Imithandazo Ephendulwayo

ISIFISO sokukhuluma namandla athile aphakeme sidala njengomuntu ngokwakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, imibhalo ethile eqoshiwe yaseGibithe lasendulo, iqukethe imithandazo. Eminye yayo yayicela isivikelo kunkulunkulu othile, lapho eminye yayingamazwi okudumisa noma abonisa ukuthembela kunkulunkulu eyayiqondiswe kuye. Phakathi kwamaGreki ekhulu lesishiyagalombili leminyaka B.C.E., izingoma zokudumisa kanye nemithandazo esazinkondlo neyemikhosi yayivame kakhulu. Emithandazweni yaseRoma, kwakudingeka ukucophelela lapho ukhuluma nonkulunkulu othile, njengoba kwakukhulekelwa onkulunkulu abaningi ngalesosikhathi.

Kuze kube namuhla, umthandazo uyisici esivamile sezinkolo zezwe ezinkulu. AmaBuddha, amaHindu, amaJuda, amaSulumane, nalabo abangamaKristu okuzisholo, baziwa kakhulu ngokusebenzisa kwabo umthandazo njalo. Nakuba ukusetshenziswa komthandazo kwandile enkolweni yekhulu lama-20 leminyaka, ukwahlukahluka okukhulu ezindleleni nasemikhubeni yokuthandaza kubangela ukukhungatheka kwabaningi abafuna ukuba imithandazo yabo iphendulwe.

Ingabe Noma Yimuphi Umthandazo Uyosebenza?

Njengoba ukuthandaza kungezinhlobo eziningi, ingabe noma yimuphi nje umthandazo ungaba namandla? Abanye banomuzwa wokuthi uma nje umuntu othandazayo eqotho futhi “ekholwa,” akunandaba kakhulu ukuthi usebenzisa luphi uhlobo lomthandazo. Yini oyicabangayo wena? Ngenxa yokwehlukahlukana kwemibono kulendaba, kudingekile ukudlulela ngalé kwemibono yabantu futhi sibheke ukwaziswa okwambuliwe okuvela emthonjeni ophakeme.

Izimpendulo ezisemakhasini alandelayo zithathwe emthonjeni onjalo, iBhayibheli eliNgcwele. Libonisa ukuthi akuwona nje noma yimuphi umthandazo ongasebenza uma umuntu elindele ukuba umthandazo wakhe uzwiwe futhi uphendulwe.

IBhayibheli Lichaza ukuthi:

Imithandazo kumelwe ibhekiswe kubani

Kungani eminye imithandazo ingaphendulwa

Yini engacelwa ngomthandazo

Unayiphi ingxenye umuntu owenza umthandazo?

Imfuneko eyinhloko ukholo, hhayi nje ukukholelwa ngobuqotho ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona futhi angayizwa imithandazo. (Heberu 11:6) Ukholo olunjalo luboniswa ngokulwela ukuphila ngokuvumelana nezimiso zikaNkulunkulu zokulunga ezibekwe eBhayibhelini. ENtshumayelweni yakhe yaseNtabeni, uJesu Kristu waligcizelela leliphuzu: “Akusibo bonke abangibiza ngokuthi, ‘Nkosi, Nkosi’ abazongena eMbusweni wezulu, kodwa yilabo kuphela abenza lokho uBaba osezulwini afuna ukuba bakwenze.”—Mathewu 7:21; Today’s English Version.

Enikeza isibonelo salabo abamithandazo yabo ingeke izwiwe, umprofethi uIsaya ongumHeberu wabhala: “Lapho nenza imikhuleko eminingi, angiyikuzwa; izandla zenu zigcwele igazi.” (Isaya 1:15) Ngakho bonke abangabuhloniphi ubungcwele bokuphila abanakulindela ukuba imithandazo yabo izwiwe, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bathandaza ngentshiseko futhi kaningi kangakanani.

Kungani amanye “amakholwa” ngokuvamile engazitholi izimpendulo zemikhuleko yawo?

