Inkosazana Encane: Umhlahlandlela Wokuthuthukiswa Okunokuvumelana KweKharaktha YobuKristu

Inkokhelo Yomlikanikazi Ekukhuleni Okwenziwe Ngeendlela ZobuKristu

Inkolo Yeqiniso Ngokwemvelo Iyakuthuthuka

NguHarvey Newcomb

Utshintsho olukhulu lokuziphatha nokomoya, oluthi uSkotshamanzi uluthethe ukuba luyimfuneko ekusindisweni, luthelekiswa nguKrestu nabapostile ekuzalweni okutsha, kuba lutshintshe olwentsha lwenteko yomoya. I gama elithi ukuzalwa kwengcuka, nangona kunjalo, lisebenza kuphela kulo tshintsho ekuqaleni kwalo, okuyinto eyenzeka ngesiquphe. Umguqukazi omncinci, ngoko, ubizwa ngokufanelekileyo nguPetro, umpostile, ngokuthi “umntwana ozalwa entsha.” Yinto enkulu kakhulu, ke, ukucinga ukuba uKristu oqinisekileyo, oyena mntu ulilungelo, ufanele abejonge emva kwexesha lokuguquka kwakhe ngenzame zokholo lwakhe ezisebenza kakhulu, okanye ngebufakazi bakhe obuphambili bokuba kwisimo sokholo. Kungaba, eneneni, ngaxeshanye olu tshintsho lubonakale kakhulu, kuba utshintsho oluvela kwisimo sentsha kwisimo sokholo lukhulu kakhulu. Noko ke, olu tshintsho lungaphelelanga, yaye eyona nto inkulu yomi sebenzi “wokulahla umntu omdala,”—“wokubeka phantsi umzimba nokugcina phantsi,” imsalela; ngoxa “umntu omtsha” kumele akule ngobuthaka bobuntwana ukuya “kubude bomntu opheleleyo kuKrestu Yesu.”

Inkolo yeqiniso, ngakho, kufanele ibe yinto ekhula ngokwendalo. Yile yinto eyacaca ngayo zonke izifaniso ezisetshenziswe yizwi likaNkulunkulu ukuchaza umsebenzi womusa enhliziyweni. Iyafananiswa nembewu yesardadi, okuwimbewu elincane kunazo zonke. Kodwa, uma ikhula, iyakhula futhi isakaze amagatsha ayo mpaka iwe yinto enkulu kunazo zonke izityalo. Ubuhle nobufaneleke balo sifaniso ngeke buqondwe ngaphandle kokucabangela ukukhula kwezityalo okukhulu ezweni lamaMpumalanga. Kodwa asikaze silindele isityalo esinjalo ukuba sikhule ngokuphelele ngomsheshe. Isiyinto eyaziwa ngokuthi ukhunta okhula ngokuphelele ukuze abonwe ilanga lokuqala ekuseni; kodwa lisheshe loma. Futhi asikaze silindele isityalo esinjalo ukuba siyeke ukukhula, ngaphambi kokufika kokuvuthwa. Uma siyeka ukukhula, kufanele kube khona isibungu esidlayo, noma isifo esibulalayo, esitawo senze sokoma futhi sifafe.

Umsebenzi womusa uyafananiswa nokuvubukula; okuqala kancane kakhulu mpaka ubukho bawo ekudleni kancane ubonakale. Kodwa uma uqala ukusebenza, uyakhula futhi welule mpaka konke kuvubukuliwe. Kodwa ukukhula kwawo kungacinywa yihlazo; futhi inqubo ingaphinde ibuyiselwe, mpaka ingawonzi ukhiqizo. Kunjalo umKristu ngeke aphinde alulame ekulimaleni kwakhe kokubuyela emuva nokupholisa ekuthandweni kwakhe okungcwele.

