Kutheni Sifanele Sithandaze Ngokungapheziyo?
“Thandazani ngokungapheziyo. Ezintweni zonke bulelani.”—1 TESALONIKA 5:17, 18.
1, 2. UDaniyeli walubonakalisa njani uxabiso ngelungelo lomthandazo, yaye oko kwaluchaphazela njani ulwalamano lwakhe noThixo?
UMPROFETI uDaniyeli wayenesiko lokuthandaza kuThixo kathathu ngemini. Wayedla ngokuguqa athandaze ngakwifestile yegumbi lakhe eliphezulu nelijonge ngakwisixeko saseYerusalem. (1 Kumkani 8:46-49; Daniyeli 6:10) Kwanaxa ukumkani wawisa umthetho wokuba kungathandazwa nakubani na omnye ngaphandle koDariyo, ukumkani wamaMedi, uDaniyeli akazange ajike nakancinane. Kwanakuba oku kwakuyingozi kuyo, le ndoda yayinesiko lokuthandaza, yathandaza kuYehova ngokungapheziyo.
2 UYehova wayemjonga njani uDaniyeli? Xa ingelosi uGabriyeli yayize kuphendula omnye wemithandazo kaDaniyeli, yathi lo mprofeti “ungonqweneleka kakhulu.” (Daniyeli 9:20-23) Xa wayethetha ngoDaniyeli kwisiprofeto sikaHezekile, uYehova wathi uyindoda elilungisa. (Hezekile 14:14, 20) Ukutyhubela iminyaka, kuyabonakala ukuba imithandazo kaDaniyeli yamenza wangumhlobo osenyongweni kaThixo wakhe, nto leyo eyaphawulwa nanguDariyo.—Daniyeli 6:16.
3. Njengoko sinokubona kumava omnye umvangeli wasemazweni, umthandazo unokusinceda njani ukuba sigcine ingqibelelo?
3 Ukuthandaza rhoqo kunokusinceda sijamelane nezilingo eziqatha. Ngokomzekelo cinga nje ngoHarold King, ongumvangeli wasemazweni eTshayina, nowagwetywa iminyaka emihlanu evalelwe yedwa. Ngokuphathelele oko kwamehlelayo, uMzalwan’ uKing wathi: “Ewe banokundahlula kubazalwana bam, kodwa akakho umntu onokundahlukanisa noThixo. . . . Ngoko nangona ndandibonwa nguye wonke umntu owayedlula kwisisele sam, ndandiguqa apho ndize ndithandaze ngokuvakalayo kathathu ngemini, ndikhumbula uDaniyeli, okhankanywe eBhayibhileni. . . . Ngezo zihlandlo kuyabonakala ukuba umoya kaThixo wawusalathisa ingqondo yam kwezona zinto ziyingenelo uze undenze ndibe noxolo lwengqondo. Anjani wona amandla nentuthuzelo endayifumana emthandazweni!”
4. Yiyiphi imibuzo ephathelele umthandazo esiza kuyiqwalasela kweli nqaku?
4 IBhayibhile ithi: “Thandazani ngokungapheziyo. Ezintweni zonke bulelani.” (1 Tesalonika 5:17, 18) Ngenxa yesi siluleko, makhe sicinge ngale mibuzo ilandelayo: Kutheni sifanele sinikele ingqalelo kwimithandazo yethu? Sinaziphi izizathu zokuthandaza rhoqo kuYehova? Yaye yintoni esifanele siyenze xa siziva singakufanelekeli ukuthandaza kuThixo ngenxa yeentsilelo zethu?
Yakha Ubuhlobo Ngomthandazo
5. Umthandazo usenza sibe nabuphi ubuhlobo obukhethekileyo?
5 Ngaba ungathanda ukuba uYehova akugqale ungumhlobo wakhe? Wathetha ngolo hlobo ngosolusapho uAbraham. (Isaya 41:8; Yakobi 2:23) UYehova ufuna ukuba sibe nolwalamano olunjalo kunye naye. Enyanisweni ufuna sisondele kuye. (Yakobi 4:8) Ngaba eso simemo asifanele sisenze sicinge nzulu ngelungiselelo elikhethekileyo lomthandazo? Hayi indlela ekunzima ngayo ukufumana ithuba lokuthetha negosa elibekekileyo laseburhulumenteni, singasathethi ke ngokuba ngumhlobo walo! Kodwa uMdali wendalo yonke uyasikhuthaza ukuba sithandaze kuye ngokukhululekileyo, nanini na sifuna okanye sifanele ukwenjenjalo. (INdumiso 37:5) Ukuthandaza kwethu ngokungapheziyo kusenza abahlobo abasenyongweni noYehova.
