Kungani Kufanele Sithandaze Singaphezi?
“Thandazani ningaphezi. Nibonge ngakho konke.”—1 THESALONIKA 5:17, 18.
1, 2. UDaniyeli wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayelazisa ilungelo lomthandazo, futhi lokho kwabuthinta kanjani ubuhlobo bakhe noNkulunkulu?
UMPROFETHI uDaniyeli wayenomkhuba wokuthandaza kuNkulunkulu kathathu ngosuku. Wayeguqa ngasefasiteleni legumbi lakhe elisophahleni, elalibheke ngaseJerusalema, athandaze. (1 AmaKhosi 8:46-49; Daniyeli 6:10) Ngisho noma umyalo wenkosi usukwenqabela ukukhuleka komunye ngaphandle kwenkosi engumMede, uDariyu, uDaniyeli akanqikazanga nakancane. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kubeka ukuphila kwayo engozini noma cha, le ndoda yomthandazo yayingaphezi ukunxusa uJehova.
2 UJehova wayembheka kanjani uDaniyeli? Lapho ingelosi uGabriyeli ifika izophendula omunye wemithandazo kaDaniyeli, yathi lo mprofethi “ungumuntu ofiseleka kakhulu,” noma “indoda ethandeka kakhulu.” (Daniyeli 9:20-23; The New English Bible) Esiprofethweni sikaHezekeli, uJehova wakhuluma ngoDaniyeli njengendoda elungileyo. (Hezekeli 14:14, 20) Kusobala ukuthi njengoba isikhathi sihamba imithandazo kaDaniyeli yamakhela ubuhlobo obuseduze noNkulunkulu wakhe, into eyavunywa nanguDariyu.—Daniyeli 6:16.
3. Njengoba kuboniswa okuhlangenwe nakho kwesinye isithunywa sevangeli, umthandazo ungasisiza kanjani ukuba silondoloze ubuqotho?
3 Ukuthandaza njalo kungasisiza nathi ekubhekaneni nokulingwa okunzima. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngoHarold King, owayeyisithunywa sevangeli eChina wagwetshwa iminyaka emihlanu evalelwe yedwa. Ekhuluma ngokwenzeka kuye, uMfoweth’uKing wathi: “Kona ngangihlukanisiwe nabanye abantu, kodwa akekho owayengangihlukanisa noNkulunkulu. . . . Ngakho, ngangiguqa esitokisini sami kathathu ngosuku ngithandaze ngokuzwakalayo kubona noma ubani owayengase adlule ngasesitokisini sami, ngikhumbula uDaniyeli, iBhayibheli elikhuluma ngaye. . . . Ngezikhathi ezinjalo kwakuba sengathi umoya kaNkulunkulu uqondisa ingqondo yami ezintweni ezizuzisa kakhulu futhi unginika umuzwa wokuzola. Umthandazo wawungeve ungiqinisa ngokomoya futhi ungiduduza!”
4. Imiphi imibuzo esizoyihlola mayelana nomthandazo kulesi sihloko?
4 IBhayibheli lithi: “Thandazani ningaphezi. Nibonge ngakho konke.” (1 Thesalonika 5:17, 18) Sicabanga ngalesi seluleko, ake sihlole le mibuzo elandelayo: Kungani kufanele siyinake imithandazo yethu? Sinaziphi izizathu zokukhuluma njalo noJehova? Futhi yini okufanele siyenze uma sizizwa singafaneleki ukuthandaza kuNkulunkulu ngenxa yobuthakathaka bethu?
Yakha Ubungane Ngomthandazo
5. Umthandazo usenza sikwazi ukuba nabuphi ubungane obungefaniswe?
5 Ungathanda yini ukuba uJehova akubheke njengomngane wakhe? Wayibiza kanjalo inzalamizi u-Abrahama. (Isaya 41:8; Jakobe 2:23) UJehova ufuna sakhe ubuhlobo obunjalo naye. Empeleni usicela ukuba sisondele kuye. (Jakobe 4:8) Akufanele yini leso sicelo sisenze sicabangisise ngelungiselelo lomthandazo elingefaniswe? Akuve kunzima ukuthola ithuba lokukhuluma nesikhulu sikahulumeni esibalulekile, ingasaphathwa eyokuba umngane waso! Kodwa uMdali wamazulu nomhlaba usikhuthaza ukuba sikhulume naye ngomthandazo sikhululeke, noma nini lapho sifuna noma sidinga ukwenza kanjalo. (IHubo 37:5) Imithandazo yethu engaphezi isisiza ukuba sibe abangane abaseduze bakaJehova.
