Zefaniya 2:2, 3; Mateyu 24:21.

Kuyinyaniso ukuba, sifanele sihlale siyikhumbula imini kaYehova, yaye ukusinda kwimbandezelo enkulu esondelayo kuxhomekeke ekukhonzeni uThixo ngokuthembeka. Kodwa ngaba ezi zibakala zifanele zibe zezona zizathu ziyintloko zokuba sinikele inkonzo engcwele kuYehova uThixo? Kutheni wena ukhonza uYehova?

Imfuneko Yentshukumisa Efanelekileyo

Ukuba umntu akamkhonzi uThixo ngentshukumisa elungileyo, usenokuyeka ukuba oko akulindeleyo akwenzeki ebudeni bexesha elithile. Ngokomzekelo, abantu abathile babelindele ukuba uYesu Kristu abuye ngowe-1843 okanye ngowe-1844, minyaka leyo eyadlula amathemba abo engazange azaliseke. Okubangel’ umdla kule nkalo koko kwabhalwa nguGeorge Storrs, umpapashi weBible Examiner nowathi kamva wanxulumana noCharles Taze Russell, umongameli wokuqala weWatch Tower Society. KwiBible Examiner kaSeptemba 1846, lo kaStorrs wabhala oku:

“Imbopheleleko yokukhonza uThixo ingaphezulu lee kunesibakala nje sokuba imini sele iza kudlula. . . . Indlela ekuya kusatyelwa ngayo ukuba owe-1846 nowe-1847 bayadlula njengoko kusenokuba njalo, kungakhange kubekho ukubuya kwesibini, kuya kuba yintlekele engathethekiyo. Amava ayakungqina oku—ndithetha ngamava owe-1843 nowe-1844. Luphi uninzi lwabo ngoku bathi, ngokuzibabaza, ‘bashukunyiselwa ukukhonza uThixo’ njengoko babefanele ukwenjenjalo ngenxa yokuvakaliswa kwexesha lokuza kweNkosi? Yaye intlokoma ithi—BAPHI!!! Phantse mnye kuphela kwabalishumi osahamba endleleni ebonisa ukuluhlonela ubizo lwabo lobuKristu. Kutheni kunjalo nje? Babeqhutywe yintshukumisa ephosakeleyo. Eyona nto eyaba nomtsalane kubo neyabakhuthazayo yaba kukuzingca kwabo. Bafana kanye nomoni olele ngandletyananye okanye omka noqhwithela elwandle ozibona esecicini lokufa. Ukuba kufuneka efile, uya kuba ngumKristu. Ukuba wayesazi ukuba akakho ngozini, wayeya kuba ngongakhathaliyo kunanini na ngaphambili.”

Ukukhonza Sineentshukumisa Ezilungileyo

Ukuzingca nokoyika intshabalalo kusenokushukumisela abathile ekwenzeni ukuthanda kukaYehova umbandela wokudlulisa usana kunina. Abathile basenokuchwayitiswa lithemba lobomi eParadisi baze bamkhonze uThixo ngenxa nje yeso sizathu. Kanti, ukuba abantu abaqhutywa ngokuyintloko yintshukumisa elolo hlobo babecinga ukuba imini kaYehova nembandezelo enkulu zazingekho kufuphi kangako, babesenokungatyekeli ekumkhonzeni uThixo ngenzondelelo.

Kambe ke, asikokuzingca ukuvuyela amadinga neentsikekelo zikaThixo ezixelwe kusengaphambili. Ufuna sivuye ngenxa yamathemba abekwe phambi kwethu njengabalandeli boNyana wakhe, uYesu Kristu. Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Mayela nethemba, vuyani,” wongezelela esithi: “Mayela nembandezelo, nyamezelani; mayela nomthandazo, zingisani.” (Roma 12:12) Kunye nomthandazo, “uvuyo lukaYehova” luyasinceda ukuba sinyamezele izilingo size ngomonde silinde ukuzaliseka kwamadinga kaThixo. (Nehemiya 8:10) Okwangoku, sinezizathu ezininzi zokukhonza uYehova. Ziziphi ezinye zezi?