Iphinde, umusa ubandingkanwa nomthombo ophilayo—umthombo, amanzi akawu aphuma futhi athumele umgeke oqhubekayo. UCristu uthi, "Amanzi engiyomnika wona yena azaba kuye umthombo wamanzi, aphuma agqume kuze kube yimpilo yangaphakade.". Ngathi ngesikhathi amazwi enziwa, iNkosi yethu yayihlezi phezu komthombo ojulile, ikhulumela nomfazi waseSamariya. Njengoba kwakunjalo ngamajwayelo akhe, wathatha imfundo ezintweni ezazimzungezile. Wamqondisa ukuba aqondise ukunaka kwakhe kude namanzi angakwazi kuphela ukucisha ukoma kwabantu, kuye emanzini ophilayo, akhulisa umphefumulo. Kodwa yena, angamqondi, wathanda ukwazi ukuthi ungaliphata njani amanzi ophilayo emthombeni ojulile, ngaphandle kwento yokudonsa nayo. Ngokubonisa ukuphakama kwamanzi empilo, wamtshela ukuthi labo abawaphuza babe nayo, igquma njalo sendaweni, njengomthombo ogcwele.

Ezinye zezikhumbuzo ezithandekayo zombhali ekuphileni kwakhe kwabaning, yimthombo ophilayo owagcama elityeni eduze kwekhaya lakhe lobuntwana. Ukoma kakhulu amabandla awukuthinti, nasesizini ebandayo kakhulu yobusika bakasenyakatho wayehlala engumfazi. O, njengoba evuka ekuseni, nathi umoya obandayo wawu phefumula eduze kwendawo yokuhlala, nantso konke kwakubonakala kugcwele ngumfazi ophakade, iqhwa nenye ingubo yayigcama kumthombo. Ngakho, njengomgeke oqhubekayo, umusa wethu ugcwele, ungathintwa kukoma noma ukhuni lwabanye, incibilikisa amaqhwa enhliziyo azungeze thina.

"Abadilike," usho uDavide, "bata kukhula njengesihlahla somphala; bayakukhula njengomkhatshana eLebanoni." Isihlahla somphala siyakukhula futhi siyakanda, futhi sigcina amandla aso kanye nokuzala kwawo mhlawumbe isikhathi eside kunesihlahla esinye. Siyaziwa futhi ngekhono lazo lokuzala isihlahla sazo, impande yazo ikhiqiza iziqu zezihlahla eziningi; futhi lapho zitshalwa ngumthombo ophilayo ehlane, maduze nje kuzotholakala ihlathi elincane lezihlahla zomphala ezikhulayo zijikeleze. Esi sihlahla siyakusizo kakhulu, njalo ingxenye yazo iyaniseka ukuze isetshenziswe. Ukukhula "njengesihlahla somphala," yinto enjengo. Lokhu kungafezeka ngumKristu kuphela lapho ekhula phambili ekukhuleni kwake kwemoya, enomthelela, ekwandiseni "izihlahla zokulunga" engadini yaSenye, futhi ekhula emisebenzini yokusiza.

Umkhatshana sihlahla esihlala eluhlaza. Ikhula njalo, haibambi njengamanye amahlahla, alahle amagqabula awo, ahlale engenamoyo isigamu sonyaka, tapho akhule kabusha ngesikhathi esifushane; kodwa ukukhula kwawo kukhula ngokuqiniseka. Ihlala eluhlaza njalo. Ukukhula njengomkhatshana, kubonisa ukukhula okuqinisekile ekulungeni kwaSenye.

Izimkhuthazo ezisikhuthazayo ukuba sifune futhi sigcine izinga eliphakeme lokuzinikwa kuThixo, ziyizinga elaphakeme kakhulu ezingavezwwa ezingqondweni zethu. Ubuhle bukaThixo budinga lokhu. Lokhu ngowona umkhuba omkhulu kunazo zonke. Ngukubonakaliswa kwezinto eziphelele zikaThixo kubadali bakhe abanengqondo. Lokhu kubonakaliswa kunenziwa ngokubazisa ngezenzo zakhe zokudala, ukuqondisa, kanye nomusa, futhi ngokucindezela umfanekiso wakhe wokuziphatha ezinhliziyweni zabo. Kulelo ndawo kuphela ukujabula kwabo. Ngakho, ekukhuthazeni ubuheke bakhe, uThixo uyasebenza ngokuthanda okuhle kakhulu. Akukho okuweza kwengeza ekujabuleni kwakhe: akukho okuweza kunciphisa. Ukube indalo yonke yayisuswa, uThixo engabe yedwa emhlabeni, usengathi yena ngokwakhe uyaphakama futhi ujabule. Kwa njenga, akukho ubuzenzele ekuhlanguleni kwakhe ubuheke bakhe. Ubuhle bukaDaliw' emini ndio kumele kuve kuwe umntwana. Ukuthanda ukwenza uThixo abe ngakumbi, ke ngakho, kube yilo ilam principle lokhu kwa conduct yethu, entwasahlobo le ihambisana nezenzo zethu.