6. Isibonelo sikaJesu sisifundisani ngesidingo ‘sokuthandaza njalo’?
6 Nokho, akuve kulula ukuba siwudebeselele umthandazo! Singase sibe matasa sisingatha nje izingcindezi zokuphila kwansuku zonke kangangokuba singawenzi umzamo wokukhuluma noNkulunkulu. UJesu wakhuthaza abafundi bakhe ukuba ‘bathandaze njalo,’ futhi naye ngokwakhe wakwenza lokho. (Mathewu 26:41) Nakuba cishe njalo ayeba matasa kusukela ekuseni kuze kube sebusuku, wayebekela eceleni isikhathi sokukhuluma noYise wasezulwini. Ngezinye izikhathi, uJesu wayevuka “ekuseni kakhulu, kusemnyama,” ayothandaza. (Marku 1:35) Ekupheleni kosuku wayeke ahambe aye endaweni engenamuntu ayokhuluma noJehova. (Mathewu 14:23) UJesu wayesakha njalo isikhathi sokuthandaza, futhi nathi kufanele senze njalo.—1 Petru 2:21.
7. Iziphi izimo okufanele zisishukumisele ukuba sikhulume noBaba wethu osezulwini nsuku zonke?
7 Amathuba amahle okuthandaza ngasese avela kaningi osukwini ngalunye lapho sibhekana nezinkinga nezilingo futhi senza izinqumo. (Efesu 6:18) Lapho sifuna isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu kuzo zonke izici zokuphila, ubungane bethu naye buyokhula nakanjani. Uma abangane ababili besingatha izinkinga ndawonye, akubuqinisi yini lokho ubungane babo? (IzAga 17:17) Kuba njalo nalapho sincika kuJehova futhi sithola usizo lwakhe.—2 IziKronike 14:11.
8. Esibonelweni sikaNehemiya, sikaJesu, nesikaHana, yini esiyifundayo ngobude bemithandazo esiyenza sisodwa?
8 Asive sijabula ngokuthi uNkulunkulu akasibekeli mingcele ngokuthi singakhuluma naye ngomthandazo kaningi kangakanani noma isikhathi eside kangakanani! UNehemiya wathandaza buthule masinyane ngaphambi kokwenza isicelo enkosini yasePheresiya. (Nehemiya 2:4, 5) NoJesu wenza umthandazo omfushane lapho ecela uJehova ukuba amnike amandla okuvusa uLazaru. (Johane 11:41, 42) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uHana ‘wathandaza welula phambi kukaJehova’ lapho ethululela kuYe inhliziyo yakhe. (1 Samuweli 1:12, 15, 16) Imithandazo esiyenza sisodwa ingaba mifushane noma ibe mide kuye ngesidingo nezimo.
9. Kungani imithandazo yethu kufanele ihlanganise nokudumisa nokubonga ngakho konke uJehova asenzela kona?
9 Imithandazo eminingi eseBhayibhelini izwakalisa ukwazisa okusuka enhliziyweni ngesikhundla sikaJehova esiphakeme kakhulu nangemisebenzi yakhe emangalisayo. (Eksodusi 15:1-19; 1 IziKronike 16:7-36; IHubo 145) Embonweni, umphostoli uJohane ubona abadala abangu-24—amaKristu agcotshiwe ayinani eliphelele esezikhundleni zawo zasezulwini—bedumisa uJehova, bethi: “Uyakufanelekela, Jehova, yebo Nkulunkulu wethu, ukwamukela inkazimulo nodumo namandla, ngoba wadala zonke izinto, nangenxa yentando yakho zaba khona zadalwa.” (IsAmbulo 4:10, 11) Nathi sinesizathu sokumdumisa njalo uMdali. Abazali abeve bejabula lapho ingane yabo ibabonga ngokusuka enhliziyweni ngokuthile abayenzele kona! Ukuzindla ngomusa kaJehova ngokwazisa nokuzwakalisa ukubonga kwethu okusuka enhliziyweni ngawo kuyindlela enhle yokuthuthukisa imithandazo yethu.