Inkolelo iyodwa ayanele ukuba ithokozise uNkulunkulu futhi yenze ukuba aphendule imithandazo yethu. Ngisho nomuntu osheshayo ukukholelwa angathi uyakholwa. Ukuze inkolelo ibe engokoqobo, kumelwe isekelwe olwazini oluqondile, olungazuzwa kuphela ngokutadisha iBhayibheli. Ngaphezu kwalokho, inkolelo nokholo kumelwe kufakazelwe imisebenzi okuyivezayo. “Njengalokhu umzimba ngaphandle komoya ufile, kanjalo nokukholwa ngaphandle kwemisebenzi kufile.”—Jakobe 2:26.

Umuntu okholwayo ngempela kuyodingeka ukuba acabange ngoNkulunkulu nsuku zonke, angaphendukeli emthandazweni lapho ebhekene nesimo esiphuthumayo kuphela. Uyokwenza futhi imisebenzi yokholo, imisebenzi emihle ehlanganisa ukukhuluma nabanye ngenkolelo yakhe nangokholo lwakhe kuNkulunkulu.

Umthandazo kufanele ube owaluphi uhlobo?

Umthandazo akufanele ukuba ube nje umkhuba, noma ufundwe encwadini. Futhi akufanele ukuba umthandazo uqukathe amazwi aphindaphindwayo sengathi ukuphindaphinda kuyowenza ukuba usebenze kakhulu. Futhi umthandazo akufanele “wenzelwe” ukubukisa noma ukuhlaba abanye umxhwele. UJesu wanikeza leseluleko esihle ngesimo imithandazo yethu okufanele ibe yiso nokuthi yini okufanele siyigweme: “Nalapho nikhuleka, ningabi-njengabazenzisi, ngokuba bethanda ukukhuleka bemi emasinagogeni nasezinhlanganweni zezindlela ukuba babonwe ngabantu. . . . Nxa nikhuleka, ningathemelezi njengabezizwe, ngokuba bathi bayakuzwiwa ngokukhuluma kwabo okuningi.”—Mathewu 6:5-7.

Asikho isimo somzimba esikhethekile esimisiwe ukuze imithandazo izwiwe. Nokho, othandazayo kuyodingeka ukuba athobeke futhi abe nenhlonipho kokubili ngesimo somzimba nangamazwi awasebenzisayo emthandazweni wakhe.

Imithandazo kumelwe ibhekiswe kubani?

Incwadi yeBhayibheli yamaHeberu ikhuluma ngomuntu “ozayo kuNkulunkulu.” (Heberu 11:6) Ungubani loNkulunkulu? KunoNkulunkulu oyedwa kuphela ongumninimandla onke, nakuba kunonkulunkulu abaningi abenziwe umuntu nabamanga. (1 Korinte 8:5, 6) UNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke weBhayibheli ubizwa ngokuthi uJehova. (IHubo 83:18) UnguMdali wazo zonke izinto, futhi ngalesizathu umthandazo kufanele uqondiswe kuye kuphela. UJesu Kristu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ngokucacile ukuba bathandaze bathi: “Baba wethu osezulwini.” (Mathewu 6:9) Cha, uJesu akazange afundise abafundi bakhe ukuba bathandaze kuye, kunina uMariya, noma kunoma imuphi omunye umuntu. Kodwa manje uNkulunkulu ufuna ukuba siqaphele isikhundla seNdodana yakhe futhi senze yonke imithandazo yethu egameni likaJesu. Kungalesosizathu uJesu atshela abafundi bakhe: “Akakho oza kuBaba ngaphandle kwami.”—Johane 14:6.

Khona-ke, ukuze imithandazo yamukeleke kuNkulunkulu kumelwe ibhekiswe kuJehova uNkulunkulu ngeNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu. Okusho ukuthi, kumelwe ishiwo kuNkulunkulu egameni likaJesu.

Yini engacelwa emithandazweni?