Kodwa ukuzenza njengoThixo kuthuthukiswa njani ngokukhuluphala kwethu ekuthandweni?

1. Kuvezwa kithi ngokucindezela umfanekiso wakhe ezinhliziyweni zethu, futhi ngokusinika ukwazi okwokomoya kokuhle, ukuhlanzeka, nobuhle, bemvelo yakhe yokuziphatha.

2. Kuvezwa kwabanye, kuthabathe njengoba sigcina ubuhlanti; ngoba ngalokho umfanekiso wokuziphatha kukaKristu uyaboniswa, njengobuheke belanga bubonakala ngokukhanya okubonakalayo kwenyanga.

3. Ubuhle bukaThixo bu thuthukiswa ngokwenza abanye bajwayele ukuceba komusa oswalukileyo, nokubaletha kuKristu; ngoba, ngalokho, bafumana ukukhanya okwokomoya ukuze babone ubuhle nobuheke bezinto eziphelele zikaThixo, umfanekiso wakhe uncanyathwa kwyizinhliziyo zabo.

Thina, njengalo, una khuthazo enkulu lokulwela ukuqhubeka kwezinto zikaThixo. IZwi likaThixo ligcwele izithembiso kubo bonke abafuna ukuzuza ukuphakama olwazini lukaThixo nasekungeni. Umprofethi uHoshea uthi, "Khona ke sizayazi, uma silandelana ukumazi uThixo: ukuphuma kwakhe kuhlanganisiwe njengokusa; yaye uyakusa kithi njengomvula, njengomvula wokugcina nowokuqala emhlabeni." Ukuphuma kwakhe, kubo abalandelanayo ukumazi, kuyakuba njengokuqiniseka, njengokwejwayelekile, yaye njengokuzinzile, njengokubuya kwemini njalo; yaye njengokuqhubeka njengokukhanya kwelanga, uma imisebe yalo iphuma empumalanga, yaye iyanda ekukhazameni nasemazingeni, hingsi ichithe phansi ukushisa okukhulu, yaye ukukhanya okuzinzile nokucacileyo, kwosuku oluphelele. "Uma silandelana ukumazi uThixo," ukududuza kwethu kuyakuba njengokuqiniseka, yaye umvumelelo wethu wokuhle kwakaThixo uyakuba njengokuqiniseka, njengokulandelana kwebusuku nemini; yaye ukuxhumana kwethu noThixo, yaye ukwanda kokukhanya, kuyakuba njengokuqinisa njengokukhanya kwelanga kusukela ekuseni kuze kube emini. Kuyakuba khona amafu athile; kodwa awayo ahlakazeka masinyane, yaye iLanga leNkululeko liyakuphuma limine imisebe emnandi yaye likhazamise.

O yena "o tla a re etla a tshwana le mvula, le mvula ya pele le ya ntlha naga." Palestine, mvula e ntlha e ole, jaaka a le ka lefatshe lena, ka dinako tsohle tsa ngwaga; mme mvula e boima e golola, go nosa lefatse ka nako ya go hlwanya, go dira gore peo e oloke e bile e hule; mme mvula eno e le dintsi hakana go dira gore dimela di hule ka tsela e tsitsitseng, go fitlhele kwa go tshwara, fa "mvula ya ntlha" e golola, go wetsa tsholofelo - go nka mmele kwa thobokelong, gore fa e butswa, e be ngata e bile e tletse. Fa mvula eno ya ntlha e sa golola, thobokelo e shinya, e bile e oma, gore dijo e onwa ka boleng, e bile e fokotsa ka bongata. "Mvula ya pele," ka tshireletso e ne, e ka bonwa e le "tshabologo e tsoa kwa godimo," eo moya o e hlahang fa "peo e ntle" ya lefoko e oloka; mme, fa eno e le ngata, e bile mokholutswane a ya pele a tseba Morena, tshusumetso eo a e fumanang e tla mu tsamaisa a le kwa tsela e tsitsitseng ya kgolo ya moya, go fitlhele "mvula ya ntlha" e tla wetsa ditshemo tsa gagwe.