Kungani Kufanele ‘Sithandaze Singaphezi’?
10. Umthandazo ufeza yiphi indima ekuqiniseni ukholo lwethu?
10 Ukuthandaza njalo kubalulekile okholweni lwethu. Ngemva kokufanekisa isidingo ‘sokuthandaza ngaso sonke isikhathi singayeki,’ uJesu wabuza: “Lapho iNdodana yomuntu ifika, ingabe ngempela iyoluthola ukholo emhlabeni?” (Luka 18:1-8) Umthandazo oqotho osuka enhliziyweni wakha ukholo. Lapho u-Abrahama inzalamizi esekhulile kodwa esalokhu engenangane, wakhuluma noNkulunkulu ngale ndaba. Ephendula, uJehova waqale wamcela ukuba abheke phezulu esibhakabhakeni abale izinkanyezi, uma ekwazi. UNkulunkulu wabe esemqinisekisa u-Abrahama: “Iyoba ngako inzalo yakho.” Waba yini umphumela? U-Abrahama “waba nokholo kuJehova; wayesekubalela kuye njengokulunga.” (Genesise 15:5, 6) Uma sithulula inhliziyo yethu kuJehova ngomthandazo, samukele iziqinisekiso zakhe eziseBhayibhelini, futhi simlalele, uyoqinisa ukholo lwethu.
11. Umthandazo ungasisiza kanjani ekusingatheni izinkinga?
11 Umthandazo ungasisiza nasekusingatheni izinkinga. Ingabe ukuphila kwethu kwansuku zonke kuyacindezela futhi izimo esibhekana nazo zinzima? IBhayibheli lithi kithi: “Phonsa umthwalo wakho phezu kukaJehova, yena uyokusekela. Akasoze avumele olungileyo antengantenge.” (IHubo 55:22) Lapho sibhekene nezinqumo ezinzima, singalingisa isibonelo sikaJesu. Wachitha ubusuku bonke ethandaza ngasese ngaphambi kokukhetha abaphostoli bakhe abangu-12. (Luka 6:12-16) Futhi ngobusuku obandulela ukufa kwakhe, uJesu wathandaza ngomuzwa ojulile kangangokuthi “izithukuthuku zakhe zaba njengamathonsi egazi awela emhlabathini.” (Luka 22:44) Waba yini umphumela? “Wazwiwa ngomusa ngenxa yokwesaba kwakhe kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu.” (Hebheru 5:7) Imithandazo yethu yentshiseko nengaphezi iyosisiza ekubhekaneni nezimo ezicindezelayo nokulingwa okunzima.
12. Ilungiselelo lomthandazo lisibonisa kanjani isithakazelo sikaJehova kithi ngabanye?
12 Esinye isizathu sokusondela kuJehova ngomthandazo ukuthi naye uyasondela kithi. (Jakobe 4:8) Lapho sithulula inhliziyo yethu kuJehova ngomthandazo, asizwa yini ukuthi unesithakazelo ezidingweni zethu nokuthi usikhathalela ngesisa? Sizibonela ngokwethu uthando lukaNkulunkulu. UJehova akawuphathisanga muntu umsebenzi wokulalela umthandazo ngamunye owenziwa izinceku zakhe kuye njengoYise osezulwini. (IHubo 66:19, 20; Luka 11:2) Futhi usimema ukuba ‘siphonse zonke izinkathazo zethu phezu kwakhe, ngoba uyasikhathalela.’—1 Petru 5:6, 7.
13, 14. Iziphi izizathu esinazo zokuthandaza singaphezi?
13 Umthandazo ungasifaka intshiseko eyengeziwe ngenkonzo yasobala futhi usiqinise lapho ukunganakwa noma ukuphikiswa kungase kusenze sizizwe sifuna ukuyeka phansi. (IzEnzo 4:23-31) Umthandazo ungasilonda ‘nasemaqhingeni kaDeveli.’ (Efesu 6:11, 17, 18) Lapho ukulingwa kwansuku zonke kusishuka, singamcela njalo uNkulunkulu ukuba asiqinise. Umthandazo kaJesu oyisibonelo unesicelo sokuba uJehova ‘asikhulule komubi,’ uSathane uDeveli.—Mathewu 6:13.
