Ukubonga Kunoma Yiziphi Izimo
Ngabe asinaso yini isizathu sokugcwala ukubonga, kungakhathalekile sizithola sikuziphi izimo na?
Eminyakeni edlule, ngibe nethuba elingcwele lokuhlangana nabantu abaningi usizi lwabo olubonakala sengathi lufinyelela ekujuleni kwemiphefumulo yabo. Kulezi zikhathi, ngike ngalalela abafowethu nodadewethu abathandekayo futhi ngadabuka kanye nabo ngenxa yemithwalo yabo. Ngike ngadlinza ngokuthi ngizothini kubo, futhi kube wumshikashika ukwazi ukuthi ngingabaduduza futhi ngibeseke kanjani ebunzimeni babo.
Imvamisa usizi lwabo lubangwa yilokho okubonakala kubo sengathi kuyisiphelo. Abanye babhekene nokuphela kobudlelwano ababuthandayo, njengokushona kothandekayo noma ukwehlukaniswa nelungu lomndeni. Abanye banomuzwa wokuthi babhekene nokuphela kwethemba—ithemba lokushada noma lokuthola abantwana noma lokunqoba ukugula. Abanye kungenzeka babhekene nokuphela kokholo lwabo, njengoba amazwi adidayo naphikisanayo emhlabeni ebalinga ukuba bakungabaze, baze bakushiye nokukushiya, lokho ebebekade bekwazi ukuthi kuyiqiniso.
Ngikholwa wukuthi sonke, ngesikhathi singazelele, sihlangabezana nezikhathi lapho kungekho lutho olusihambela kahle, sisale sizizwa sisodwa, sikhungathekile futhi singakwazi ukulawula izimpilo zethu.
Lokhu kungenzeka kunoma ngubani. Akekho ongenakubhekana nalezi zikhathi.
Singaba Nokubonga.
Izimo zabantu azifani, futhi imininingwane yezimpilo zethu ngabanye yehlukile. Noma kunjalo, ngifundile ukuthi kunokuthile okungasusa ubuhlungu obungahle bufike ezimpilweni zethu. Kukhona into eyodwa esingayenza ukuze senze impilo ibe mnandi, ijabulise kakhudlwana, ize ikhazimule nokukhazimula.
Singaba nokubonga!
Kungase kuzwakale kuphambene nokuhlakanipha kwezwe ukuphakamisa ukuthi umuntu osindwa wusizi kumele abonge uNkulunkulu. Kodwa labo abashiya imizwa yokucasuka esikhundleni salokho bakhethe ukubonga bangezwa ukwelapheka, ukuthula, nokuqonda.
Njengabafundi bakaKristu, siyalwa ukuba “sibonge iNkosi uNkulunkulu [wethu] kuzo zonke izinto,”1 ukuba “[sihubele] uJehova ngokubonga,”2 nokuba “izinhliziyo [zethu] zigcwale ukubonga kuNkulunkulu.”3
Kungani uNkulunkulu esiyala ukuba sibonge na?
Yonke imiyalelo Yakhe sinikwe yona ngenjongo yokuba sithole izibusiso. Imiyalelo isinika amathuba okusebenzisa amandla ethu okuzikhethela nokuthola izibusiso. UBaba wethu oseZulwini onothando uyazi ukuthi ukukhetha ukukhuthaza umoya wokubonga kuzosilethela intokozo yangempela nenjabulo enkulu.
Ukubonga Ngenxa Yezinto
Kodwa abanye bangase bathi, “Yini okufanele ngiyibongele ngibe ngithwele kanzima na?”
Mhlawumbe ukugxila kulokho esikubongayo kuyinto engafanele. Kunzima ukukhuthaza umoya wokubonga uma ukubonga kwethu kuhambisana kuphela nenani lezibusiso esingazibala. Kuyiqiniso, kubalulekile ukuba sivame “ukubala izibusiso zethu”—futhi noma ngubani oke wakuzama lokhu uyazi ukuthi ziningi—kodwa angikholwa ukuthi iNkosi ilindele ukuba singabongi ngezikhathi zobunzima kunangezikhathi zenala nokunethezeka. Empeleni, imibhalo engcwele engafundwa ayikhulumi ngokubonga ngenxa yezinto kodwa ikhuluma ngokuba nomoya wokubonga noma isimo sokubonga.