Imbopheleleko Nelungelo

NjengoMongami Wendalo Iphela, uYehova ulufanele yaye ufuna uzinikelo olukhethekileyo. (Eksodus 20:4, 5) Ngoko mKristu ngamnye unale mbopheleleko kuThixo enoba imbandezelo enkulu iqalisa ngomso, kunyaka ozayo, okanye kamva. Unembopheleleko yokukhonza uYehova ngokungazingci ngenxa yokumthanda uThixo ngentliziyo, ngomphefumlo, ngengqondo, nangamandla akhe ephela. (Marko 12:30) Wambi amaKristu okuqala ayecinga ukuba imini kaYehova yayikufuphi, kodwa ulindelo lwawo aluzange luzaliseke, yaye afa engakhange asibone eso siganeko. (1 Tesalonika 5:1-5; 2 Tesalonika 2:1-5) Noko ke, ukuba bathembeka kwada kwasa ekufeni, ekugqibeleni abo balandeli bathanjisiweyo bakaKristu bazuza umvuzo wokuvuselwa kubomi basezulwini.—ISityhilelo 2:10.

AmaNgqina kaYehova abhaptiziweyo afanele amkhonze ngokuthembeka ngenxa yokuba ngokuzithandela aye ayamkela imbopheleleko yokwenza ukuthanda kwakhe. Khawufan’ ucinge! Njengezithunywa zezulu ezingcwele, sinokwenza ukuthanda koMongami Wendalo Iphela. (INdumiso 103:20, 21) UYesu wayelixabisa gqitha ilungelo elinjalo kangangokuba wathi: “Okwam ukudla kukuba ndenze ukuthanda kowandithumayo, ndiwufeze umsebenzi wakhe.” (Yohane 4:34) Ukuba sinomoya onjalo, siya kuzivakalisa ngenzondelelo iindumiso zikaYehova size sixelele abanye ngeenjongo zakhe, njengoko zityhilwe eZibhalweni. Ngale ndlela, sikwanikwe ilungelo lokunceda abanye ngokomoya. Yaye ngokuqinisekileyo, ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo kuba simthanda kulilungelo elimangalisayo, kungakhathaliseki ixesha efika ngalo imini kaYehova.

Ukushukunyiswa Kukuba Nombulelo

Ukuba nombulelo ngothando lukaThixo ekunikeleni idini lentlawulelo loNyana wakhe kufanele kwakhona kusishukumisele ukuba simkhonze uYehova. Ngaxa lithile sasahlukanisiwe noYehova uThixo ngenxa yesono. Noko ke, uYesu wathi: “Kuba wenjenje uThixo ukulithanda kwakhe ihlabathi [loluntu], ude wancama uNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, ukuze bonke abakholwayo kuye bangatshabalali, koko babe nobomi obungunaphakade.” (Yohane 3:16) UYehova wathabatha inyathelo lokuqala kule nkalo, njengoko uPawulos wabhala wathi: “Ke yena uThixo uqondakalisa okwakhe ukusithanda ngokuthi, sakubon’ ukuba sisengaboni, uKristu asifele.” (Roma 5:8) Ukuba nombulelo ngale mbonakaliso yothando lukaThixo kufanele kusishukumisele ukuba simkhonze ngentliziyo iphela.

Ukuba noxabiso ngamalungiselelo kaYehova okomoya nawokwenyama kusinika isizathu esingakumbi sokumkhonza ngokuthembeka. ILizwi likaThixo lisisikhokelo esiqinisekileyo—likukukhanya emendweni wethu. Iimpapasho ezilungiselelwe ‘ngomkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo’ zisinceda sivisisanise ubomi bethu nokuthanda kukaThixo. (Mateyu 24:45-47; INdumiso 119:105) Yaye kuba sifuna uBukumkani tanci, kwakhona uYehova uyasilungiselela izinto zokwenyama. (Mateyu 6:25-34) Ngaba ubonakalisa uxabiso ngezi zinto?