6. Umzekelo kaYesu usifundisa ntoni ngemfuneko ‘yokuthandaza ngokuqhubekayo’?
6 Noko ke, hayi indlela esinokuwutyeshela lula ngayo umthandazo! Iingcinezelo zamihla le zinokusibamba kangangokuba kube nzima ukwenza umgudu wokuthetha noThixo. UYesu wakhuthaza abafundi bakhe ukuba ‘bathandaze ngokuqhubekayo,’ ibe naye wakwenza oko. (Mateyu 26:41) Nangona wayexakeka imini nobusuku, wayezibekela ithuba lokuthetha noYise wasezulwini. Maxa wambi, uYesu wayevuka “ngonyezi, ngoxa kwakusemnyama,” ukuze athandaze. (Marko 1:35) Maxa wambi, kwakusithi ekupheleni kosuku, aye kwindawo engenamntu ukuze athethe noYehova. (Mateyu 14:23) UYesu wayesoloko elenza ithuba lokuthandaza, nathi ke sifanele silenze.—1 Petros 2:21.
7. Ziziphi iimeko ezifanele zisenze sithethe noBawo wethu wasezulwini imihla ngemihla?
7 Amathuba afanelekileyo okuthandaza bucala ayavela suku ngalunye njengoko sijamelana neengxaki, silingwa yaye sisenza izigqibo. (Efese 6:18) Njengoko sifuna ukhokelo lukaThixo kuzo zonke iinkalo zobomi, ngokuqinisekileyo ubuhlobo bethu kunye naye buyakhula. Xa abahlobo ababini bejamelana neengxaki bekunye, ngaba loo nto ayibomelezi ubuhlobo babo? (IMizekeliso 17:17) Kuba njalo ke naxa sithembela kuYehova aze asincede.—2 Kronike 14:11.
8. Ngokusuka kumzekelo kaNehemiya, uYesu, noHana, sifunda ntoni ngokuphathelele ubude bemithandazo yethu yobuqu?
8 Hayi indlela okusivuyisa ngayo ukwazi ukuba uThixo akasisikelanga xesha okanye izihlandlo esinokuthandaza ngazo kuye! UNehemiya wakhawuleza wathandazela ngaphakathi ngaphambi kokwenza isicelo kukumkani wasePersi. (Nehemiya 2:4, 5) NoYesu wenza umthandazo omfutshane xa wayecela kuYehova amandla okuvusa uLazaro. (Yohane 11:41, 42) Kanti uHana, “wayesolula ukuthandaza kwakhe phambi koYehova” xa wayephalaza imbilini yakhe kuye. (1 Samuweli 1:12, 15, 16) Imithandazo yethu yobuqu inokuba mifutshane okanye ibe mide, ixhomekeka kwiimfuno neemeko zethu.
9. Kutheni imithandazo yethu ifanele iquke indumiso nombulelo ngako konke uYehova asenzele kona?
9 Imithandazo emininzi ekhankanywe eBhayibhileni ibonisa uxabiso olunzulu ngesikhundla esiphakamileyo sikaYehova nangemisebenzi yakhe emangalisayo. (Eksodus 15:1-19; 1 Kronike 16:7-36; INdumiso 145) Embonweni, umpostile uYohane ubona abadala abangama-24—inani elipheleleyo lamaKristu athanjisiweyo ekwizikhundla zawo zasezulwini—bedumisa uYehova besithi: “Ufanele, Yehova, Thixo wethu, ukwamkela uzuko nembeko namandla, ngenxa yokuba wadala zonke izinto, nangenxa yokuthanda kwakho zabakho yaye zadalwa.” (ISityhilelo 4:10, 11) Nathi sinesizathu sokumdumisa rhoqo uMdali wethu. Hayi indlela abavuya ngayo abazali xa abantwana babo bebabulela ngokusuka emazantsi entliziyo ngenxa yezinto ababenzele zona! Ukuba noxabiso ngezenzo zikaYehova zenceba nokuvakalisa umbulelo ongazenzisiyo kuyindlela efanelekileyo yokuphucula imithandazo yethu.
