Kusunga Nthaŵi ndi Inu

WOYANG’ANIRA Wachikristu mumpingo wa ku South America anali ndi mikhalidwe yambiri yabwino kwambiri. Koma mabwenzi ake a pondapo nane mpondepo anamutcha iye moseka Armagedo. Chifukwa ninji? “Tidziŵa kuti kubwera adzabwera,” iwo akanena tero, “koma Mulungu yekha ndiye adziŵa kuti adzafika liti!”

Inde, kusunga nthaŵi​—kapena kusatero​—kuli ndi zambiri zochita ndi kutchuka kwanu. Mfumu yanzeru Solomo inafotokoza ichi mwafanizo mwanjira iyi: ‘Ntchetche zakufa zinunkhitsa moipa nizioletsa mafuta onunkhira a sing’anga; chomwecho kupusa kwapang’ono kuipitsa iye amene atchuka chifukwa cha nzeru ndi ulemu.’ (Mlaliki 10:1) Mkristu angakhale ndi mikhalidwe yambiri yabwino, koma adzaipitsa dzina lake labwino ngati ngosasamalira nthaŵi.

“Anthu osunga nthaŵi amandipatsa chidaliro,” anatero woyang’anira wina. “Ngomwe ndimafuna kugwira nawo ntchito.” Iwo amayamikiridwanso m’ntchito zamalonda. “Fikani kuntchito panthaŵi yake; fikani msanga pamisonkhano; perekani malipoti pamene akufunidwa,” ikulangiza tero Emily Post’s Etiquette. Mofananamo, The New Etiquette (1987) ikunena kuti, mwachisawawa, “ofika mochedwa ngofika mwachipongwe.” Pamenepo akonziwo akuwonjezera kuti: “Maulaliki achipembedzo alinso chochitika china chosayenerera kufikako mochedwa.”

Tonsefe timachiyamikira pamene ena asunga nthaŵi. Mtumwi Paulo mwachiwonekere analingalira mwanjirayo, popeza kuti analembera Akristu a m’Kolose kuti: “Mumzimu ndiri pamodzi ndi inu, wokondwera pakupenya makonzedwe anu.” (Akolose 2:5) Ndipo motsimikizirika timagawana ndi malingaliro a Mfumu Davide ponena za malangizo a Yehova pamene analemba m’Masalmo kuti: ‘Musachedwe, Yehova.’​—Salmo 40:17; 70:5.

‘Khalani Otsanza Mulungu’

Kwenikweni, Yehova sachedwa konse. Iye ngwapadera m’kukhala kwake wozindikira nthaŵi. Ichi chasonyezedwa m’ntchito zake zonse zolenga. Kuchokera pathambo lalikulu kufikira ku zinthu zamoyo zazing’ono, zonsezo zimagwira ntchito monga ngati kuti zikulamulidwa ndi koloko yosawoneka. Mwachitsanzo, mtundu wa maluwa a m’nyanja otchedwa sea lily pafupi ndi Japan imatulutsa maselo ake a kugonana kamodzi chaka chirichonse mu October pafupifupi ola lachitatu masana patsiku la nusu yoyamba kapena yachitatu ya mwezi. Mu nyengo ya ngululu matemba otchedwa grunion amasunga zungulirezungulire wa nthaŵi yake ya kubala kukhala mkati mwa mphindi zoŵerengeka za nthaŵi zovuta m’gombe la California.

Kusunga nthaŵi kwa Yehova nkwandendende chitadza pakukwaniritsidwa kwa lonjezo lake. Mwachitsanzo, timaŵerenga pa Eksodo 12:41 kuti ‘ndipo kunakhala pakutha zaka mazana anayi kudza makumi atatu, inde panakhala tsiku lomwelo, makamu onse a Yehova anatuluka m’dziko la Igupto.’ Chotero Yehova anasunga lonjezo limene iye anapanga kwa Abramu zaka zana limodzi kuchiyambiyambi.​—Genesis 15:13-16; Agalatiya 3:17.a

Yehova anatumiza Mwana wake, Mesiya, kudziko lapansi ndendende panthaŵi imene inanenedweratu ndi mneneri Danieli zaka zoposa mazana asanu kuchiyamiyambi, kotero kuti iye ‘anafera anthu osapembedza panthaŵi yoikika.’ (Aroma 5:6; Danieli 9:25) Ponena za mapeto a dongosolo iri lazinthu, Baibulo limasonyeza kuti Yehova amadziwa ‘tsikulo ndi nthaŵi yake.’ (Mateyu 24:36) Iye sadzachedwa. Mwachiwonekere, chitsanzo cha Yehova cha kusunga nthaŵi nchoyenerera kuti tichitsatire.​—Aefeso 5:1.

