Wena Nokugcina Isikhathi

UMBONISI ongumKristu ebandleni eliseNingizimu Melika wayenezimfanelo eziningi ezinhle. Kodwa abangane bakhe abakhulu ngokuntela babembiza ngokuthi uArmagedoni. Ngani? Babethi: “Siyazi ukuthi yena uyeza, kodwa uNkulunkulu kuphela owaziyo ukuthi nini!”

Yebo, ukugcina isikhathi—noma ukungasigcini—kulithinta kakhulu idumela lomuntu. INkosi ehlakaniphile uSolomoni yakufanekisa ngalendlela: “Izimpukane ezifileyo zenza amafutha omthaki ukuba anuke, abile; kanjalo ubuwula obuncane bulingana nokuhlakanipha nodumo.” (UmShumayeli 10:1) UmKristu angase abe nezimfanelo eziningi ezinhle, kodwa uyolona idumela lakhe elihle uma engasiqapheli isikhathi.

“Abantu abagcina isikhathi banginikeza ukuqiniseka,” kusho umbonisi othile. “Yibo engikhetha ukusebenza nabo.” Bayaziswa futhi emkhakheni wezamabhizinisi. “Fika emsebenzini ngesikhathi; fika kusenesikhathi emihlanganweni; hambisa imibiko ngesikhathi efuneka ngaso,” kweluleka iEmily Post’s Etiquette. Ngokufanayo, iNew Etiquette (1987) ithi, ngokuvamile, “abaphuza ukufika abafiki abaluhlaza.” Khona-ke lababhali bayanezela: “Izinkonzo zenkolo nazo zingesinye futhi isenzakalo okungafanele kuphuzwe ukufika kuso.”

Sonke siba nokwazisa lapho abanye begcina isikhathi. Ngokusobala umphostoli uPawulu wazizwa ngaleyondlela, ngoba wabhalalela amaKristu aseKolose: “Ngikhona kini ngomoya ngithokoza, ngibona inhlelo yenu.” (Kolose 2:5) Futhi ngokuqinisekile sinemizwa iNkosi uDavide eyayinayo ngokuqondene nezithembiso zikaJehova lapho ibhala kumaHubo: “Nkulunkulu wami, mawungalibali.”—IHubo 40:17; 70:5.

“Yibani-ngabalingisa UNkulunkulu”

Eqinisweni, uJehova akalokothi ephuze. Ungovelele ngokuqaphela kwakhe isikhathi. Lokhu kuboniswa kuyo yonke imisebenzi yakhe yendalo. Kusukela endaweni yonke engenamngcele kuya ezintweni eziphilayo ezincane kakhulu, konke kusebenza njengokungathi kulawulwa yiwashi elingabonakali. Ngokwesibonelo, uhlobo oluthile lomnduze wasolwandle eduze naseJapane ludedela amangqamuzana alo obulili kanye unyaka ngamunye ngo-October cishe ngehora lesithathu ntambama ngosuku lapho inyanga isilucezu noma isihlephukile. Entwasahlobo igrunion encane ilinganisa isikhathi somjikelezo wayo wokuzala ngemizuzu embalwa yokuhlehlela kwamanzi kakhulu ogwini lwaseCalifornia.

Ukulinganisa kukaJehova isikhathi nakho kushaya emhloleni uma kuziwa ekugcwaliseni isithembiso sakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, kuEksodusi 12:41 sifunda ukuthi “kwathi ekupheleni kweminyaka engamakhulu amane namashumi amathathu, kwathi ngalona lolosuku, amabandla onke kaJehova aphuma ezweni laseGibithe.” Ngaleyondlela uJehova wagcina isithembiso ayesenze kuAbrama emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka ngaphambili.—Genesise 15:13-16; Galathiya 3:17.a

UJehova wathumela iNdodana yakhe, uMesiya, emhlabeni ngaso kanye isikhathi esabikezelwa umprofethi uDaniyeli emakhulwini angaphezu kwayisihlanu eminyaka ngaphambili, ukuze ‘ifele abantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu ngesikhathi esimisiwe.’ (Roma 5:6; Daniyeli 9:25) Ngokuqondene nesiphelo salesimiso sezinto, iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi uJehova uyalwazi “lolosuku nalelohora.” (Mathewu 24:36) Ngeke ephuze. Ngokucacile, isibonelo sikaJehova ekubeni ogcina isikhathi sikufanelekele ukuba sisilingise.—Efesu 5:1.