Kulula ukubonga ngenxa yezinto lapho impilo ibonakala sengathi isihambela kahle. Kodwa-ke kuthiwani ngezikhathi lapho kubonakala sengathi asikwazi ukukuthola lokho esikufisayo na?
Ngicela ukuphakamisa ukuthi sibuke ukubonga njengento esivame ukuyenza, indlela yokuphila engencikile esimweni esikuso. Ngamanye amazwi, ngiphakamisa ukuthi esikhundleni sokubonga ngenxa yezinto, masigxile ekutheni sibonge kuzo izimo zethu—ngisho kuthiwa zinjani.
Kunendaba endala kaweta owabuza ikhasimende ukuthi likujabulele yini ukudla. Ikhasimende laphendula lathi konke bekukuhle, kodwa bekuzoba ngcono ukube belithole esinye isinkwa. Ngakusasa, lapho lendoda ibuya, uweta waliphinda kabili inani lezinkwa, eyinika izingcezu ezine esikhundleni sezimbili, kodwa noma kunjalo lendoda ayizange ijabule. Ngosuku olulandelayo, uweta waliphinda kabili inani lezinkwa futhi, kodwa kwazifanela.
Ngosuku lwesine, uweta wayezimisele ngempela ukuyijabulisa lendoda. Wabe esethatha isinkwa esasingamamitha amathathu ubude, wasisika phakathi, wasinika lendoda emamatheka. Uweta wayengasakwazi nokulinda ukuzwa ukuthi yayizothini lendoda.
Ngemuva kokudla, lendoda yabheka phezulu yathi, “Kuhle njengenjwayelo. Kodwa ngiyabona ukuthi usuphinda futhi unginika izingcezu ezimbili kuphela zesinkwa. ”
Ukubonga Kuzo Izimo Zethu
Bafowethu nodadewethu abathandekayo, kukithi ukuzikhethela. Singakhetha ukubonga, kuye ngokuthi yiziphi izibusiso esizizwa sinazo. Noma singakhetha ukufana noNefi, onhliziyo yakhe enokubonga engazange idikibale. Ngenkathi abafowabo bembophela emkhunjini—ayewakhele ukubayisa ezweni lesethembiso—amaqakala nezihlakala zakhe zazibuhlungu kakhulu “zase zivuvukele kakhulu,” futhi isiphepho esinamandla sabonakala sizomgwinyela ekujuleni kolwandle. “Nokho,” kusho uNefi, “ngabheka kuNkulunkulu wami, futhi ngamdumisa usuku lonke; futhi angizange ngiyivungamele iNkosi ngenxa yezinkathazo zami.”4
Singakhetha ukufana noJobe, owayebonakala sengathi wayenakho konke kodwa kwase kumlahlekela konke. Kepha uJobe waphendula wathi, “Ngaphuma ngize esizalweni sikamame, ngiyakubuyela khona ngize … : UJehova wapha, uJehova uthathile; malibongwe igama likaJehova.”5
Singakhetha ukufana namavulandlela amaMormoni, aba nomoya wokubonga ngesikhathi sohambo lwawo olwaluhamba kancane futhi lunobunzima lubheke kwiGreat Salt Lake, ecula nokucula edansa futhi ethokoza ngenxa yobumnene bukaNkulunkulu.6 Abaningi bethu babezofuna ukuhoxa, ukukhononda, futhi nokukhathazeka ngobunzima balolo hambo.
Singakhetha ukufana nomProfethi uJoseph Smith, okwathi, ngenkathi eyisiboshwa osizini eeTilongweni laseLiberty, wabhala lamazwi aphefumulelwe: “Bafowethu abathandeka kakhulu, masenze zonke izinto esinamandla okuzenza ngenjabulo; futhi emva kwalokho singama sithule, ngesikhulu isiqiniseko, ukuze sibone insindiso kaNkulunkulu, futhi nokuba ingalo yakhe yambulwe.”7
Singakhetha ukubonga, noma ngabe kwenzekani.