Ka boiphihlelo bja Bakriste ba re ileng bagatshwentse pele ka bophelo bja bomoya, go na le tshwanelo e tshwanang le "mvula ya ntlha." Ba tsamaya kwa tsela e tsitsitseng, morago bja go fetolwa, ba tsamaya ba ntse ba sokomola, le fa e le ka dinako tse dingwe ba sa sokomola joang, jaaka go na le dinako kwa dimela di sa hule. Mme, ka nako e itshe, morago bja go rwalwa ka setaegang kwa tsebong ya Morena, ba fumana mafura a macha a tsoa kwa godimo. Moya wa Morena o tshutswe kwa bone, jaaka "mvula ya ntlha," go wetsa kgolo ya ditsholofelo tsa Bakriste. E ka etsahala, ka kgolo ya dimela kwa bo-East, gore, pele "mvula ya ntlha" e golola, komadi e be boima hakana go dira gore dijo di wabje, e bile di tshwanele di omile e bile di swela.

Ndiyo, kaninzi, ngaphambi kwalolu hlobo olusha lokuhlazeka endikhuluma ngalo, umKristu uyiswa ezilingweni ezinkulu, kaninzi ezidlula, ngamandla okulingwa kanye namandla okuqiniseka, lokho okwadlula phambili isihlazeko sakhe sokuqala sokuthethelelwa. Kodwa, lapho ukukhanya kunoku phinda kwakheka engqondweni yakhe, uyiswa "endaweni ebanzi," behlola "ubuhle beNkosi," kanye nezinkazimulo zomnusa wayo, ngokubona okucacile kunangaphambili. Izicefu zokuqiniseka okupheleleyo ziyakheka engqondweni yakhe, nopokophelo lwakhe lugeleza njengesikhukhula esingalali. Unazo izinto ezintsha nezicacile zokubonwa kwinkazimulo kaThixo, nalolo luyimfihlakalo ebukekayo, "Thixo wabonakala emzimbeni." Umphefumulo wakhe uyakhuzanyiswa ngeendlela zikaThixo, yize abonakala edangele kakhulu kuye, ebekwe phansi kuThixo. Ushintshe "umoya wokugqilika" ngom "umoya wokwamukelwa." Ingqondo yakhe ikhona "kupokophelo olucacileyo, olungenzeka kuThixo." Lokhu "imvula yokugcina" yenza izithelo zakhe zibe sebekhulile. Uthando lwakhe nejoyina, kanye nazo zonke izinto zakhe zokholo, zicacile kakhulu, zikholiseka, ngokuncipha kwengxube yengxaka yomuntu; ukholo lwakhe luyaqina, luyacaca, luyaqiniseka; ukhuthaphalala kwakhe kuyaqina; uyabana, uyathamba, uyathobeka, uyaguquguqa, uyahambisana ngamaxesha onke. Ngokwenyama uyathethelela "izithelo ngokukhuthaphalala;" nezithelo zakhe ziyaqhuba, zibonwa, ziye enkazimulweni yomnusa kaThixo. Futhi, kwabaninzi, lokhu kupholisa kuyaphindwa, ngempilo ende yobuKristu, kubangela bona njalo "kukhula izithelo ngesikhathi sabo."