“Ngosuku Lwawo”

UJehova ngaso sonke isikhathi uye walindela ukuba izinceku zakhe zisiqaphele isikhathi, ikakhulukazi ngokuqondene nokukhulekela kwakhe. “Isimiso sansuku zonke” sasilandelwa lapho amaIsrayeli enikela imihlatshelo. UJehova wawayala: “Umnikelo wami . . . niyakuqaphela ukunikela ngawo kimi ngesikhathi sawo.” Futhi wanikeza uMose lesiyalezo ngokuqondene nemihlangano: “Yonke inhlangano [kumelwe igcine isikhathi esimisiwe, NW].”—Levitikusi 23:37, NW; Numeri 10:3; 28:2.

Kamuva, amaJuda ahlonipha ‘isikhathi sempepho.’ (Luka 1:10) ‘Ihora lokukhuleka, elesishiyagalolunye,’ lalihlonishwa kokubili amaJuda nabanye. (IzEnzo 3:1; 10:3, 4, 30) Futhi ngokuqondene nemihlangano yamaKristu, uPawulu wabhala: “Konke makwenziwe ngemfanelo nangenhlelo.”—1 Korinte 14:40.

Konke lokhu kwakuyodingani kumaIsrayeli nakumaKristu akuqala? Ukuba agcine isikhathi esimiselwe okumelwe bakwenze, ikakhulukazi ngokuqondene nokukhulekela kwabo. Asikho isizathu sokucabanga ukuthi uJehova ubeyolindela okungaphansi kwalokho ezincekwini zakhe namuhla.

Isizathu Esenza Abanye Bakuthole Kunzima

Izimo zengqondo ngesikhathi zihlukahluka ngokuphawulekayo kuye ngamazwe. Isithunywa sevangeli sibika ukuthi edolobheni elincane laseNingizimu Melika, umkaso ngezinye izikhathi wayeba ukuphela komuntu okhona lapho sisho ingoma yokuvula ekuqaleni komhlangano wobuKristu. Kodwa lapho sisho ingoma yokuphetha, kwakuba nabantu abangu-70. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ezweni eliseNtshonalanga Yurophu, cishe abantu abayinkulungwane babuzwa: “Uma umenyelwe esidlweni sakusihlwa ngo–7:00 p.m., ingabe kumelwe ufike kusasele imizuzu eyisihlanu noma eyishumi, noma sekwephuze ngemizuzu eyisihlanu noma eyishumi, noma ngaso kanye isikhathi?” Iningi lasabela ngokuthi “ukuboniswa kwemikhuba emihle kudinga inhlonipho eqotho ngalowo okumemile nokufika ngawo kanye umzuzu.”

Nokho, ukuba ogcina isikhathi kungaphezu kokuba indaba yokukhethwa ngokwendawo. Kuwumkhuba, njengoba nokuba ohlanzekile, ococekile, noma ozothile kungumkhuba. Njengoba ungase ulindele, asizalwa sinemikhuba enjalo; kumelwe siyihlakulele. Uma wafundiswa ukugcina isikhathi usewumntwana, lokho kuyisibusiso. Kodwa abaningi bavela emikhayeni nasezizindeni lapho kwakunemingcele embalwa futhi sisincane isidingo sokuvumelanisa imizamo yomuntu nemizamo yabanye. Kulapho beba amalungu ebandla lobuKristu futhi behlanganyela emihlanganweni yalo nasenkonzweni yasobala kuphela lapho isidingo sokugcina isikhathi siba ngokoqobo kubo. Bangase bakuthole kunzima ukulungisa umkhuba wokwephuza abawufunda besebancane. Nakuba kunjalo, uthando lomuntu ngoJehova uNkulunkulu nangomakhelwane wakhe lungamshukumisela ekubeni ashintshe. Kodwa, kungani kudingeka kwenziwe ushintsho?

Kungani Kumelwe Ugcine Isikhathi?

