Kuza Izikhathi Ezingcono

“SIPHILA ngo-one-zero-one,” kusho owesifazane othile.

“Izinto zimbi kakhulu kimina,” kuphendula umngane wakhe. “Ngiphila ngo-zero-zero-one.”

Kwezinye izingxenye zeNtshonalanga Afrika, ingxoxo enjalo ayidingi ncazelo. Kunokuba adle kathathu ngosuku (one-one-one), umuntu ophila ngo-one-zero-one angakwazi ukudla kabili kuphela ngosuku—kanye ekuseni kanye futhi kusihlwa. Insizwa ethile ephila ngo-zero-zero-one ichaza isimo sayo: “Ngidla kanye ngosuku. Ngigcwalisa isiqandisi sami ngamanzi. Ngidla i-gari [i-cassava] ebusuku ngaphambi kokulala. Yileyo ndlela ebengibhekana ngayo nesimo.”

Leso yisimo amanani andayo abantu akuso namuhla. Amanani ezinto ayakhuphuka, futhi amandla emali okuthenga ayehla.

Ukuntuleka Kokudla Kwakubikezelwe

Ochungechungeni lwemibono eyanikezwa umphostoli uJohane, uNkulunkulu wabikezela izimo ezinzima abantu abaningi ababhekana nazo namuhla. Phakathi kwazo kwakuyoba nokuntuleka kokudla. UJohane uyalandisa: “Ngabona, bheka! ihhashi elimnyama; futhi lowo ohlezi phezu kwalo wayephethe isikalo esandleni sakhe.” (IsAmbulo 6:5) Leli hhashi elibikezela okubi kanye nomgibeli walo lifanekisela indlala—ukudla kwakuyosweleka kangangokuthi kwakuyokwabiwa ngezikalo.

Ngokulandelayo umphostoli uJohane uthi: “Futhi ngezwa izwi . . . lithi: ‘Ilitha likakolweni ngodenariyu, namalitha amathathu ebhali ngodenariyu.’” Osukwini lukaJohane, ilitha likakolweni laliyisabelo sesosha sansuku zonke, futhi udenariyu wawuyimali ekhokhelwa umsebenzi wosuku. Ngakho, inguqulo kaRichard Weymouth ilihumusha kanje leli vesi: “Umholo wosuku lonke ngesinkwa, umholo wosuku lonke ngamakhekhe ebhali amathathu.”—IsAmbulo 6:6.

Ungakanani umholo wosuku lonke namuhla? Umbiko i-State of World Population, 1994 uyaphawula: “Abantu abangaba izigidi ezingu-1 100, amaphesenti angaba ngu-30 enani labantu lamazwe asathuthuka, baphila cishe ngo-$1 [R3,50] ngosuku.” Ngaleyo ndlela, kubantu abampofu emhlabeni, umholo wosuku cishe uthenga isinkwa esisodwa ngokoqobo.

Yebo, lokhu akubamangazi labo abampofu kakhulu. “Isinkwa!” kubabaza enye indoda. “Ubani nje ongadla isinkwa? Ezinsukwini zanamuhla isinkwa ukudla kokunethezeka!”

Ngokuphambene, akukho ukuntuleka kokudla. Ngokwemithombo ye-UN, phakathi neminyaka eyishumi edlule, umkhiqizo wokudla womhlaba wonke wanda ngamaphesenti angu-24, okwakungaphezulu kokukhula kwenani labantu emhlabeni. Nokho, lokhu kwanda kokudla akuzange kujatshulelwe yibo bonke abantu. Ngokwesibonelo, e-Afrika umkhiqizo wokudla empeleni wehla ngamaphesenti angu-5, kuyilapho inani labantu lakhuphuka ngamaphesenti angu-34. Ngakho naphezu kokuba khona kwenala yokudla embulungeni yonke, ukuntuleka kokudla kuyaqhubeka emazweni amaningi.

Ukuntuleka kokudla kusho ukuphakama kwamanani ezinto. Ukuntuleka kwemisebenzi, amaholo aphansi, nokwehla kwamandla emali okuphakamayo kwenza kube nzima ngokwengeziwe ukuthola imali yokuthenga lokho okutholakalayo. I-Human Development Report 1994 ithi: “Abantu abalambi ngenxa yokuthi ukudla akutholakali—kodwa ngenxa yokuthi abakwazi ukukuthenga.”

Ngokwandayo, kukhona ukungabi nathemba, ukukhungatheka, nokudangala. “Abantu banomuzwa wokuthi isikhathi sanamuhla sibi, kodwa ikusasa liyoba libi kakhulu,” kusho uGlory, ohlala eNtshonalanga Afrika. Omunye wesifazane wathi: “Abantu banomuzwa wokuthi basondela enhlekeleleni. Banomuzwa wokuthi kuyofika usuku lapho kungeke kusaba nalutho olusele emakethe.”

