Umfana Omncane Okhonza uNkulunkulu

KAMUHLE yini umfana lo omncane osemfanekisweni? Ibizo lakhe nguSamuyeli. Indoda efake isandla sayo phezu kwekhanda likaSamuyeli ngumphristi omkhulu wama-Israyeli. Ibizo lakhe ngu-Eli. Abanye abalapho ngubaba kaSamuyeli u-Elikhana lomama wakhe uHana. Balethe uSamuyeli ku-Eli.

USamuyeli angaba leminyaka emine kumbe emihlanu kuphela. Kodwa uzahlala lo-Eli labanye abaphristi ethabanikeli likaJehova. U-Elikhana loHana bahambiselani umntwana omncane njengoSamuyeli ethabanikeli ukuze akhonze uJehova? Ake sibone.

Kwakuyiminyaka emilutshwana kungakenzakali lokhu lapho uHana ayedane kakhulu. Wayedaniswe yikuthi wayefuna kakhulu ukuba lomntwana kodwa wayengamtholi. Ngelinye ilanga uHana wathi evakatshele ethabanikeli likaJehova wakhuleka esithi: ‘Awu Jehova ungangikhohlwa! Nxa unganginika umntwana ongumfana ngiyakuthembisa ukuthi ngizakunika yena ukuze akukhonze impilo yakhe yonke.’

UJehova wawuphendula umthandazo kaHana. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezilutshwana, uHana wazala uSamuyeli. UHana wayemthanda umntanakhe ongumfana njalo waqalisa ukumfundisa ngoJehova esesemncane kakhulu. Watshela umkakhe ukuthi: ‘USamuyeli angakhula, nxa engasamunyi ngizamhambisa ethabanikeli ukuze ayekhonza uJehova ehlala khona.’

Yikho esibona kusenziwa nguHana lo-Elikhana emfanekisweni. USamuyeli ufundiswe kuhle kakhulu ngabazali bakhe. Lokhu kwenza akujabulele kakhulu ukuthi uyakhonza uJehova ethenteni likaJehova. Umnyaka ngamunye uHana lo-Elikhana bayabuya ukuzokhonza uJehova ethenteni leli eliqakathekileyo kanye lokuzobona umntwana wabo ongumfana omncane. Umnyaka ngamunye uHana uthungela uSamuyeli isigqoko esincane abesemnika.

Iminyaka iyadlula, njalo uSamuyeli uqhubeka ekhonza uJehova ethabanikeli. UJehova uyamthanda njalo labantu bayamthanda. Kodwa uHofini loFinehasi, abantwana bomphristi omkhulu u-Eli, benza izinto ezimbi ezinengi. Benza ukuthi labanye bangalaleli uJehova. U-Eli kumele abasuse ekubeni ngabaphristi kodwa kabasusi.

USamuyeli omncane kavumeli zonke lezi zinto ezimbi ezenzakala ethabanikeli ukuthi zimyekelise ukukhonza uJehova. Sekuyisikhathi eside uJehova engakhulumi labantu ngenxa yokuthi kulabantu abalutshwana abathanda uJehova. USamuyeli esekhulile kwenzakala lokhu:

USamuyeli uthi elele ethabanikeli azwe izwi limbiza. Uyaphendula: ‘Ngilapha.’ Uyavuka abesegijima esiya ku-Eli athi: ‘Ngilapha; ungibizile.’

Kodwa u-Eli uyaphendula esithi: ‘Angikubizanga; buyela uyelala.’ USamuyeli uyabuyela ayelala.

Uzwa futhi ilizwi lisithi: ‘Samuyeli!’ USamuyeli uyavuka abesegijima futhi esiya ku-Eli. Ufika athi: ‘Ngilapha; ungibizile.’ U-Eli uyaphendula esithi: ‘Angikubizanga ndodana yami. Buyela uyelala.’ USamuyeli uyabuyela ayelala.

Uzwa ilizwi okwesithathu lisithi ‘Samuyeli!’ USamuyeli uyagijima aye ku-Eli. Ufika athi: ‘Ngilapha, ungibizile.’ Khathesi u-Eli usekwazi ukuthi nguJehova ombizayo. Ngakho utshela uSamuyeli ukuthi: ‘Hamba uyelala futhi, nxa engakubiza kumele uthi: “Khuluma Jehova, ngoba inceku yakho ilalele.” ’

USamuyeli ukhuluma amazwi lawo lapho uJehova embiza futhi. UJehova utshela uSamuyeli ukuthi uzajezisa u-Eli labantwana bakhe abangabafana. Ngemva kwesikhathi, uHofini loFinehasi bafela empini yamaFilisti. U-Eli uyakuzwa lokhu abesesiwa, aqamuke intamo ahle afele khonapho laye. Okwakhulunywa nguJehova kuyenzakala.

USamuyeli uyakhula abesesiba ngumahluleli wokucina wama-Israyeli. Uthi esegugile, abantu bathi kuye: ‘Khetha inkosi ezasikhokhela.’ USamuyeli kafuni ukwenza lokhu ngoba uyakwazi ukuthi uJehova uyinkosi yabo. Kodwa uJehova umtshela ukuthi alalele abantu.