Lolu hlobo lokubonga ludlula konke okwenzekayo ezimpilweni zethu. Ludlula ukudumala, ukukhubezwa nokuphelelwa yithemba. Lukhula ngokufanayo ngesikhathi kunzima nanjengasezikhathini lapho izinto zihamba kahle.
Lapho sibonga uNkulunkulu kuzo izimo zethu, singezwa ukuthula ngesikhathi sobunzima. Osizini, sisengaphakamisa izinhliziyo zethu sidumisa. Sisezinhlungwini, singajabula ngenxa yeNhlawulo kaKristu. Ngesikhathi sisosizini olubi, singezwa induduzo nokuthula kwaphezulu.
Kwesinye isikhathi sicabanga ukuthi ukubonga yilokho esikwenza ngemva kokuba izinkinga zethu sezixazululiwe, kodwa ave kukubi ukubuka ngaleyo ndlela. Kuningi esikweswelayo empilweni uma silindele ukuthola lokho esikufunayo ngaphambi kokubonga uNkulunkulu ngalokho esesivele sinakho.
Ukubonga ngezikhathi zezinkathazo akusho ukuthi sijabule ngalezo zimo zethu. Kodwa kuyasho ukuthi ngamehlo okholo sibheka ngale kwezinkinga zethu zamanje.
Lokhu akukhona ukubonga kwezindebe kodwa okomphefumulo. Wukubonga okwelapha inhliziyo nokukhulisa ingqondo.
Ukubonga njengeSenzo soKholo
Ukubonga kuzo izimo zethu kuyisenzo sokholo kuNkulunkulu. Kudinga ukuba sethembe uNkulunkulu futhi sethembe izinto esingase singaziboni kodwa eziliqiniso.8 Ngokubonga, silandela isibonelo sikaMsindisi wethu othandekayo, owathi, “Nokho makungenziwa intando yami kodwa eyakho.”9
Ukubonga kwangempela kukhombisa ithemba kanye nobufakazi. Kuvela ekwamukeleni ukuthi asiziqondi njalo izivivinyo zokuphila kodwa sethemba ukuthi ngelinye ilanga sizoziqonda.
Kunoma yisiphi isimo, umuzwa wethu wokubonga wondliwa ngamaqiniso amaningi angcwele lawo esiwaziyo: ukuthi uBaba wethu unike abantwana Bakhe uhlelo olukhulu lwenjabulo; ukuthi ngeNhlawulo yeNdodana Yakhe, uJesu Kristu, singaphila ingunaphakade nabathandekayo bethu; ukuthi ekugcineni, siyoba nemizimba ekhazimulayo, ephelele, nengafi, engagqilazwa wukugula noma ukukhubazeka; nokuthi esikhundleni sezinyembezi zethu zosizi nokulahlekelwa kuzoba khona injabulo nentokozo enkulu, “isilinganiso esihle, esigxushiweyo esigqishiweyo, esichichimayo.”10
Kufanele ukuthi yiloluhlobo lobufakazi olwaguqula abaPhostoli boMsindisi ekubeni ngabantu abesabayo, nabangabazayo baba yizithunywa zeNkosi ezingesabi, nezijabulayo. Emahoreni alandela ukuBethelwa Kwakhe, babegcwele ukuphelelwa yithemba kanye nosizi, bengakwazi ukuqonda lokho okwakusanda kwenzeka. Kodwa isehlakalo esisodwa sakuguqula konke lokho. INkosi yabo yavela kubo yathi, “Bhekani izandla zami nezinyawo zami ukuthi yimina uqobo.”11
Kwathi abaPhostoli bembona uKristu ovukileyo—ngenkathi bebona uVuko olugcwele inkazimulo lukaMsindisi wabo othandekayo—baba ngamadoda ahlukile. Akukho okwakungabavimba ekufezeni umsebenzi wabo. Bakwemukela ngesibindi nangokuphikelela ukuhlukunyezwa, ukuhlazwa, ngisho nokufa imbala okwakuzoza kubo ngenxa yobufakazi babo.12 Abazange bakuvumele ukuvinjelwa ukuba bayidumise futhi bayisebenzele iNkosi yabo. Baguqula izimpilo zabantu yonke indawo. Bashintsha izwe.