UJehova Wazinakekela Izinceku Zakhe Esikhathini Esidlule

Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ziyazi ukuthi uJehova uyabavuza abakholekile bakhe ngokwanelisa izidingo zabo nangokubanika amandla okubhekana nezimo ezinzima. Eqinisweni, ukuthembela okunjalo emandleni kaNkulunkulu okunakekela kuyingxenye ebalulekile yokholo lwabo. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Lowo osondela kuNkulunkulu kumelwe akholelwe ukuthi ukhona nokuthi uba umvuzi walabo abamfuna ngobuqotho.”—Heberu 11:6.

Ngaso sonke isikhathi uJehova uye wanakekela izinceku zakhe ezikholekile. Phakathi nesomiso esathatha iminyaka emithathu nengxenye, uJehova walungiselela umprofethi u-Eliya ukudla. Ekuqaleni, uNkulunkulu wayala amagwababa ukuba alethele u-Eliya isinkwa nenyama. (1 AmaKhosi 17:2-6) Kamuva, uJehova wagcina ngokuyisimangaliso ufulawa namafutha omfelokazi owayondla u-Eliya. (1 AmaKhosi 17:8-16) Phakathi naleyo ndlala, naphezu koshushiso olunzima olungokwenkolo olwaluvela eNdlovukazini embi uJezebeli, uJehova futhi waqiniseka ukuthi abaprofethi bakhe babondliwa ngesinkwa namanzi.—1 AmaKhosi 18:13.

Kamuva, lapho inkosi yaseBabiloni ivimbezela iJerusalema elihlubukayo, kwadingeka ukuba abantu “badle isinkwa ngesilinganiso ngokwesaba.” (Hezekeli 4:16) Isimo saba bucayi kangangokuthi abanye besifazane badla inyama yezingane zabo uqobo. (IsiLilo 2:20) Nokho, nakuba umprofethi uJeremiya ayeboshiwe ngenxa yokushumayela kwakhe, uJehova waqiniseka ukuthi “[uJeremiya] bamnika imihla ngemihla iqebelengwane lesinkwa livela esiTaladini sabaPhekizinkwa, kwaze kwaphela isinkwa sonke emzini.”—Jeremiya 37:21.

Ingabe uJehova wamkhohlwa uJeremiya lapho isinkwa sesiphelile? Ngokusobala akazange, ngoba lapho umuzi uwela kwabaseBabiloni, uJeremiya wanikezwa ‘umphako nesipho, wavunyelwa ukuba ahambe.’—Jeremiya 40:5, 6; bheka neHubo 37:25.

UNkulunkulu Uyazisekela Izinceku Zakhe Namuhla

Njengoba nje uJehova asekela izinceku zakhe ezizukulwaneni ezidlule, wenza kanjalo nanamuhla, ezinakekela kokubili ngokwenyama nangokomoya. Ngokwesibonelo, cabangela okuhlangenwe nakho kukaLamitunde, ohlala eNtshonalanga Afrika. Uyalandisa: “Nganginepulazi lezinkukhu elikhulu impela. Ngolunye usuku, kwafika abaphangi abahlomile epulazini futhi bantshontsha iningi lalezi zinkukhu, umshini wokuphehla ugesi wezimo eziphuthumayo, nemali esasinayo. Ngokushesha nje ngemva kwalokho, izinkukhu ezimbalwa ezazisele zabulawa isifo esithile. Lokho kwalichitha ibhizinisi lami lezinkukhu. Ngazama ukuthola umsebenzi iminyaka emibili ngingaphumeleli. Kwakunzima ngempela, kodwa uJehova wasisekela.

“Okwangisiza ukuba ngibhekane nalezi zikhathi ezinzima kwakuwukuqaphela kwami ukuthi uJehova uyazivumela izinto ukuba zisehlakalele ukuze asicwengisise. Mina nomkami saqhubeka nesimiso sethu esivamile sesifundo seBhayibheli somkhaya, futhi lokhu kwasisiza ngempela. Umthandazo nawo wawungumthombo omkhulu wamandla. Ngezinye izikhathi ngangingazizwa ngithanda ukuthandaza, kodwa lapho ngithandaza, ngangizizwa ngingcono.

“Phakathi naleyo nkathi eyayinzima, ngafunda ukubaluleka kokuzindla ngemiBhalo. Ngangivame ukucabanga kakhulu ngeHubo 23, elikhuluma ngoJehova njengoMalusi wethu. Omunye umbhalo owawungikhuthaza kwakungeyabaseFilipi 4:6, 7, obhekisela ‘ekuthuleni kukaNkulunkulu okudlula konke ukucabanga.’ Enye indima eyayingiqinisa kwakungeyoku-1 Petru 5:6, 7, ethi: ‘Ngakho-ke, zithobeni ngaphansi kwesandla sikaNkulunkulu esinamandla, ukuze aniphakamise ngesikhathi esifanele; kuyilapho niphonsa konke ukukhathazeka kwenu phezu kwakhe, ngoba uyanikhathalela.’ Wonke lamavesi angisiza phakathi nalezo zikhathi ezinzima. Lapho uzindla, uyakwazi ukususa engqondweni yakho izinto ezibangela ukucindezeleka.