‘Panthaŵi Yake Yoikika’

Yehova nthaŵi zonse wayembekezera atumiki ake kukhala ogalamuka zanthaŵi, makamaka ponena za kulambira kwake. “Ndandanda ya tsiku ndi tsiku” inatsatiridwa pamene Aisrayeli anapereka nsembe. Yehova anawalamulira kuti: ‘Muyenera kusamalira kupereka kwa ine nsembe zanga . . . panthaŵi yoikika.’ Iye anapatsanso Mose malangizo awa onena za misonkhano: “Khamu lonse lisonkhane.”​—Levitiko 23:37; Numeri 10:3; 28:2.

Pambuyo pake, Ayuda anasunga “nthawi ya zonunkhira.” (Luka 1:10) ‘Nthaŵi yakupemphera, ola lachisanu ndi chinayi,’ linasungidwa ndi onse aŵiri Ayuda ndi ena. (Machitidwe 3:1; 10:3, 4, 30) Ndipo ponena za misonkhano Yachikristu, Paulo analemba kuti: ‘Zonse zichitike koyenera ndi kolongosoka.’​—1 Akorinto 14:40.

Kodi zonsezi zikanafunikira chiyani kwa Aisrayeli ndi Akristu oyambirira? Kuti akhale osunga nthaŵi mogwirizana ndi mapangano, makamaka ponena za kulambira kwawo. Palibe chifukwa cha kuganizira kuti Yehova angayembekezere zosiyanako kwa atumiki ake lerolino.

Chifukwa Chimene Ena Amachipezera Kukhala Chovuta

Kaimidwe ka maganizo kulinga ku nthaŵi kamasiyanasiyana kwenikweni kuchokera ku mbali iyi ya dziko kunka ku ina. M’mishonale akusimba kuti mu mzinda waung’ono wa ku South America, mkazi wake ankakhala munthu yekha m’gulu pamene ankalengeza nyimbo yotsegulira pakuyambika kwa msonkhano Wachikristu. Koma pamene analengeza nyimbo yotsekera, anthu 70 ankakhalapo. Kumbali ina, m’dziko la Kumadzulo kwa Ulaya, pafupifupi anthu chikwi chimodzi anafunsidwa kuti: “Ngati munaitanidwa ku chakudya pa nthaŵi ya 7 koloko madzulo, kodi muyenera kufikako mphindi zisanu kapena khumi mofulumira, kapena zisanu kapena khumi mochedwerako, kapena ndendende pa nthaŵiyo?” Ambiri anayankha kuti “ulemu umafunikira kulemekeza kwenikweni wocherezayo ndi kufikako ndendende pa nthaŵiyo.”

Komabe, kukhala wosunga nthaŵi ndi nkhani yosafunikira kukondedwa ndi dera limodzi. Iko nchizoloŵezi monga momwe kumakhalira kuyera, udongo, kapena ulemu izi nzachizoloŵezi. Ndithudi, sitimabadwa ndi zizoloŵezi zoterezi; tiyenera kuzikulitsa. Ngati munaphunzitsidwa kukhala wosunga nthaŵi kuyambira paubwana, ichi ndi dalitso. Koma ambiri amachokera m’mabanja ndi ziyambi kumene kuli m’polekezera poŵerengeka ndi kufunika kochepera kwa kugwirizanitsa kuyesayesa kwa munthu mmodzi ndi zoyesayesa za ena. Mpakukhala mbali ya mpingo Wachikristu pokha ndi kukhalamo ndi phande m’misonkhano yake ndi utumiki wapoyera pamene kufunika kwa kusunga nthaŵi kumakhala kwenikweni kwa iwo. Iwo angachipeze kukhala chovuta kuwongolera chizoloŵezi cha kuchedwa kophunziridwa kuchiyambiyambi m’moyo. Komabe, chikondi cha Yehova Mulungu ndi cha mnansi zingamsonkhezere kusintha. Chikhalirechobe, nkusinthiranji?

Nchifukwa Ninji Muyenera Kusunga Nthaŵi?