Kukhona into efana nale "imvula yokugcina" kwenzululwaneni yabaNgcwele beBhayibheli, njengakweyakwa Jobe, phakathi nokuhlolwa kwake, nakaDavide noPetro, emva zokuwa kwabo. Ngokunjalo, siyayathola kwimemoirs zamaKristu azwiwayo, njengaBunyan, uNkosikazi Edwards, (umfazi kaJonathan Edwards,) uEdward Payson, uJames Brainerd, uTaylor, uGriffin, nabanye abengi. UNkosikazi Edwards, isikhathi eside, wajabula, njengoba ethi, "ubicebo bokholo olugcwele." Uzizwa "ukuzinikela okungaphazanyeki nokuphelele kuThixo, ngokuhlonza impilo noma ukugula, ukhululekile noma ubuhlungu, impilo noma ukufa; nokuzinikela okuphelele kwempilo yabangane bakhe abasondeleyo emhlabeni." Uphinde azizwe "uxolo olumnandi nokuthula kwengqondo, ngaphandle kwawona wokuvelela; ukujabula okuqhubekayo kuzo zonke izenzo zenzululwane nezoProvidence; ukufinyelela okumangalisayo kuThixo ngomthandazo, ekhuluma naye ngesenzi, njengokungathi uThixo uyilapha emhlabeni; iimpendulo eziningi, ezicacile, nezokuzwa, zokuthandaza; izinyembezi zonke ziwshaywa; izinkathazo zonke nezihlupheko zempilo zikhohlwa, ngaphandle kohlupheko ngenxa yesono; ukwenza zonke izinto ngodumo lukaThixo, ngokujabula okuqhubekayo nokungaphazanyeki, ukuthula, noxolo." Ngokushesha nje wenza imisebenzi yempilo yansuku zonke ngokushisekela okukhulu, ebona njengengxenye yenkonzo kaThixo; nalapho yenziwa ngenxa yalesi sizathu, wathi ziyamjabulisa njengomthandazo uqobo. Uphinde abonise "ukukhathazeka okukhulu ukugwema isono sonke, nokwenza yonke imisebenzi yezokuziphatha. Uyena owonakalisayo ekwenzeni yonke imisebenzi yezokuhlalisana; abonisa ukungabi nacala kwempilo nengxoxo; ukuthula okukhulu, ukusa, nobumnandi bomoya; waphinde agweme, ngokuziphatha kwakhe okuqaphelayo, zonke izinto ayezibona njengokuhluleka kwakhe kwabantu."

Ngakini na abantu aba yini bafika kule ndawo ephakeme ekuleni kwakristu? Yize ngomusa wokukhulula, owabusa — kodwa hhayi ngomcimbi. Kunalokho uma sisebenzisa izindlela ezifanayo, singafinyelela ekupheleni okufanayo; lokhu hhayi noku thobisa ukuthembela kwethu kuThixo, noku busa kwakhe ekunikezeni komusa; ngoba ubeke izindlela, njengokuphela. Ekukhulumeni kwabuthole ka Edwadi, umkayo usho, "umkayo Edwadi wayesekhule kwisikhathi eside, ngendlela eyivelakancane, ekhulayo ngomusa; wayesenyuka, ngamadigri abonakalayo, kuya elothweni eliphezulu kuThixo, ekhululwa emhlabeni, noku phatha phezu kwezono noku lingwa, ngokuhlushwa okukhulu nokulwa; wayeselwa ekulweni nezono, noku thandaza njalo nokusebenzisa ekuleni, noku zibandakanya kwengqondo ekusebenziseni izindlela zonke. Lokhu kukhula wayesekuhambisana, hhayi kuphela novuko olukhulu lwezithasiselo zenkolo, kodwa novuko olusobala lwekulwa kwangaphandle; ikakhulukazi ekulweni ngaphezu kwehlabathi, naku digri eliphakeme lwe ukuqina noku phatha endleleni yobutyeko noku thobisa; ukulinda ukulwa kwakristu phakathi koku lingwa, noku hlula, ngezikhathi, phakathi koku hlushwa; ukuphatheka ekhathazekile, ekhathazekile, ukuzola noku phumula, phakathi kwezinguquko nezingozi zesikhathi, njengamasizini ebuhlungu obukhulu, nengozi ebonakalayo yoku fa ngokushesha.

Sithola ama-akhawunti ezilinganayo zokuhlupheka nezokulwa kwezinye iinkosi. Yilokhu esingakwazi okulindela. Ivumelana nobomi beKhristu, njengoko kuchaziwe kwilizwi likaThixo. “Ngokuhlupheka okuninzi yindlela esingena ngayo kwuBukumba beZulu.” Yilokhu indlela ekufuneka sihambe ngayo, ukuba singenayo. Kufuneka senze ubunyingi bube yinto enkulu yobomi, into ekufuneka yonke enye into ithathe indawo yayo. Kufuneka sibandakanyeke emsebenzini ngomphefumlo wethu wonke, sijonge kuKrestu ngamandla angokuchasene nezitha zethu zomoya; silandela umzekelo kaPawulos, “Ndilibala elokhukhokhela emva, nokolulela kwizinto ezingaphambili; ndikhokhelela kwinjongo yomdumba wokubizwa okuPhezulu kukaThixo okuyo uKrestu Yesu;” yaye ke siza kuba ngaboyisayo ekugqibeleni, “ngokuye owathandayo, wadikibala yena ngenxa yethu."