Kutheni Sifanele ‘Sithandaze Ngokungapheziyo’?
10. Umthandazo unayiphi indima ekomelezeni ukholo lwethu?
10 Ukuthandaza rhoqo kuyalomeleza ukholo lwethu. Emva kokuzekelisa imfuneko ‘yokusoloko sithandaza singayeki,’ uYesu wabuza: “Xa uNyana womntu efika, uya kulufumana ngokwenene na ukholo emhlabeni?” (Luka 18:1-8) Umthandazo onyanisekileyo nosuka entliziyweni uyalwakha ukholo. Xa usolusapho uAbraham wayesaluphala kodwa engekayivelisi inzala, wathetha noThixo ngalo mbandela. Ephendula, uYehova waqala ngokumcela ukuba akhangele esibhakabhakeni aze abale iinkwenkwezi, ukuba phofu wayenokukwazi. Wandula ke uThixo waqinisekisa uAbraham esithi: “Iya kuba ngangazo imbewu yakho.” Waba yintoni umphumo? UAbraham “wakholwa kuYehova; yaye wakubalela kuye oko njengobulungisa.” (Genesis 15:5, 6) Ukuba siphalaza imbilini yethu kuYehova emthandazweni, samkele oko asiqinisekisa ngako eBhayibhileni size simthobele, uya kulomeleza ukholo lwethu.
11. Umthandazo unokusinceda njani sihlangabezane neengxaki?
11 Umthandazo unokusinceda nasekucombululeni iingxaki. Ngaba ebomini sithwele uxanduva neengxaki ezinzima? IBhayibhile ithi: “Umthwalo wakho wulahlele kuYehova, yaye yena wokuxhasa. Akayi kuliyekela ilungisa lishukunyiswe.” (INdumiso 55:22) Xa kufuneka senze izigqibo ezinzima, sinokuxelisa umzekelo kaYesu. Wachitha ubusuku bonke ethandaza ngaphambi kokumisela abapostile bakhe abali-12. (Luka 6:12-16) Kanti ngobusuku bangaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uYesu wathandaza ngamandla kangangokuba “ukubila kwakhe kwaba njengamathontsi egazi esiwa emhlabeni.” (Luka 22:44) Waba yintoni umphumo? “Waviwa ngokukholekileyo ngenxa yoloyiko lwakhe lobuthixo.” (Hebhere 5:7) Ukuthandaza kwethu ngokunyanisekileyo nangokungapheziyo kuya kusinceda sihlangabezane neemeko ezinzima nezilingo eziqatha.
12. Ilungiselelo lomthandazo liyibonisa njani indlela uYehova anomdla ngayo kuthi?
12 Esinye isizathu sokusondela kuYehova ngomthandazo sikukuba, naye uyasondela kuthi. (Yakobi 4:8) Xa siphalaza imbilini yethu kuYehova ngomthandazo, ngaba asivakalelwa kukuba unomdla kwiimfuno zethu yaye uyasikhathalela? Sibona indlela uThixo asithanda ngayo njengabantu ngabanye. UYehova akayinikanga omnye umntu imbopheleleko yokuphulaphula umthandazo ngamnye owenziwa ngabakhonzi bakhe kuye njengoBawo wasezulwini. (INdumiso 66:19, 20; Luka 11:2) Yaye uyasimema ukuba ‘siphose kuye lonke ixhala lethu, kuba usikhathalele.’—1 Petros 5:6, 7.
13, 14. Sinaziphi izizathu zokuthandaza ngokungapheziyo?
13 Umthandazo unokusenza sibe nenzondelelo xa sishumayela esidlangalaleni uze usomeleze xa inkcaso inokusenza sizive sifuna ukuyeka. (IZenzo 4:23-31) Kanti umthandazo unokusikhusela ‘kumaqhinga kaMtyholi.’ (Efese 6:11, 17, 18) Xa sinobunzima bokumelana nezilingo zemihla ngemihla, sinokucela uThixo ngokuphindaphindiweyo ukuba asomeleze. Umthandazo kaYesu ongumzekelo uquka isicelo sokuba uYehova ‘asihlangule kulowo ungendawo,’ uSathana uMtyholi.—Mateyu 6:13.