Ukuba nombulelo ngenkululeko esiyinikwe nguThixo kunqulo lobuxoki kunikela esinye isizathu sokukhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka. Ihenyukazi lonqulo eliyiBhabhiloni Enkulu ‘lihleli phezu kwamanzi amaninzi,’ oko kukuthi ‘abantu, nezihlwele, neentlanga neelwimi.’ (ISityhilelo 17:1, 15) Sekunjalo, alihlali phezu kwabakhonzi bakaYehova, libaphembelela okanye libalawula ngokonqulo. Ngokomzekelo, bayayichasa imfundiso yonqulo lobuxoki yokuba umphefumlo womntu awufi. Bayazi ukuba umntu wadalwa “waba ngumphefumlo ophilileyo,” ukuba abafileyo “abazi lutho,” nokuba kuya kubakho uvuko. (Genesis 2:7; INtshumayeli 9:5, 10; IZenzo 24:15) Ngoko ababoyiki kwaye bengabanquli abantu abafileyo. Ngaba ukuba nombulelo ngenkululeko yokomoya enjalo kukwenza uyichase imfundiso yabawexuki uze ubambelele kunqulo olunyulu lukaYehova?—Yohane 8:32.

Ukuba noxabiso ngenkxaso kaYehova yemihla ngemihla kufanele kulwandise uzimiselo lwethu lokumkhonza ngokunyaniseka. Umdumisi uDavide wathi: “Mayibongwe iNkosi [uYehova, NW]; ithwala imithwalo yethu imihla ngemihla.” (INdumiso 68:19) Kwenye indawo umdumisi wathi: “Ngokuba ubawo noma bandishiyile, wesuka uYehova wandichola.” (INdumiso 27:10) Ewe, umntu okhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka unokulahlela umthwalo wakhe wokomfuziselo, onjengamaxhala nezilingo, kuThixo. Ngaba ubonakalisa uxabiso ngenkxaso kaYehova engapheliyo ngokumkhonza ngokuthembeka?—INdumiso 145:14.

Zukisa UYehova NoBukumkani Bakhe

Kwakhona umnqweno wokuzukisa uYehova ufanele usishukumisele ukuba simkhonze. Izidalwa zasezulwini zichazwa zizukisa uThixo ngala mazwi: “Ufanele, Nkosi, ukwamkela uzuko, nembeko, namandla; ngokuba inguwe owadala zonke izinto, nangenxa yokuthanda kwakho zikho, zadalelwa oko.” (ISityhilelo 4:11) UKumkani uDavide wamzukisa uThixo ngokuthi: “Bobakho, Yehova, ubukhulu, namandla, nozuko, noloyiso, nendili. . . . Bobakho, Yehova, ubukumkani . . . Ubutyebi nozuko buvela kuwe, ulawula zonke izinto . . . Ke ngoko, Thixo wethu, sinokubulela kuwe, sidumise igama lakho elibekekileyo.” (1 Kronike 29:10-13) Njengabakhonzi bakaYehova, ngaba siziva sinembopheleleko yokumzukisa ngamazwi nangezenzo ngoxa silindele ukuzaliseka kwamadinga akhe?—1 Korinte 10:31.

Ulangazelelo olunamandla lokuthetha ngoBukumkani bukaThixo yenye into esishukumisela ukuba sikhonze uYehova. Loo ntshukumisa ifanelekileyo iboniswa kakuhle kumazwi omdumisi athi: “Ziyabulela kuwe, Yehova, zonke izenzo zakho, bakubonge abakho benceba; uzuko lobukumkani bakho balutsho, bathethe ngobugorha bakho. Ukuba babazise oonyana babantu ubugorha bakhe, ubuqaqawuli obuhle bobukumkani bakhe. Ubukumkani bakho bubukumkani bamaphakade onke, nolawulo lwakho lukwizizukulwana ngezizukulwana.” (INdumiso 145:10-13) Ukuvakalisa isigidimi soBukumkani luthumo lwamaKristu yaye ngowona msebenzi ubalulekileyo wenziwayo kumhla wethu. (Mateyu 24:14; 28:19, 20) Ngaba unomnqweno ovuthayo wokumdumisa uYehova nokuxelela abanye ngoBukumkani bakhe?