“Manje sengiyasebenza futhi, kodwa uma ngikhuluma iqiniso, akukhona ukuthi izinto sezihamba kalula. Njengoba nje iBhayibheli labikezela kweyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:1-5, siphila ‘ezinsukwini zokugcina,’ eziphawulwa ‘izikhathi ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo.’ Asinakukushintsha lokho okushiwo umbhalo. Ngakho angilindele ukuba ukuphila kube lula. Nakuba kunjalo, nginomuzwa wokuthi umoya kaJehova uyangisiza ukuba ngibhekane nesimo.”

Naphezu kwezikhathi ezibucayi esiphila kuzo, labo abathembela kuJehova neNdodana yakhe eyiNkosi, uKristu Jesu, ngeke badumazeke. (Roma 10:11) UJesu ngokwakhe uyasiqinisekisa: “Ngenxa yalokhu ngithi kini: Yekani ukukhathazeka ngemiphefumulo yenu ngokuqondene nokuthi niyodlani noma niyophuzani, noma ngemizimba yenu ngokuqondene nokuthi niyogqokani. Umphefumulo awubalulekile yini ngaphezu kokudla nomzimba ngaphezu kwezambatho? Qaphelisisani izinyoni zezulu, ngoba azihlwanyeli mbewu noma zivune noma zibuthele ezinqolobaneni; noma kunjalo uYihlo osezulwini uyazondla. Anibalulekile yini nina ngaphezu kwazo? Ubani kini ongathi ngokukhathazeka anezele ingalo eyodwa ebudeni besikhathi sakhe sokuphila? Futhi, endabeni yezambatho, kungani nikhathazeka?”—Mathewu 6:25-28.

Ngokuqinisekile leyo imibuzo ebangela ukuzihlolisisa kulezi zikhathi ezibucayi. Kodwa uJesu waqhubeka nalamazwi aqinisekisayo: “Thathani isifundo eminduzeni yasesigangeni, indlela ekhula ngayo; ayikhandleki, futhi ayiphothi; kodwa ngithi kini ngisho noSolomoni enkazimulweni yakhe yonke wayengavunule nanjengowodwa wayo. Manje, uma uNkulunkulu ezigqokisa kanjalo izimila zasesigangeni, ezikhona namuhla ngakusasa ziphonswe eziko, ngeke yini kunalokho agqokise nina, nina eninokholo oluncane? Ngakho ningalokothi nikhathazeke nithi, ‘Sizodlani?’ noma, ‘Sizophuzani?’ noma, ‘Sizogqokani?’ Ngoba konke lokhu kuyizinto izizwe eziziphishekela ngokulangazela. Ngoba uYihlo wasezulwini uyazi ukuthi niyazidinga zonke lezizinto. Khona-ke, qhubekani nifuna kuqala umbuso nokulunga kwakhe, futhi zonke lezi ezinye izinto ziyonezelwa kini.”—Mathewu 6:28-33.

Kuza Izikhathi Ezingcono

Kukhona zonke izimpawu zokuthi ezingxenyeni eziningi zezwe, izimo zezomnotho nezenhlalo eziwohlokayo ziyoqhubeka ziba zimbi kakhulu. Nokho, abantu bakaNkulunkulu bayaqaphela ukuthi lezi zimo zingezesikhashana. Ukubusa okuwubukhazikhazi kweNkosi uSolomoni kwakufanekisela ububusi bokulunga beNkosi enkulu kunoSolomoni eyobusa phezu komhlaba wonke. (Mathewu 12:42) Leyo Nkosi nguKristu Jesu, “iNkosi yamakhosi noMbusi wababusi.”—IsAmbulo 19:16.

IHubo 72, elaba nokugcwaliseka kokuqala ngokuphathelene neNkosi uSolomoni, lichaza ukubusa okuhle kakhulu kukaJesu Kristu. Cabangela ezinye zezinto ezimangalisayo elizibikezelayo ngokuphathelene nekusasa lomhlaba ngaphansi kukaKristu njengeNkosi.

Izimo Ezinokuthula Emhlabeni Wonke: “Ezinsukwini zayo olungileyo uyakuqhakaza, kuvame ukuthula, ize ingabikho inyanga. Iyakubusa kusukela elwandle kuze kube-selwandle, kusukela emfuleni kuze kube-semikhawulweni yomhlaba.”—IHubo 72:7, 8.

Ukucatshangelwa Kwabampofu: “Iyakukhulula ompofu ozikhalela kuyo, nohluphekayo ongenamsizi. Iyakuhawukela odangeleyo nompofu; iyakusindisa imiphefumulo yabampofu. Iyakukhulula umphefumulo wabo okhahlweni nasendluzuleni; igazi labo liyakuba-yigugu emehlweni ayo.”—IHubo 72:12-14.

Inala Yokudla: “Kuyakuba-khona inala kakolweni ezweni esiqongweni sezintaba.”—IHubo 72:16.

Umhlaba Uyogcwala Inkazimulo KaJehova: “Makabongwe uJehova uNkulunkulu, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, onguye yedwa owenza izimangaliso. Malibongwe igama lakhe lenkazimulo kuze kube-phakade, umhlaba wonke ugcwale inkazimulo yakhe.”—IHubo 72:18, 19.

Ngakho ngempela kuza izikhathi ezingcono.