14 Ukuba siqhubeka sithandazela uncedo lokulawula utyekelo esinalo lwesono, uYehova uya kusinceda. Sinesi siqinisekiso: “UThixo uthembekile, yaye akayi kuniyekela nihendwe ngaphaya koko ninokukuthwala, kodwa kunye nesihendo eso uya kwenza nendlela yokuphuma ukuze nikwazi ukusinyamezela.” (1 Korinte 10:13) Nompostile uPawulos womelezwa nguYehova kwiimeko ezininzi. Wathi: “Ezintweni zonke ndinamandla ngenxa yalowo undomelezayo.”—Filipi 4:13; 2 Korinte 11:23-29.
Zingisa Emthandazweni Nakuba Uneentsilelo
15. Yintoni enokwenzeka xa ihambo yethu ingavisisani nemilinganiselo kaThixo?
15 Ukuze imithandazo yethu iviwe, asimele sisityeshele isiluleko seLizwi likaThixo. Umpostile uYohane wabhala wathi: “Nantoni na esiyicelayo siyayamkela kuye, ngenxa yokuba siyayigcina imiyalelo yakhe kwaye siyazenza izinto ezikholekileyo emehlweni akhe.” (1 Yohane 3:22) Noko ke, kunokwenzeka ntoni ukuba ihambo yethu ayivisisani nemilinganiselo kaThixo? Emva kokuba uAdam noEva bonile kumyezo wase-Eden bazimela. Nathi sinokufuna ukuzimela “ebusweni bukaYehova” size siyeke ukuthandaza. (Genesis 3:8) UKlaus, umveleli ohambahambayo onamava uthi: “Ndiye ndaphawula ukuba amaxesha amaninzi, impazamo yokuqala eyenziwa ngabo bamshiyayo uYehova nentlangano yakhe kukuyeka ukuthandaza.” (Hebhere 2:1) Kwaba njalo nangoJosé Ángel. Uthi: “Kangangeminyaka esibhozo, ndandingafane ndithandaze kuYehova. Ndandiziva ndingakufanelekelanga ukuthetha naye, nangona ndandisamgqala njengoBawo wasezulwini.”
16, 17. Chaza imizekelo yendlela ukuthandaza rhoqo okunokusinceda ngayo soyise ukuba buthathaka ngokomoya.
16 Abanye bethu banokuziva bengakufanelekeli ukuthandaza ngenxa yokuba buthathaka ngokomoya okanye ngenxa yokuwela esonweni. Kodwa kungelo xesha kanye ekufuneka silisebenzise ngokupheleleyo ilungiselelo lomthandazo. UYona wabaleka isabelo sakhe. Kodwa ‘ekubandezelekeni kwakhe uYona wamemeza kuYehova, waza wamphendula. UYona wakhalela uncedo esesiswini seShiyol yaye uYehova waliva ilizwi lakhe.’ (Yona 2:2) UYona wathandaza, uYehova wawuphendula umthandazo wakhe, waza uYona waphila ngokomoya.
17 UJosé Ángel naye wathandaza ngokunyanisekileyo ecela uncedo. Uthi: “Ndaphalaza imbilini yam kuThixo ndaza ndacela ukuba andixolele. Ibe wandinceda ngokwenene. Andiqondi ukuba ngendibuyele enyanisweni ukuba ndandingancedwanga ngumthandazo. Ngoku ndithandaza rhoqo imihla ngemihla, yaye ndikhangela phambili kula mathuba.” Sifanele ngalo lonke ixesha sizive sikhululekile ukuthetha noThixo ngokuphandle ngeempazamo zethu size ngokuzithoba sicele ukuba asixolele. Xa uKumkani uDavide wavuma iziphoso zakhe, uYehova wamxolela. (INdumiso 32:3-5) UYehova ufuna ukusinceda, kungekhona ukusigweba. (1 Yohane 3:19, 20) Yaye imithandazo yamadoda amakhulu ebandla inokusiphilisa ngokomoya, kuba ‘inamandla amakhulu.’—Yakobi 5:13-16.