“Uma sicela utho ngokwentando yakhe, [uNkulunkulu] uyasizwa.” Lesiqinisekiso esibonakala singakholeki silotshwe kweyoku-1 Johane 5:14. Kodwa ingabe uwuphawulile umbandela—“ngokwentando yakhe”? Yebo, isizathu sokuqala sokuthi kungani imithandazo eminingi ingaphendulwa ukuthi lowo othandazayo akazange azame ukuthola kuqala ukuthi iyini intando kaNkulunkulu.—IzAga 3:5-7.

Njengesiqondiso noma isibonelo esiwusizo, uJesu wanika abafundi bakhe umthandazo owaziwa kakhulu namuhla ngokuthi “Umthandazo WeNkosi.” (Mathewu 6:9-13) Nakuba nawo ungafanele ukushiwo njengomkhuba, nokho uzibeka obala izinto ezifanele okumelwe zize kuqala. Okokuqala kuza igama likaNkulunkulu nenjongo. Ngokulandelayo kubalwe izidingo zezinto ezibonakalayo, ukuthethelelwa, nokukhululwa ekulingweni omubi. Inkulumo ethi “Baba wethu” ingasiza umuntu othandazayo ukuba enabe emithandazweni yakhe nasekucabangeni kwakhe ukuze ahlanganise hhayi kuphela amalungu omkhaya wakhe nezihlobo kodwa futhi nabanye abafuna ukuthokozisa uMenzi wabo.—IzEnzo 17:26, 27.

Imithandazo kufanele ibe mide kangakanani?

IBhayibheli alibubeki ubude obuqondile bemithandazo. Ingase ibe emifushane kakhulu noma futhi ingenziwa buthule. (Nehemiya 2:4; 1 Samuweli 1:12, 13) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, imithandazo ingaba mide kakhulu. Kunesikhathi lapho uJesu “ahlala ubusuku bonke ekhuleka kuNkulunkulu.” Lapho ngokusobala wayecela usizo lwaphezulu ekukhetheni abaphostoli bakhe abayi-12. (Luka 6:12) Ngakho ubude bemithandazo eyamukelekayo buyohluka ngokwezidingo.

Imithandazo Iyaphendulwa Ngokuqinisekile

IBhayibheli ligcwele izindaba zemithandazo eyaphendulwa “ozwayo imikhuleko” omkhulu, uJehova uNkulunkulu. (IHubo 65:2) Isibonelo esivelele “uvivinyo lomthandazo” ezinsukwini zikaEliya umprofethi, esilotshwe kweyoku-1 AmaKhosi isahluko 18. Ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka, abafundi bakaJesu bathola lempendulo esheshayo emthandazweni: “Kwathi sebekhulekile, kwazanyazanyiswa indawo lapho bebebuthene khona, bagcwaliswa bonke nguMoya oNgcwele, bakhuluma izwi likaNkulunkulu ngesibindi.”—IzEnzo 4:23-31.

Phakathi kokuhlangenwe nakho okuningi okutholwe abanyathelisi balomagazini kunalokho kwamadoda nabesifazane bayo yonke iminyaka yobudala ababenomuzwa wokuthi basesimweni esibucayi. Ngenxa yemiphumela, bakholelwa ukuthi imithandazo yabo iye yezwiwa futhi yaphendulwa.

Ngokwesibonelo: Insizwa ethile ehlala esigodini esikude sentaba yaseSwitzerland eduze nomngcele weItaly ithi: “Ukuba kwami ongenamandla okuthola ikhambi [lezinkinga zokuphila] kwakusobala kakhulu kangangokuba ngangifisa ukufa. . . . Ngenza okuwukuphela kwento eyafika engqondweni yami. Ngathandaza: ‘Oh Nkulunkulu ongaziwa, kumelwe ukuba ukhona, futhi kumelwe ukuthi unguNkulunkulu wothando. Ngisize! Angisakwazi ukuqhubeka—ngisize ngithole iqiniso.’” Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa kamuva, umbhangqwana osemusha ongoFakazi BakaJehova wavakashela lensizwa. Kwahlelwa isifundo seBhayibheli, futhi manje ingufakazi kaJehova obhapathiziwe.