14 Uma siqhubeka sithandazela usizo lokulawula ukuthambekela kwethu esonweni, siyoluthola usizo lukaJehova. Sinalesi siqinisekiso: “UNkulunkulu uthembekile, futhi ngeke akuvumele ukuba nilingwe ngokungaphezu kwalokho eningakuthwala, kodwa kanye naleso silingo uyokwenza nendlela yokuphuma ukuze nikwazi ukusikhuthazelela.” (1 Korinte 10:13) Umphostoli uPawulu ngokwakhe wakuzwa ezimweni eziningi ezihlukahlukene ukukhathalela kukaJehova okuqinisayo. Wathi: “Nginamandla azo zonke izinto ngenxa yalowo ongipha amandla.”—Filipi 4:13; 2 Korinte 11:23-29.
Phikelela Emthandazweni Naphezu Kobuthakathaka
15. Kungenzekani lapho ukuziphatha kwethu kungazifinyeleli izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu?
15 Ukuze imithandazo yethu izwiwe ngomusa, akumelwe senqabe iseluleko seZwi likaNkulunkulu. Umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “Noma yini esiyicelayo siyayamukela kuye, ngoba sigcina imiyalo yakhe futhi senza izinto ezijabulisayo emehlweni akhe.” (1 Johane 3:22) Nokho, yini engenzeka lapho ukuziphatha kwethu kungazifinyeleli izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu? Ngemva kokona ensimini yase-Edene, u-Adamu no-Eva bacasha. Nathi singase sizizwe kuthi ‘asimcashele uJehova,’ siyeke ukuthandaza. (Genesise 3:8) UKlaus, umbonisi ojikelezayo ongumakad’ebona, uthi: “Ngiphawule ukuthi cishe njalo iphutha lokuqala abalenzayo labo abashenxayo bashiye uJehova nenhlangano yakhe ukuyeka ukuthandaza.” (Hebheru 2:1) Kwaba njalo ngoJosé Ángel. Uthi: “Iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-8, kwakuqabukela ngithandaza kuJehova. Ngangizizwa ngingafaneleki ukukhuluma naye, yize kona ngangisambheka njengoBaba wami osezulwini.”
16, 17. Nikeza izibonelo zezindlela ukuthandaza njalo okungasisiza ngazo ukuba sinqobe ubuthakathaka obungokomoya.
16 Abanye bethu bangase bazizwe bengafaneleki ukuthandaza ngenxa yobuthakathaka obungokomoya noma ngoba siye sawela ebubini. Kodwa lesi yisona kanye isikhathi okudingeka silisebenzise ngokugcwele ngaso ilungiselelo lomthandazo. UJona wabalekela isabelo ayesinikiwe. Kodwa ‘uJona wambiza uJehova esekucindezelekeni kwakhe, wamphendula. UJona wakhalela usizo esesiswini seShiyoli, uJehova walizwa izwi lakhe.’ (Jona 2:2) UJona wathandaza, futhi uJehova wawuphendula umthandazo wakhe, walulama ngokomoya.
17 NoJosé Ángel wathandaza ngomuzwa ojulile ecela usizo. Uyakhumbula: “Ngathulula inhliziyo yami ngincenga uNkulunkulu ukuba angithethelele. Wangisiza ngempela. Angicabangi ukuthi ngangiyobuyela eqinisweni ngaphandle kosizo lomthandazo. Manje ngithandaza njalo nsuku zonke, futhi ngiyazilangazelela lezo zikhathi.” Kufanele sizizwe sikhululekile njalo ukukhuluma noNkulunkulu ngamaphutha ethu singagodli lutho futhi sicele ngokuthobeka ukuba asithethelele. Lapho iNkosi uDavide ivuma iziphambeko zayo, uJehova wayithethelela izono zayo. (IHubo 32:3-5) UJehova ufuna ukusisiza, hhayi ukusilahla. (1 Johane 3:19, 20) Futhi imithandazo yamadoda amadala ebandla ingasisiza ngokomoya, ngoba izicelo ezinjalo ‘zinamandla amakhulu.’—Jakobe 5:13-16.
18. Yini izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezingaqiniseka ngayo kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ziye zaphambuka kangakanani?
