Izikhathi Zishintshile

1 IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi “isimo salelizwe siyashintsha.” (1 Kor. 7:31) Yeka ukuthi lokho kuyiqiniso kanjani namuhla! Ngisho nasesikhathini sethu, siye sabona izinguquko ezinkulu endleleni abantu bawo wonke amazinga omphakathi wesintu abacabanga futhi baziphathe ngayo. Ukuze siphumelele ukubafinyelela ngesigijimi soMbuso, indlela yethu yokushumayela kufanele ihambisane nezikhathi ezishintshayo. Sifuna ukwethula izindaba ezinhle ngendlela eyothakazelisa abantu futhi ifinyelele izinhliziyo zabo.

2 Eminyakeni edlule, emazweni amaningi umsebenzi wokufakaza wawuhlukile ngoba, ngokwengxenye enkulu, abantu babephila ukuphila okunokuthula, futhi bezizwa belondekile. Inkolo yayiyinto engcwele ekuphileni kwabo. IBhayibheli lalihlonishwa kakhulu. Ngalezo zinsuku ukufakaza ngokuvamile kwakuhilela ukunqoba izimpikiswano eziphathelene nezimfundiso. Namuhla, ukuphila kwabantu kuphithene. Inkolo iyinhlekisa. Bambalwa abalikholelwayo iBhayibheli. Kwabaningi, imfundiso yokuziphendukela kwemvelo iye yakuqeda ukukholelwa kuNkulunkulu.

3 Omunye umbonisi ojikelezayo waphawula: “Manje kubonakala sengathi kunezinkinga eziningi nobunzima ekuphileni kwabantu kangangokuba kufanele sibafundise indlela yokuphila.” Ngokuvamile abantu bagxile ekuzikhathaleleni bona ngokwabo, imikhaya yabo, nezinto ezibakhathazayo. Lezi izinto abakhuluma ngazo kakhulu lapho bendawonye. Kudingeka sihlale sikukhumbula lokho emsebenzini wethu wokufakaza.

4 UMbuso KaNkulunkulu Uwukuphela Kwethemba Eliqinisekile Lesikhathi Esizayo: Abantu abaningi abasabethembi ohulumeni babantu. Banomuzwa wokuthi alikho ithemba lokubona umhlaba ongcono esikhathini sabo sokuphila. Inkolo yamanga ihlulekile ukubanikeza noma isiphi isisekelo sethemba. Yingakho isidingo esikhulu kakhulu sesintu siwukuzwa izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Bonisa indlela ekugcineni ozonikeza ngayo amakhambi azo zonke izinkinga ezikhungethe isintu.

5 IBhayibheli Liwukuphela Komthombo Onokwethenjelwa Wesiqondiso: Izixuku zabantu namuhla ziye zadukiswa abaholi abancika ekuhlakanipheni kwabantu nakumafilosofi ezwe. Abantu kusafanele baqaphele ukuthi “akukuyo indoda ukuba ihambe, iqondise izinyathelo zayo.” (Jer. 10:23) Isifundo esibaluleke kakhulu abangasifunda esokuthi kufanele ‘bathembe uJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yabo futhi bangenciki kokwabo ukuqonda.’ (IzAga 3:5) Nakuba izikhathi sezishintshile, iBhayibheli alishintshile. Ngakho, enkonzweni yethu kufanele njalo siqokomise iZwi likaNkulunkulu, sifundise abanye ukuba bazise isiqondiso salo esiphefumulelwe, saphezulu. (2 Thim. 3:16, 17) Ukuze sifeze leyo njongo, kufanele senze abantu bakubone ukubaluleka kweBhayibheli ngokubhekisela kulo ezintshumayelweni zethu, ngokulisebenzisa lapho siphendula imibuzo yabo, nangokugcizelela isidingo sokulitadisha nokusebenzisa ukuhlakanipha kwalo okuzuzisayo.

6 Ngisho nakulezi zikhathi zanamuhla ezishintshayo, imigomo yethu enkonzweni ayishintshi. Sifuna ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso, sakhe ukwethembela eZwini likaNkulunkulu, futhi sisize abanye babone isidingo sokutadisha nathi iBhayibheli. Esikushoyo kufanele kufanelane nezidingo zangaleso sikhathi zalabo esifakaza kubo. Ngokwenza lokhu, singahlanganyela nabanye izindaba ezinhle ngaleyo ndlela sizuze abantu abaningi.—1 Kor. 9:19, 23.