Ukungcwaliswa kwegama likaYehova nokuthethelelwa kolongamo lwakhe kufanele kube kokubalulekileyo kuthi kuze kusenze sifune ukumkhonza ngokuthembeka. Sisenokuthandazela ukungcwaliswa kwegama likaYehova nokuthethelelwa kolongamo lwakhe. (Mateyu 6:9) Sinokwenza ngokuvisisana nemithandazo yethu ngokuzibhokoxa rhoqo kubulungiseleli bamaKristu nangokusasaza inyaniso engezona zinto zibalulekileyo.—Hezekile 36:23; 39:7.

Uvuyo Nolwaneliseko

Ngokukhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka, siba nolwaneliseko lokwenza intliziyo yakhe ivuye nolokumngqina uMtyholi elixoki. Nangona ngobuxoki uSathana enebango lokuba abantu bamkhonza uThixo ngenxa nje yezizathu zokuzingca, inkonzo yethu yokunyaniseka kuYehova, enikelwa ngothando, ilingqina libubuxoki ibango lalo mngcikivi. (Yobhi 1:8-12) Oku kusinika isizathu esilungileyo sokuqhubeka sisenza oko kuthethwe kwiMizekeliso 27:11: “Yiba nobulumko, nyana wam, uyivuyise intliziyo yam; ukuze ndimphendule ngezwi ondingcikivayo.” Ngokungakumbi, xa sikhonza uYehova ngokunyaniseka phezu kwako nje oko uSathana akwenzayo ukusithintela, ikhondo lethu lokugcina ingqibelelo lisenokuwomeleza amakholwa esikunye nawo.—Filipi 1:12-14.

Uvuyo nolwaneliseko lokuba nesabelo kwisivuno sokomoya kwakhona kufanele kusishukumisele ukuba simkhonze uYehova ngokuthembeka. UYesu wazuza ulonwabo ekuncedeni abantu, ngokukodwa ngokomoya. UMateyu 9:35-38 uthi: “Waye uYesu eyihamba yonke imizi nemizana, efundisa ezindlwini zabo zesikhungu, evakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo zobukumkani, ephilisa izifo zonke nezikhuhlane zonke ebantwini. Wathi, akuzibona izihlwele, wasikwa yimfesane zizo, ngokuba zibe zityhafile, zichithakele ngokwezimvu ezingenamalusi. Aze athi kubafundi bakhe, Ukuvuna okunene kuninzi, kodwa bona abasebenzi bambalwa. Khungani ngoko eNkosini yokuvuna, ikhuphe abasebenzi, baye ekuvuneni kwayo.” Ukuba umsebenzi wokuvuna uthabatha ixesha elide kunokuba besilindile, oku kuya kusinika ithuba elingakumbi lokufumana uvuyo nolwaneliseko ekuncedeni abanye ngokomoya. Kwakhona le yindlela yokubonakalisa uthando ngommelwane olulindelekileyo kuthi.—Mateyu 22:39.

Kutheni Ukhonza UThixo?

Siye saqwalasela kuphela izizathu ezimbalwa kwezininzi ezisenza sibopheleleke ukukhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka. Kuhle ukuba sizihlolisise ngomthandazo izizathu esinazo zokukhonza uThixo, kuba ngamnye kuthi uya kuphendula kuye. (Roma 14:12; Hebhere 4:13) Yaye abo bazingisayo ekubeni neentshukumisa nje zokuzingca abayi kuyinandipha inkoliseko kaThixo.

Yintoni enokulindelwa ukuba ngokuyintloko sixhalabele ukungcwaliswa kwegama likaYehova yaye sinikela inkonzo engcwele kuThixo ngentshukumisa yokungazingci? Ewe, uYehova uya kusisikelela thina nobulungiseleli bethu! (IMizekeliso 10:22) Kwakhona siya kufumana ubomi obungunaphakade kuba siye samkhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]

Amawaka akhonza uYehova eJapan

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]

Ukukhonza uYehova eCôte d’Ivoire

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 8]

SIX SERMONS, by George Storrs (1855)