AKUNGABAZEKI ukuthi uye waphawula ukuthi izinkolo eziningi zinezakhiwo zokuthandaza zikanokusho futhi zibeka isikhathi esithile sokuthandaza phakathi nosuku. Ingabe iBhayibheli lithi kunezikhathi nezindawo ezithile okufanele sithandaze kuzo?

IBhayibheli liyabonisa ukuthi kunezikhathi ezifanelekayo zokuthandaza. Ngokwesibonelo, uJesu wathandaza wabonga uNkulunkulu ngaphambi kokudla nabalandeli bakhe. (Luka 22:17) Ngesikhathi abafundi bakhe bebuthanele ukukhulekela, bathandaza. Ngokwenza lokhu, babeqhubeka nenkambiso okwase kuyisikhathi yenziwa emasinagogeni amaJuda nasethempelini eJerusalema. UNkulunkuu wayefuna ithempeli libe “yindlu yomthandazo yazo zonke izizwe.”—Marku 11:17.

Lapho izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zihlangana futhi zithandaza ndawonye, ukunxusa kwazo kungase kulethe imiphumela emihle. Uma labo bantu benesimo sengqondo esifanayo futhi lowo othandazayo enza umthandazo obonakalisa izimiso zemiBhalo, uNkulunkulu uyajabula. Lowo mthandazo ungase ngisho umshukumisele ukuba enze into abengeke ayenze. (Hebheru 13:18, 19) OFakazi BakaJehova bathandaza njalo emihlanganweni yabo. Umenywa ngokufudumele ukuba uye eHholo LoMbuso eliseduze uzizwele imithandazo yabo.

Nokho, iBhayibheli alisho ukuthi kunesikhathi nendawo okufanele kuthandazwe kuyo. Kulo sithola ukulandisa kwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezathandaza noma nini noma kuphi. UJesu wathi: “Lapho uthandaza, ngena ekamelweni lakho, futhi ngemva kokuvala umnyango, uthandaze kuYihlo osekusithekeni; khona-ke uYihlo obukele esekusithekeni uyokubuyisela.”—Mathewu 6:6.

Lesi akusona yini isicelo esijabulisayo esivela kuNkulunkulu? Empeleni ungakhuluma noMbusi wendawo yonke noma nini, lapho uwedwa, futhi ungaqiniseka ngokuthi uyokuzwa. Akumangazi-ke ukuthi uJesu wayewenza amathuba okuba yedwa ukuze athandaze! Ngesinye isikhathi wachitha ubusuku bonke ethandaza kuNkulunkulu, ngokusobala efuna isiqondiso esinqumweni esibaluleke kakhulu.—Luka 6:12, 13.

Amanye amadoda nabesifazane eBhayibhelini babethandaza lapho kumelwe benze izinqumo ezisindayo noma lapho bebhekene nezinselele eziqeda amandla. Ngezinye izikhathi babethandaza ngokuzwakalayo, kanti ngezinye babethandaza buthule; babethandaza njengeqembu nalapho bebodwa. Into ebalulekile ukuthi babethandaza. UNkulunkulu ucela izinceku zakhe: “Thandazani ningaphezi.” (1 Thesalonika 5:17) Uzimisele ukubalalela ngokungaphezi labo abenza intando yakhe. Ingabe lesi akusona isicelo sothando?

Yiqiniso, njengoba siphila ezweni elingenalo ukholo, abaningi bazibuza ukuthi uyazuzisa yini umthandazo. Kungenzeka uke uzibuze, ‘Kuzongisiza yini ngempela ukuthandaza?’