Kungani Sikhonza UJehova?

“USUKU lukaJehova luseduze! ‘Usizi olukhulu’ luseduze, futhi ngeke usinde kulo uma ungamkhonzi uNkulunkulu.” Uma othile ekutshela lokho, ubuyosabela kanjani?—Zefaniya 2:2, 3; Mathewu 24:21.

Yiqiniso, kufanele sikhumbule usuku lukaJehova, futhi ukusinda phakathi nosizi olukhulu oluseduze ngempela kuxhomeke ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka. Kodwa ingabe lamaqiniso kufanele abe izizathu eziyinhloko zokunikela kwethu inkonzo engcwele kuJehova uNkulunkulu? Kungani wena ukhonza uJehova?

Isidingo Sesisusa Esifanelekile

Uma umuntu engamkhonzi uNkulunkulu ngesisusa esiqondile, angase ayeke uma amathemba akhe engafezeki phakathi nenkathi ethile yesikhathi. Ngokwesibonelo, abanye abantu babelindele ukuba uJesu Kristu abuye ngo-1843 noma ngo-1844, isikhathi sadlula amathemba abo engafezekanga. Okuthakazelisayo kulokhu yilokho okwabhalwa uGeorge Storrs, umnyathelisi we-Bible Examiner futhi kamuva owazana noCharles Taze Russell, umongameli wokuqala we-Watch Tower Society. Kuyi-Bible Examiner ka-September 1846, uStorrs wabhala:

“Isibopho sokukhonza uNkulunkulu sibaluleke kakhulu kuneqiniso nje lokuthi usuku seluyadlula. . . . Ukusabela okuyoba khona uma u-1846 no-1847 bedlula njengoba bengase badlule, ngaphandle kokubona ukuza kwesibili, kuyoba okudumaza ngendlela engacabangeki. Okuhlangenwe nakho kuyakufakazela lokhu—ngisho okuhlangenwe nakho kuka-1843 no-1844. Ziphi manje izixuku zalabo okuthiwa, ‘bashukunyiselwa ukuba bakhonze uNkulunkulu’ njengoba befanele yileso simemezelo sesikhathi sokuza kweNkosi? Ngiyaphinda ngithi—ZIPHI!!! Cishe oyedwa kuphela kwabayishumi bazo osatholakala ehamba ngokholo lwakhe. Kungani? Zazishukunyiswe izisusa ezingalungile. Ubugovu bazo babuyinto eyinhloko eyazikhanga neyazishukumisa. Zazifana ncamashí nesoni esicabanga ukuthi sesizokufa silele embhedeni sigula noma siphakathi kwesiphepho sasolwandle. Uma kumelwe sife, siyoba umKristu. Uma sesazi ukuthi asisekho engozini, sasingeke sibe nandaba kakhulu.”

Ukukhonza Ngezisusa Eziqondile

Ubugovu nokwesaba ukubhujiswa kungase kuholele abanye ukuba benze intando kaJehova ngendlela yokugcina icala. Abanye bangase bakhangwe yithemba lokuphila ePharadesi kangangokuba bakhonze uNkulunkulu ngenxa nje yalesosizathu. Nokho, uma abantu abashukunyiswe ngokuyinhloko izisusa ezinjalo babecabanga ukuthi usuku lukaJehova nosizi olukhulu  kwakungekho eduze kangako, babengase bangathambekeli ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu ngentshiseko.

Yiqiniso, akubona ubugovu ukujabula ngezithembiso zikaNkulunkulu nezibusiso ezabikezelwa. Ufuna sijabule ngamathemba abekwe phambi kwethu njengabalandeli beNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu. “Ethembeni nithokoze,” kwasho umphostoli uPawulu, enezela: “Osizini nibekezele; ekukhulekeni niqinisele njalo.” (Roma 12:12) Lapho ihambisana nomthandazo, “injabulo kaJehova” isisiza ukuba sikhuthazelele uvivinyo futhi ngokubekezela silindele ukugcwaliseka kwezithembiso zikaNkulunkulu. (Nehemiya 8:10) Okwamanje, sinezizathu eziningi zokukhonza uJehova. Yiziphi ezinye zazo?