“Kodi mumakonda moyo?” Anafunsa tero Benjamin Franklin. “Pamenepo musawononge nthaŵi, pakuti imeneyo njophatikizidwa m’moyomo.” Tonsefe timazindikira kuwona kwa ndemangayo. Komabe, chofunika kwambiri kwa Akristu, ndicho kusawononga nthaŵi ya anthu ena. M’mishonale wina ananena kuti, “ofika mochedwa amawoneka ngati akunena ndi mikhalidwe yawo kuti, ‘Nthaŵi yanga njamtengo kwenikweni kuposa yanu, chotero inu mungayembekezere kufikira ine nditakonzekera.’” Munthu wosasunga nthaŵi amawoneka osati kokha wosalinganizika ndi wosadalilika komanso mwanjira inayake wodzikonda ndi wosalingalira ena. Akristu owona amafuna ‘kusachita kanthu monga mwa chotetana, kapena monga mwa ulemerero wopanda pake, komatu ndi kudzichepetsa mtima, yense ayese mnzake womposa iye mwini.’​—Afilipi 2:3.

Ena angalingalire kuti samakonda kupenyapenya pa koloko, kulola kachitidwe konse kulamulidwa nayo. Komabe, kukhala wosunga nthaŵi sinkhani yolamulidwa ndi koloko basi. Iyo ndi nkhani yakukhala ndi zikondwerero ndi mapindu a anthu ena mumtima, ‘kusapenyerera zake za iye yekha, koma yense apenyererenso za mnzake.’​—Afilipi 2:4.

Mwachitsanzo, lingalirani uphungu uwu wa Baibulo: ‘Mulandirane wina ndi mnzake, monganso Kristu anakulandirani inu.’ (Aroma 15:7) Ku ukulu umene ichi chimagwirira ntchito ku moni weniweni, icho nchovuta mowonekera kwambiri kuchichita ngati munthu mwachizoloŵezi amakhala wochedwa pa misonkhano. Mwakufika mofulumira pa misonkhano, inu mungathandizire ku mzimu wachikondi, waubwenzi, ndi wolonjera pamsonkhanopo ku mlingo waukulu. Ndipo madalitso amayenderadi limodzi nazo. Kufika mofulumira kumakutheketsani kugawana m’nyimbo yotsegulira ndi pemphero​—mbali yofunika ya kulambira kwaumodzi kwa mpingo. Kumva mbali zotsegulira kapena mutu wa nkhani ukulengezedwa kudzakuthandizani bwino kwambiri kutsatira kakulitsidwe ka programuyo.

Kusunga nthaŵi ku mbali yanu kumatheketsa ena kugwirizanitsa zoyesayesa zawo, ndipo monga chotulukapo zambiri zingakwaniritsidwe. Pamene ankaukira mzinda wa Ai, Yoswa anatumiza mbali ya makamu ake kukawopsyeza adani kutuluka mu mzindawo pamene otsala a amuna ake anagonera molalira kulanda mzindawo. Pamenepo, pa nthaŵi yoipitsitsa, Yoswa anapereka chizindikiro. Amuna ake ‘anathamanga pamene anatambasula dzanja lake,’ ndipo iwo anaulanda mzindawo. Kodi mukulingalira zomwe zikanachitika ngati iwo sanachite mosunga nthaŵi?​—Yoswa 8:6-8, 18, 19.

Atumiki Achikristu lerolino ali ndi zifukwa zambiri zakukhalira ogalamuka ndi nthaŵi. Kugawana m’kulalikira kwa Ufumu ndi ena, kuyeseza mbali za msonkhano kapena msonkhano wa mpingo, ngakhale kuyeretsa Nyumba Yaufumu, zonsezi zimafuna kuti ife tigwirizanitse zochita zathu ndi ena. Mwakukhala osunga nthaŵi, tingakwaniritse zambiri. Ichi nchowona ngakhale m’chinthu chinachake chopepuka monga kuchitira kwanu lipoti ntchito yakumunda pamapeto pa mwezi. Pamene aliyense agwirizana kuchita ichi mofulumira, pamenepo mpingo wolongosoka ndi wolimbikitsana ndi malipoti a padziko lonse zingasonkhanitsidwe.

Kukhala wosunga nthaŵi kumaphatikizanso kusunga malonjezo ndi nthaŵi zokumanira, zomwe n’zambiri tsiku lirilonse. Kwina nkwapakanthaŵi, kwina nkwamwamsanga. Mwachitsanzo, ukwati wanu uyenera kuyamba panthaŵi yoikika. Inu mungafune kuti dzira lanu liwiritsidwe kwa mphindi zakutizakuti. Chirichonse chimene chingakhale, munthu wosunga nthaŵi samafunikira kuthamangathamanga kuchoka pa chinthu ichi kunka ku china, kukhala wochedwa pa chirichonse. Mmalomwake, iye amakhala wodekha ndi wolinganizika. Amachita zambiri chifukwa chakuti amakonzekera tsiku lake ndipo amayamba panthaŵi yake kapena ngakhale kuyamba nthaŵi idakalikodi.