Umhlengikazi oqeqeshiwe owayethanda inkolo kakhulu wayengajabuli ekuphileni ngenxa yokuziphatha kobulili okuxekethile komyeni wakhe nangenxa yokwahlukana okwalandela. Ngolunye usuku wathandaza kakhulu, encenga ukuba uNkulunkulu amazise uma wayenenjongo enenzuzo. Ngaleyontambama, oFakazi BakaJehova bafika emnyango wendlu yakhe lapho besemsebenzini wokushumayela endlini ngendlu. Wabangenisa ekhaya lakhe, wababuza imibuzo eminingi, futhi wajabulela ukuthola izimpendulo ezingokomBhalo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi lomhlengikazi waba ummemezeli ‘wezindaba ezinhle’ futhi wayeqhuba isifundo seBhayibheli.—Mathewu 24:14.

Omunye woFakazi BakaJehova wayefunda INqabayokulinda emotweni yakhe lapho ngokushesha othile emxhakathisa entanyeni. Wathandaza kuJehova uNkulunkulu ngokusuka enhliziyweni. Umhlaseli wanganyakaza futhi isandla sakhe sathamba. UFakazi wadumisa imoto, wayivalelisa lendoda, futhi wayishiya iphuhlile emgwaqweni.

Ezweni eligcwele ukungakholwa nokungabaza, abathanda uNkulunkulu neqiniso bangathola isibindi ekuqinisekisweni kwangempela kokuthi, iyazwiwa imithandazo eyiswa kuJehova uNkulunkulu ngomzila ofanele, ngendlela efanele, futhi nangesimo sengqondo nenhliziyo esifanele. Ngeke nje kuphela uNkulunkulu umninimandla onke ezwe imithandazo enjalo kodwa futhi uyoyiphendula ngaphandle kokwehluleka, ngokuvumelana nentando yakhe yaphezulu nangesikhathi sakhe asikhethayo.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 4]

Ukwehlukahluka kwezinhlobo zemithandazo

Ukuhlola kafushane izinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zemithandazo esetshenziswayo namuhla kuzosikhanyisela.

Umthandazo oyisisekelo osetshenziswa amaHindu ngokuvamile owokukhulekela unkulunkulu noma unkulunkulukazi okhethiwe, okucatshangelwa ukuthi kunabayizi-330 000 000 abakhulekelwa emathempelini ayizi-10 000. Nokho, ngokuvamile amaHindu asebenzisa uhlobo lomthandazo ohleliwe ongenziwa ngezindlela ezimbili—kungaba ukuzindla (dhyana) noma ukudumisa (stotra). Kugcizelelwa kakhulu ukusho imithandazo ngokuzwakalayo.

Emakhaya ezindela zamaBuddha namaTao aseChina, imithandazo ishiwo kathathu ngosuku (ekuseni kakhulu, emini, nasebusuku). Lemithandazo ihambisana nokukhala kwensinjana. AmaBudda aphatha ucu olunobuhlalu obuyi-108 ukuze lubasize ekuthandazeni. Futhi nabanye abantu abavamile basebenzisa lendlela yerosary ukuze bakwazi ukubala inani lemithandazo abayishoyo.

NgamaSulumane azinikele, umthandazo wansuku zonke (salat) uyingxenye ebaluleke kakhulu yokukhulekela kwawo. Kumelwe uphindwe izikhathi eziyisihlanu ngosuku lapho ebheke ngaseMecca eSaudi Arabia.

Imithandazo yamaJuda ihlanganisa naleyo ethathwe eBhayibhelini ngokuqondile, njengamaHubo. Eminye imithandazo ihlanganisa naleyo eye yenezelwa abefundisi bamaJuda abahlukahlukene.

Phakathi kwamaKristu okuzisholo, kunohlu olukhulu lwemithandazo nezindlela zokuthandaza. Lolu lusukela emithandazweni ephindaphindwayo kuphethwe irosary ngesandla kuya emithandazweni ebhaliwe, kanye naleyo enamazwi ambalwa engashiwo ngaphandle kokubukezwa.

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Imithandazo kaJesu yaphendulwa. Neyakho futhi ingaphendulwa