UBenjamin Franklin wake wabuza: “Ingabe uyakuthanda ukuphila?” “Khona-ke ungasisaphazi isikhathi, ngoba lokho yinto ukuphila okwakhiwa ngayo.” Sonke siyaliqaphela iqiniso elikulawomazwi. Nokho, okubaluleke ngokulinganayo kumaKristu kuwukungasaphazi isikhathi sabanye abantu. “Ofika sekwephuzile,” kuphawula esinye isithunywa sevangeli, “ngesenzo sakhe ubonakala ethi, ‘Isikhathi sami siyigugu ngokwengeziwe kunesakho, ngakho wena ungalinda kuze kube yilapho mina sengilungile.’” Umuntu ongasigcini isikhathi akabonakali engahlelekile futhi engenakwethenjelwa kuphela kodwa futhi ubonakala cishe enokuqosha futhi engacabangeli. AmaKristu eqiniso afuna ‘ukungenzi lutho ngombango noma ngokuqhosha, kepha ngokuthobeka ashaya sengathi abanye bakhulu kunawo.’—Filipi 2:3.

Abanye bangase babe nomuzwa wokuthi abathandi ukuphila ngewashi, konke abakwenzayo kubuswe yilo. Nokho, ukuba ogcina isikhathi akuyona nje indaba yokuba olawulwa yiwashi. Kuyindaba yokucabangela izithakazelo nezinzuzo zabanye abantu, “yilowo nalowo angabheki okwakhe, kepha yilowo abheke nokwabanye.”—Filipi 2:4.

Ngokwesibonelo, cabangela iseluleko seBhayibheli: “Yamukelanani, njengalokho noKristu wasamukela.” (Roma 15:7) Ngezinga lokhu okusebenza ngalo ekubingelelaneni okungokoqobo, ngokucacile kunzima ngokwengeziwe ukukwenza uma umuntu njalo efika sekwephuzile emihlanganweni. Ngokufika ngaphambi kwesikhathi emihlanganweni, ungaba nengxenye emoyeni wothando, wobungane, nowokwamukela wemibuthano enjalo ngezinga elikhulu ngokwengeziwe. Futhi ngempela izinzuzo zikabili. Ukufika ngaphambi kwesikhathi kukwenza ukwazi ukuhlanganyela engomeni yokuvula nomthandazo—ingxenye ebalulekile yokukhuleka kobunye kwebandla. Ukuzwa isihloko sethulwa kuyokusiza ukuba ukulandele kangcono ukuqhubeka kwesimiso.

Ukugcina kwakho isikhathi kwenza abanye bakwazi ukuvumelanisa imisebenzi yabo, futhi ngenxa yalokho kungafezwa okukhulu. Lapho ehlasela umuzi waseAyi, uJoshuwa wathuma ingxenye yamabutho akhe ukuba iyenge isitha ukuba siphume emzini kuyilapho amanye amadoda akhe ewuqamekela umuzi ukuze awuthathe. Khona-ke, ngalesosikhathi esibucayi, uJoshuwa wanikeza uphawu. Amadoda akhe ‘aqala ukubaleka ngaso kanye isikhathi elula isandla sakhe,’ futhi lowomuzi wawa phambi kwabo. Ungacabanga ukuthi yini eyayiyokwenzeka ukuba babengasigcinanga isikhathi?—Joshuwa 8:6-8, 18, 19.

Izinceku ezingamaKristu namuhla zinezizathu eziningi zokuqaphela isikhathi. Ukuhlanganyela nabanye ekushumayeleni ngoMbuso, ukubukeza izingxenye zemihlangano emikhulu noma yebandla, ngisho nokuhlanza iHholo LoMbuso, konke kudinga ukuba sivumelanise izenzo zethu nabanye. Ngokuba abagcina isikhathi, singafeza okuningi. Lokhu kunjalo ngisho nakokuthile okulula njengokubika komuntu umsebenzi wakhe wokushumayela ekupheleni kwenyanga. Lapho bonke bebambisana ekwenzeni kanjalo ngokushesha, khona-ke imibiko eqondé ngqo nekhuthazayo yebandla neyomhlaba wonke ingahlanganiswa.

Ukuba ogcina isikhathi kuhlanganisa futhi nokugcina izikhathi ezimisiwe nokuhlangabezana nezikhathi ezingujuqu, eziba ziningi kakhulu nsuku zonke. Okunye kukhulu, okunye kuncane. Ngokwesibonelo, umshado wakho kufanele uqale ngesikhathi esikhethiwe. Ungase uthande ukuba iqanda lakho libiliswe imizuzu engaka kuphela. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yikuphi, umuntu ogcina isikhathi akudingeki ukuba axhamazele esuka kokunye eya kokunye, eshiywa yisikhathi kukho konke. Kunalokho, wehlisa umoya futhi uhlelekile. Ufeza okuningi ngoba uyaluhlela usuku lwakhe futhi aqale ngesikhathi noma ngisho nangaphambidlana.