18 Imuphi ubaba obengaxosha indodana ezithoba kuye icela usizo namacebiso ngemva kokwenza iphutha? Umzekeliso wendodana yolahleko ubonisa ukuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi siphambuke kangakanani, uBaba wethu osezulwini uyajabula lapho sibuyela kuye. (Luka 15:21, 22, 32) UJehova unxusa bonke abonayo ukuba bambize, “ngoba uyothethelela ngendlela enkulu.” (Isaya 55:6, 7) Nakuba uDavide enza izono eziningi ezimbi, wanxusa uJehova ethi: “O Nkulunkulu, beka indlebe emthandazweni wami; ungazifihli esicelweni sami somusa.” Wathi futhi: “Kusihlwa nasekuseni nangesikhathi sasemini angikwazi ukungakhathazeki futhi ngiyagquma, [uJehova] uyalizwa izwi lami.” (IHubo 55:1, 17) Yeka indlela okuqinisekisa ngayo!
19. Kungani kungafanele siphethe ngokuthi imithandazo ebonakala ingaphendulwa iwubufakazi bokungamukeleki kuNkulunkulu?
19 Kuthiwani uma isicelo sethu singaphendulwa ngokushesha? Uma kunjalo kumelwe siqiniseke ukuthi isicelo sethu siyavumelana nentando kaJehova nokuthi sisenza egameni likaJesu. (Johane 16:23; 1 Johane 5:14) Umfundi uJakobe wakhuluma ngamaKristu athile imithandazo yawo eyayilokhu ingaphendulwa ngoba ‘ecela ngenjongo embi.’ (Jakobe 4:3) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, akufanele ngaso sonke isikhathi sisheshe siphethe ngokuthi imithandazo ebonakala ingaphendulwa iwubufakazi bokungamukeleki kuNkulunkulu. Ngezinye izikhathi uJehova angase avumele abakhulekeli abathembekile ukuba baqhubeke bethandazela indaba ethile isikhashana ngaphambi kokuba impendulo yakhe ibonakale. UJesu wathi: “Qhubekani nicela, niyophiwa.” (Mathewu 7:7) Ngakho, kudingeka ‘siphikelele emthandazweni.’—Roma 12:12.
Thandaza Njalo
20, 21. (a) Kungani kudingeka sithandaze singaphezi kulezi ‘zinsuku zokugcina’? (b) Yini esiyoyithola lapho sisondela nsuku zonke esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaJehova somusa ongafanelwe?
20 Izingcindezi nezinkinga ziyanda kulezi ‘zinsuku zokugcina,’ ‘ezinezikhathi ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:1) Futhi ukulingwa kungazixakekisa kalula izingqondo zethu. Nokho, imithandazo yethu engaphezi iyosisiza ukuba sigcine ukuphila kwethu kugxile ezintweni ezingokomoya naphezu kwezinkinga eziphikelelayo, izilingo, nokudumazeka. Imithandazo yethu yansuku zonke kuJehova ingasinika ukusekelwa okubalulekile esikudingayo.
21 UJehova, ‘uMuzwi womthandazo,’ akwenzeki abe matasa kakhulu ukuba asilalele. (IHubo 65:2) Nathi masingabi matasa kakhulu ukuba sikhulume naye. Ubungane bethu noNkulunkulu buyinto eyigugu kunazo zonke esinazo. Masingalokothi sibuthathe kalula. “Ngakho-ke, masisondele ngenkululeko yokukhuluma esihlalweni sobukhosi somusa ongafanelwe, ukuze sizuze isihe futhi sithole umusa ongafanelwe wokusiza ngesikhathi esifanele.”—Hebheru 4:16.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Yini esingayifunda kumprofethi uDaniyeli ngokubaluleka komthandazo?
• Singabuqinisa kanjani ubungane bethu noJehova?
• Kungani kufanele sithandaze singaphezi?
• Kungani kungafanele ukuba imizwa yokungafaneleki isivimbe ekuthandazeni kuJehova?
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
UNehemiya wathandaza buthule masinyane ngaphambi kokukhuluma nenkosi
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
UHana ‘wathandaza welula phambi kukaJehova’
[Izithombe ekhasini 18]
UJesu wathandaza ubusuku bonke ngaphambi kokukhetha abaphostoli bakhe abangu-12
[Izithombe ekhasini 20]
Amathuba okuthandaza avela kaningi osukwini