Umsebenzi Nelungelo

NjengoMbusi Wendawo Yonke, uJehova ufanelwe futhi ufuna ukuzinikela okukhethekile. (Eksodusi 20:4, 5) Ngakho umKristu ngamunye unesilinganiso esifanayo sesibopho kuNkulunkulu kungakhathaliseki ukuthi usizi olukhulu luqala kusasa, ngonyaka ozayo, noma kamuva. Unesibopho sokuba akhonze uJehova ngokungenabugovu ngenxa yokuthanda uNkulunkulu ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakhe, umphefumulo, ingqondo, namandla. (Marku 12:30) Amanye amaKristu okuqala ayecabanga ukuthi usuku lukaJehova lwaluseduze, kodwa ithemba lawo alizange lifezeke, futhi afa engasibonanga lesosenzakalo. (1 Thesalonika 5:1-5; 2 Thesalonika 2:1-5) Nokho, uma babethembeka kuze kube sekufeni, ekugcineni labo balandeli bakaKristu abagcotshiwe babemukela umvuzo wokuvuselwa ekuphileni kwasezulwini.—IsAmbulo 2:10.

OFakazi BakaJehova ababhapathiziwe kufanele bamkhonze ngokwethembeka ngoba baye bamukela ngokuzithandela isibopho sokwenza intando yakhe. Ake ucabange! Njengezingelosi ezingcwele, nathi singayenza intando yoMbusi Wendawo Yonke. (IHubo 103:20, 21) UJesu walazisa kakhulu lelolungelo kangangokuthi wathi: “Ukudla kwami kungukwenza intando yongithumileyo, ngifeze umsebenzi wakhe.” (Johane 4:34) Uma sinomoya ofanayo, siyomemezela ngentshiseko izindumiso zikaJehova futhi sitshele abanye ngezinjongo zakhe, njengoba zembulwe emiBhalweni. Ngalendlela, siba futhi nelungelo lokusiza abanye ngokomoya. Futhi ngokuqinisekile, ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu ngoba sinothando ngaye kuyilungelo elimangalisayo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi usuku lukaJehova luqala nini.

Ukubonga Kuyasishukumisa

Ukubonga ngothando lukaNkulunkulu ekulungiseleleni umhlatshelo wesihlengo weNdodana yakhe kufanele nakho kusishukumisele ukuba sikhonze uJehova. Ngaphambili sasehlukanisiwe noJehova uNkulunkulu ngenxa yesono. Nokho, uJesu wathi: “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe [lesintu] kangaka, waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yiyo angabhubhi, kodwa abe-nokuphila okuphakade.” (Johane 3:16) UJehova wathatha isinyathelo kuqala kulokhu, njengoba uPawulu abhala: “UNkulunkulu uyabonakalisa ukusithanda kwakhe ngalokhu ukuthi, siseyizoni, uKristu wasifela.”  (Roma 5:8) Ukubonga ngalokhu kubonakaliswa kothando lukaNkulunkulu kufanele kusishukumisele ukuba simkhonze ngenhliziyo yonke.

Ukwazisa ngamalungiselelo kaJehova angokomoya nangokwenyama kusinikeza esinye isizathu sokumkhonza ngokwethembeka. IZwi likaNkulunkulu liyisiqondiso sangempela—ukukhanya endleleni yethu. Izincwadi ezilungiselelwa ‘ngenceku ethembekileyo neqondayo’ zisisiza ukuba sivumelanise ukuphila kwethu nentando yaphezulu. (Mathewu 24:45-47; IHubo 119:105) Futhi ngenxa yokuthi sifuna uMbuso kuqala, uJehova uyasinakekela futhi ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo. (Mathewu 6:25-34) Ingabe ubonisa ukwazisa ngalezizinto?