Ndithudi, pali zifukwa zambiri zimene Akristu ayenera kukhalira odera nkhaŵa ndi nthaŵi. Pamwamba pa zonsezi, ndi njira imodzi ya kusonyezera chikondi chathu chopanda dyera cha Akristu anzathu ndi kulemekeza kwathu makonzedwe ateokratiki a kulambira kowona.

Komabe, kodi ndimotani mmene munthu angakulitsire chizoloŵezi cha kusunga nthaŵi?

‘Dziŵani Nthaŵi Zoikika’

‘Chumba . . . chidziŵa nyengo zake’ zosamukira, ndipo nyerere ‘zitengeratu zakudya zawo mmalimwe’ kuti zikhale zokonzekera kaamba ka nyengo yachisanu, likutero Baibulo. (Yeremiya 8:7; Miyambo 6:8) Umu muli chinsinsi cha kukhala wosunga nthaŵi ndi kupangitsa zinthu kuchitika.

Nafenso tiyenera ‘kudziŵa nthaŵi zathu zoikika.’ Pamene kuli kwakuti sitifunikira kukhala owuma gwa kapena opanda maziko, tiyenera kukhala odera nkhaŵa ndi nthaŵi. Tifunikira kudziŵa osati kokha zomwe tiyenera kuchita komanso nthaŵi imene tiyenera kuzichita. Tiyenera kuloŵa m’chizoloŵezi cha kuganiza pasadakhale, kupangiratu nthaŵi ya kuchedwetsedwa kothekera, ndi kukhala wofunitsitsa kuleka ntchito yomwe ikuchitidwa kaamba ka chinachake chofunika, monga ngati misonkhano yathu, utumiki wakumunda, ndi ntchito zina zateokratiki.

Pankhaniyi, kugwirizana kwa banja nkofunika kwenikweni. Kwawonedwa kuti bambo kaŵirikaŵiri amalekera mkazi kukonzekera banja. Pamenepo iye amatuluka panja ali yekha, akumafuulira m’mbuyo kuti, “Fulumirani, mukapanda kutero mudzachedwa!” Yakobo sanali tero; iye mothandiza ‘anauka . . . nakweza ana ake ndi akazi ake pa ngamila’ pamene nthaŵi yopita inafika.​—Genesis 31:17.

Nangano, kodi atate angalithandize bwanji banja lake? Ana angaphunzitsidwe kulola nthaŵi ya kukhala okonzekera kaamba ka zinthu zofunika mmalo mwa kuchita zonse pamphindi yotsirizira. Iwo angathandizidwe kukulitsa lingaliro lathayo ndikunyada m’kuchita zinthu mofulumira. Monga banja, lingalirani zitsanzo za Baibulo zomwe zimasonyeza kufunika kwa kukhala wokonzekera ndi wapanthaŵi yake. (Genesis 19:16; Eksodo 12:11; Luka 17:31) Mwinamwake phunziro labwino kwambiri kapena lokhutiritsa kwenikweni limaperekedwa ndi chitsanzo cholondola chaukholo.

Oyang’anira Achikristu angathandizenso mpingo mwa kukhazikitsa chitsanzo chabwino. Iwo sakanaikidwa kusiyapo ngati anali ‘olongosoka.’ (1 Timoteo 3:2) Abale ena ndi alongo mwinamwake adzakhala osunga nthaŵi kwenikweni atadziŵa kuti akulu adzapezekako kuwapatsa moni ndi kutsogolera. Chotero oyang’anira odera nkhaŵa adzakalamira kufika pa Nyumba Yaufumu mofulumira kuthandiza mpingo. Atumiki otumikira omwe amafika mofulumira kupatsa moni abale awo ndi kutumikira zosoŵa zawo amayamikiridwa kwambiri.

Ndithudi, kukhala wosunga nthaŵi kumafunikira kudziletsa ndi kudzilanga. Ayi, osati chifukwa cha kukwaniritsa thayo, koma chifukwa cha chikondi cha Akristu anzathu ndi kulemekeza dongosolo lateokratiki. Iyi ndi mbali ya umunthu watsopano womwe tikuyesera kuvala. (Akolose 3:10, 12) Pamwamba pa zonse, tifunikira kukhala ofanana ndi Atate wathu wakumwamba, Yehova Mulungu, yemwe amatiphunzitsa ife kuti ‘kanthu kalikonse kali ndi nthawi yake.’​—Mlaliki 3:1.

[Mawu a M’munsi]