Awudingi ukumbona uMsindisi, njengabaPhostoli, ukuze nawe uzwe ushintsho olufanayo. Ubufakazi bakho bukaKristu, obuvela ngoMoya oNgcwele, bungakusiza ukuba ubheke ngale kokudumala empilweni futhi ubone ikusasa eliqhakazile uMhlengi womhlaba alilungisile.
Asenzelwanga Ukuphela
Uma sicabanga ngalokho esikwaziyo mayelana nesidalelwe kona ingunaphakade, kuyamangaza yini ukuthi noma yinini lapho sibhekene neziphetho ezinzima zokuphila, zibukeka zingemukeleki kithi na? Kubukeka sengathi kukhona okuthile ngaphakathi kwethu okumelana nokuphela.
Kungani kunjalo? Ngoba senziwe ngezinto zaphakade. Singabantu baphakade, abantwana bakaNkulunkulu uMninimandla Onke, ogama lakhe lingu-Ongenasiphelo13 futhi owethembisa izibusiso zaphakade ezingenakubalwa. Ukuphela akukona esidalelwe kona.
Lapho sifunda kakhulu ngevangeli likaJesu Krestu, sibona ngokucacileyo ukuthi ukuphela kwalapha emhlabeni akusikona ukuphela nakancane. Kumane kuyiziphazamiso nje—ikhefu lesikhashana okuyothi ngolunye usuku libonakale sengathi lincane uma liqhathaniswa nenjabulo yaphakade elindele abathembekile.
Ngibonga kakhulu kuBaba oseZulwini ngokuthi ngohlelo Lwakhe azikho nokuba khona iziphetho,kuphela kukhona iziqalo ezingenakuphela.
Labo Ababongayo Bayokwenziwa Babe neNkazimulo eNkulu
Bafowethu nodadewethu, asinaso yini isizathu sokugcwala ukubonga, kungakhathalekile ukuthi sizithola sikuziphi izimo na?
Ngabe sikhona yini esinye isizathu esisidingayo sokuvumela izinhliziyo zethu “zigcwale ukubonga kuNkulunkulu” na?14
“Asinaso yini isizathu esikhulu sokujabula na?”15
Ave sibusisiwe uma sibona umsebenzi wezandla zikaNkulunkulu ezimpilweni zethu ezinhle. Ukubonga uBaba wethu oseZulwini kukhulisa ukuqonda kwethu futhi kucacisa ukubona kwethu. Kukhuthaza ukuthobeka futhi kuqinisa ukuzwelana nabantu esiphila nabo kanye nayo yonke indalo kaNkulunkulu. Ukubonga kuyimbangela yazo zonke izici ezinjengezikaKristu! Inhliziyo ebongayo ingumzali wazo zonke izici ezinhle.16
INkosi isinike isethembiso Sayo sokuthi lowo “owemukela izinto zonke ngokubonga uyokwenziwa abe nenkazimulo; futhi izinto zalo mhlaba ziyokwengezwa kuye, ngisho okuphindwe kaningi, yebo, nangaphezulu.”17
Sengathi “singahlala ngokubonga nsuku zonke”18—ikakhulu ngezikhathi zokuphela ezibonakala zingenakuchazeka eziyingxenye yokuphila. Sengathi singavumela imiphefumulo yethu ukuba ikhule ngokubonga kuBaba wethu oseZulwini onomusa. Kwangathi singahlezi siphakamisa amazwi ethu futhi sikubonise ngokukhuluma nangezenzo ukubonga kwethu kuBaba wethu oseZulwini nakwiNdodana Yakhe eThandekayo, uJesu Kristu. Ngiyakukhulekela lokhu, futhi nginishiya nobufakazi nezibusiso zami, egameni leNkosi yethu, uJesu Kristu, amen.