Ukubonga ngenkululeko esiyinikezwa uNkulunkulu enkolweni yamanga kunikeza esinye isizathu sokukhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka. Isifebe esingokwenkolo iBabiloni Elikhulu “sihlezi phezu kwamanzi amaningi,” okusho “abantu nezixuku, nezizwe, nezilimi.” (IsAmbulo 17:1, 15) Nokho, asihlezi phezu kwezinceku zikaJehova, sizithonya futhi siziqondisa ngokwenkolo. Ngokwesibonelo, ziyayenqaba imfundiso yenkolo yokuthi umphefumulo womuntu awufi. Ziyazi ukuthi umuntu wadalwa waba “umphefumulo ophilayo,” ukuthi abafileyo “abazi-lutho,” nokuthi kuyoba novuko. (Genesise 2:7; UmShumayeli 9:5, 10; IzEnzo 24:15) Ngakho azibesabi abafile futhi azibakhulekeli. Ingabe ukubonga ngenkululeko enjalo engokomoya kukwenza wenqabe ukuhlubuka futhi ubambelele ekukhulekeleni okumsulwa kukaJehova?—Johane 8:32.

Ukwazisa ngokusekela kukaJehova kwansuku zonke kufanele kwandise ukuzimisela kwethu ukumkhonza ngokwethembeka. Umhubi uDavide wamemezela: “Mayibongwe iNkosi. Iyasithwala imihla ngemihla.” (IHubo 68:19) Kwenye indawo umhubi wathi: “Ngokuba ubaba nomame bangishiyile, kodwa uJehova uzakungamukela.” (IHubo 27:10) Yebo, umuntu okhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka angaphonsa umthwalo wakhe ongokomfanekiso kuNkulunkulu, njengezinkathazo novivinyo. Ingabe ubonisa ukwazisa ngokusekela kukaJehova okungahluleki ngokumkhonza ngokwethembeka?—IHubo 145:14.

Khazimulisa UJehova Nobukhosi Bakhe

Isifiso sokukhazimulisa uJehova kufanele naso sisishukumisele ukuba simkhonze. Izidalwa zasezulwini zichazwa njengezikhazimulisa uNkulunkulu ngalamazwi: “Ufanele wena-Nkosi yethu noNkulunkulu wethu ukwamukela inkazimulo nodumo namandla, ngokuba nguwena owadala izinto zonke, nangenxa yentando yakho zaba-khona, zadalwa.” (IsAmbulo 4:11) INkosi uDavide yakhazimulisa uNkulunkulu ngokuthi: “Ngobakho, Jehova, ubukhulu, namandla, nodumo, nenkazimulo, nobukhosi . . . ngowakho umbuso, Jehova . . . Ingcebo nenkazimulo kuvela kuwe, wena ubusa phezu kwakho konke . . . Nkulunkulu wethu, siyakubonga, siyadumisa igama lakho elitusekayo.” (1 IziKronike 29:10-13) Njengezinceku zikaJehova, ingabe asizizwa  sinesibopho sokumkhazimulisa ngezwi nangesenzo kuyilapho silindele ukugcwaliseka kwezithembiso zakhe?—1 Korinte 10:31.

Isifiso esinamandla sokukhuluma ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu sisinikeza esinye isizathu sokukhonza uJehova. Lesosisusa esihle sivezwe kahle emazwini omhubi: “Yonke imisebenzi yakho iyakukudumisa, abangcwele bakho bakubonge. Ngenkazimulo yombuso wakho bayakukhuluma, bashumayele ngamandla akho ukuba babazise abantwana babantu izenzo zakho zamandla nenkazimulo yobukhosi bombuso wakho. Umbuso wakho ungumbuso kuze kube-phakade; ubukhosi bakho busezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane.” (IHubo 145:10-13) Ukumemezela isigijimi soMbuso kungumsebenzi wokuthunywa womKristu nobaluleke kakhulu owenziwa osukwini lwethu. (Mathewu 24:14; 28:19, 20) Ingabe unesifiso esikhulu sokudumisa uJehova futhi utshele abanye ngoMbuso wakhe?