Ngempela, kunezizathu eziningi ezenza amaKristu akhathalele isikhathi. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, kungenye indlela yokubonisa uthando lwethu olungenabugovu ngamaKristu esikanye nawo nenhlonipho yethu ngamalungiselelo angokwasezulwini okukhulekela kweqiniso.

Pho, umuntu angawuhlakulela kanjani lomkhuba wokugcina isikhathi?

‘Zazi Izikhathi Ezimisiwe’

“Nonogolantethe . . . uyazazi izikhathi zakhe ezimisiweyo” zokuthutha, futhi intuthwane “ilungisa nokho ehlobo isinkwa sayo” ukuze ilungele ubusika, kusho iBhayibheli. (Jeremiya 8:7; IzAga 6:8) Yilapho imfihlo yokuba ogcina isikhathi nowenza izinto ikhona.

Nathi futhi kumelwe ‘sizazi izikhathi zethu ezimisiwe.’ Nakuba singebona ababambelele ngokuqine kakhulu esikhathini noma abashiseka ngokweqile, kumelwe sisikhathalele isikhathi. Akumelwe sazi kuphela lokho okumelwe sikwenze kodwa futhi nesikhathi okumelwe sikwenze ngaso. Kudingeka sijwayelane nomkhuba wokucabanga kusengaphambili, sibonelele ukulibala okungase kwenzeke, nokuba futhi abazimisele ukunciphisa umsebenzi okhona ukuze senze okuthile okubaluleke ngokwengeziwe, njengemihlangano yethu, inkonzo yasensimini, neminye imisebenzi engokwasezulwini.

Maqondana nalokhu, ukubambisana komkhaya kubalulekile. Kuye kwaphawulwa ukuthi ngokuvamile ubaba ukushiyela kumama ukuba asize umkhaya ukuba ulunge. Khona-ke uphuma emnyango yedwa, ajezeqe emuva athi, “Sheshani, nizofika sekwephuzile!” UJakobe wayengenjalo; ngokusiza “wakhwelisa amadodana akhe nawomkakhe emakameleni” lapho sekuyisikhathi sokuhamba.—Genesise 31:17.

Khona-ke, ubaba angawusiza kanjani umkhaya wakhe? Abantwana bangafundiswa ukuba babe nesikhathi sokulungiselela izinto ezibalulekile kunokuba konke bakushiyele emzuzwini wokugcina. Bangase basizwe ukuba bahlakulele ukuba nomqondo wokuba nomthwalo wemfanelo neqholo ekwenzeni izinto ngokushesha. Njengomkhaya, cabangelani izibonelo zeBhayibheli ezibonisa ukubaluleka kokuba olunge nofika ngesikhathi. (Genesise 19:16; Eksodusi 12:11; Luka 17:31) Cishe isifundo esingcono kakhulu noma esiphumelela kakhulu sinikezwa yisibonelo esihle sabazali.

Ababonisi abangamaKristu nabo bangasiza ibandla ngokubeka isibonelo esifanele. Bebengeke bamiswe ukuba ‘bebengahlelekile.’ (1 Thimothewu 3:2) Abanye abazalwane nodade cishe bayogcina isikhathi ngokwengeziwe uma bazi ukuthi abadala bazobe bekhona ukuze bababingelele futhi bahole. Ngakho ababonisi abaqaphelayo bayolwela ukuba seHholo LoMbuso ngaphambi kwesikhathi ukuze basize ibandla. Izinceku ezikhonzayo ezifika ngaphambi kwesikhathi ukuze zibingelele abafowabo futhi zikhonze izidingo zabo zaziswa kakhulu.

Njengoba kungase kulindelwe, ukugcina isikhathi kudinga ukuzithiba nokuziqeqesha. Cha, hhayi ngenjongo yokukwazi ukugcina isikhathi okufana nokwasempini, kodwa ngenxa yothando ngamaKristu esikanye nawo nangenhlonipho ngokuhleleka okungokwasezulwini. Lokhu kuyingxenye yobuntu obusha esizama ukubembatha. (Kolose 3:10, 12) Ngaphezu kwakho konke, sifuna ukuba njengoBaba wethu osezulwini, uJehova uNkulunkulu, osifundisa ukuthi “konke kunesikhathi sakho.”—UmShumayeli 3:1.

[Umbhalo waphansi]