18. Kungakhathaliseki ukuba bebesele bemshiye kangakanani na, abakhonzi bakaThixo banokuqiniseka ngantoni?
18 Nguwuphi ubawo obeya kugxotha unyana wakhe othi ngokuthobeka aze kufuna uncedo necebiso kuye emva kokwenza impazamo? Umzekeliso wonyana wolahleko ubonisa ukuba enoba besimshiye kangakanani na, uBawo wethu wasezulwini uyavuya xa sibuyela kuye. (Luka 15:21, 22, 32) UYehova ubongoza bonke abo baye bona ukuba basondele kuye, “kuba uya kuxolela ngokukhulu.” (Isaya 55:6, 7) Nangona uDavide wenza izono ezininzi ezinzulu, wakhala kuYehova esithi: “Owu Thixo wubekele indlebe umthandazo wam; ungazifihli kwisicelo sam sobabalo.” Waphinda wathi: “Ngokuhlwa nakusasa nasemini enkulu ndibonakalisa ukuxhalaba yaye ndiyadumzela, ibe [uYehova] uyaliva ilizwi lam.” (INdumiso 55:1, 17) Hayi indlela okusiqinisekisa ngayo oku!
19. Kutheni singafanele sigqibe kwelokuba xa imithandazo ibonakala ingaphendulwa uThixo akakholiswa yiyo?
19 Kuthekani ukuba imithandazo yethu ayiphendulwa ngokukhawuleza? Ngoko simele siqiniseke ukuba isicelo sethu sivisisana nokuthanda kukaYehova yaye senziwa egameni likaYesu. (Yohane 16:23; 1 Yohane 5:14) Umfundi uYakobi wathetha ngamanye amaKristu awathandazayo kodwa akaphendulwa ngenxa yokuba ‘ayecela ngenjongo embi.’ (Yakobi 4:3) Kwelinye icala, asifanele sikhawuleze sigqibe kwelokuba imithandazo ebonakala ingaphendulwa isoloko ingamkholisi uThixo. Maxa wambi uYehova usenokuvumela abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo ukuba baqhubeke bethandaza kangangethuba elithile ngaphambi kokuba aphendule ngendlela ecacileyo. UYesu wathi: “Qhubekani nicela, niya kunikwa.” (Mateyu 7:7) Ngenxa yoko, kufuneka ‘sizingise emthandazweni.’—Roma 12:12.
Thandaza Rhoqo
20, 21. (a) Kutheni kufuneka sithandaze ngokungapheziyo kule “mihla yokugqibela”? (b) Siya kufumana ntoni xa sisondela imihla ngemihla kwitrone kaYehova yobubele obungasifanelanga?
20 Iingcinezelo neengxaki zithabath’ unyawo kule “mihla yokugqibela,” ‘yamaxesha amanqam ekunzima ukujamelana nawo.’ (2 Timoti 3:1) Ngenxa yoko, sinokusoloko sicinga ngezilingo. Noko ke, ukuthandaza rhoqo kunokusinceda siqhubeke sisenza inkqubela yokomoya nakuba kukho iingxaki ezingapheliyo, izilingo nokudimazeka. Ukuthandaza mihla le kuYehova kunokusinika inkxaso esiyifunayo.
21 UYehova ‘onguMphulaphuli wemithandazo,’ akanakuze axakeke kangangokude angakwazi ukusiphulaphula. (INdumiso 65:2) Nathi singaze sixakeke kangangokude singakwazi ukuthetha naye. Ubuhlobo bethu noThixo buyeyona nto ixabisekileyo kwesinazo. Singaze sibuthabathe lula. “Ngoko ke, masisondele sinenkululeko yokuthetha kwitrone yobubele obungasifanelanga, ukuze sizuze inceba, sifumane ububele obungasifanelanga noncedo ngexesha elifanelekileyo.”—Hebhere 4:16.
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
• Sifunda ntoni kumprofeti uDaniyeli ngokubaluleka komthandazo?
• Sinokubomeleza njani ubuhlobo bethu noYehova?
• Kutheni sifanele sithandaze ngokungapheziyo?
• Kutheni ukuziva singaxabisekanga kungafanele kusithintele ekuthandazeni kuYehova?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]
UNehemiya wenza umthandazo omfutshane ngaphakathi ngaphambi kokuba athethe nokumkani
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 17]
UHana “wayesolula ukuthandaza kwakhe phambi koYehova”
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 18]
UYesu wathandaza ubusuku bonke ngaphambi kokuba amisele abapostile bakhe abali-12
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 20]
Amathuba okuthandaza ayavela njengoko imini iqhubeka