Ukukhazinyuliswa kwegama likaJehova nokulwelwa kobukhosi bakhe kufanele kube okubaluleke kakhulu kithi kangangokuba sifune ukumkhonza ngokwethembeka. Singase sithandazele ukungcweliswa kwegama likaJehova nokulwelwa kobukhosi bakhe. (Mathewu 6:9) Singenza ngokuvumelana nemithandazo yethu ngokuhlanganyela enkonzweni yobuKristu njalo nangokusakaza iqiniso ngezindaba ezinjalo ezibaluleke kakhulu.—Hezekeli 36:23; 39:7.

Injabulo Nokwaneliseka

Ngokukhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka, siba nokwaneliseka kokwenza inhliziyo yakhe ithokoze nokubonakalisa uDeveli engumqambimanga. Nakuba uSathane ezisholo ukuthi abantu bakhonza uNkulunkulu ngezizathu zobugovu, inkonzo yethu yokwethembeka kuJehova, enikelwa ngothando, ibonisa ukuphikisa kwalowo osolayo kungamanga. (Jobe 1:8-12) Lokhu kusinikeza isizathu esihle sokuqhubeka senza lokho okushiwo kuzAga 27:11: “Ndodana yami, hlakanipha, uthokozise inhliziyo yami ukuba ngiphendule ongisolayo.” Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho sikhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka naphezu kwakho konke uSathane akwenzayo ukuze asivimbele, cishe inkambo yethu yokugcina ubuqotho iyoqinisa esikholwa nabo.—Filipi 1:12-14.

Injabulo nokwaneliseka kokuhlanganyela ekuvuneni okungokomoya kufanele nakho kusishukumisele ukuba sikhonze uJehova ngokwethembeka. UJesu wathola injabulo ekusizeni abantu, ikakhulukazi ngezindlela ezingokomoya. UMathewu 9:35-38 uthi: “UJesu wayihamba imizi yonke nemizana efundisa emasinagogeni abo, eshumayela ivangeli lombuso, ephulukisa izifo zonke nokugula konke. Kepha ebona izixuku waba-nesihe ngazo, ngokuba zazikhathazekile, zihlakazekile njengezimvu ezingenamelusi. Wayesethi kubafundi bakhe: Ukuvuna kukhulu, kodwa izisebenzi ziyingcosana; ngakho-ke nxusani eNkosini yokuvuna ukuba ithume izisebenzi, ziye ekuvuneni kwayo.” Uma umsebenzi wokuvuna uthatha isikhathi eside ngaphezu kokuba besilindele, lokhu kuyosinikeza ithuba elengeziwe lokuthola injabulo nokwaneliseka ekusizeni abanye ngokomoya. Lokhu kungenye indlela yokubonisa uthando ngomakhelwane okulindelekile kithi.—Mathewu 22:39.

Kungani Wena Ukhonza UNkulunkulu?

Siye sacabangela ezimbalwa zezizathu eziningi ezisishukumisela ukuba sikhonze uJehova ngokwethembeka. Kuhle ukucabangela ngomthandazo izizathu zethu zomuntu siqu zokukhonza uNkulunkulu, ngoba ngamunye wethu kuyodingeka alandise kuye. (Roma 14:12; Heberu 4:13) Futhi labo abaphikelelayo ekubeni nje nezisusa zobugovu ngeke bakujabulele ukwamukelwa kwaphezulu.

Yini engalindelwa uma ngokuyinhloko sikhathalela ukukhazinyuliswa kwegama likaJehova futhi sinikeza inkonzo engcwele kuNkulunkulu ngezisusa ezingenabugovu? Phela, uJehova uyosibusisa kanye nenkonzo yethu! (IzAga 10:22) Siyothola futhi ukuphila okuphakade ngoba siye sakhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka.

[Isithombe ekhasini 9]

Izinkulungwane zikhonza uJehova eJapane

[Isithombe ekhasini 10]

Ukukhonza uJehova e-Côte d’Ivoire

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 8]

SIX SERMONS, by George Storrs (1855)