Kumele nikwazi ukuphila ngokuzimela, nikwazi ukudla nokuphuza amazwi kaNkulunkulu ngokwenu, ukubona amazwi kaNkulunkulu ngokwenu, nokuphila impilo ejwayelekile engokomoya ngaphandle kokuholwa abanye. Kumele nikwazi ukuthembela emazwini uNkulunkulu awakhulumayo namuhla ukuze niphile, ukungena ekwazini okuyiqiniso, nokuzuza ulwazi oluyiqiniso. Ukwenza lokhu kuphela okuyonenza nikwazi ukuma niqine. Namuhla, abantu abaningi abaziqondi ngokuphelele izilingo nezinhlupho zesikhathi esizayo. Esikhathini esizayo, abanye abantu bazobhekana nezinhlupho, futhi abanye bazobhekana nokujeziswa. Lokhu kujeziswa kuzoba nzima ngokwengeziwe; kuyoba ukufika kwamaqiniso. Namuhla, konke okuzwayo, okwenzayo, nokubonakalisayo kwakha isisekelo sokulingwa kwesikhathi esizayo, ngakho okungenani, kumele ukwazi ukuphila ngokuzimela. Namuhla, isimo sabaningi ebandleni simi kanje ngokujwayelekile: Uma kukhona abaholi nezisebenzi ezenza umsebenzi webandla, bayathokoza, kuthi uma zingekho, bangathokozi. Abawunaki umsebenzi webandla, noma ukuphila kwabo komoya, futhi abanawo nomncane umthwalo—bahamba bebhadazela njengenyoni iHanhao.^[a] Eqinisweni, kubantu abaningi umsebenzi engiwenzile umsebenzi nje wokunqoba, ngoba abaningi abakulungele nhlobo ukupheleliswa. Yidlanzana nje labantu abangapheleliswa. Uma, usuwezwile lawa mazwi, ucabanga ukuthi “njengoba umsebenzi owenziwe uNkulunkulu ungowokunqoba abantu kuphela, ngizolandela nje ngokungatheni,” ingemukelwa kanjani indlela enjalo yokubuka izinto? Uma ngempela unonembeza, khona-ke kumele ube nomthwalo, nokwazi ukubhekana nalowo mthwalo. Kumele uthi: “Kungakhathaleki ukuthi ngizonqotshwa noma ngizopheleliswa, kumele ngibekezelele lesi sinyathelo sobufakazi ngendlela efanele.” Njengesidalwa sikaNkulunkulu, umuntu anganqotshwa ngokuphelele nguNkulunkulu, ekugcineni, umuntu wazi ukwanelisa uNkulunkulu, ukubuyisela uthando lukaNkulunkulu ngenhliziyo ethanda uNkulunkulu nangokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu ngokuphelele. Lona umthwalo womuntu, ngumsebenzi okumele wenziwe umuntu, nomthwalo okumele uthwalwe umuntu, futhi umuntu kumele awufeze lo msebenzi. Kulapho kuphela lapho ekholwa khona ngempela kuNkulunkulu. Namuhla, ingabe lokhu okwenzayo ebandleni kungukufeza lowo mthwalo? Lokhu kuncike ekuthini uthwalisiwe yini, futhi kuncike olwazini lwakho. Ekuzweni lo msebenzi, uma umuntu esenqotshiwe futhi enolwazi lweqiniso, uzokwazi-ke ukulalela naphezu kwethemba noma isiphetho sakhe. Ngale ndlela, umsebenzi omkhulu kaNkulunkulu uzofezeka ngokuphelele, ngoba nina bantu akukho okunye enikwaziyo ngaphezu kwalokhu, futhi anikwazi ukufeza izidingo eziphezulu. Kodwa esikhathini esizayo, abanye abantu bazopheleliswa. Izinga labo lizoba ngcono, emoyeni wabo bazoba nolwazi olunzulu ngokwengeziwe, futhi izimpilo zabo zizokhula… Kodwa abanye abakwazi nhlobo ukufinyelela kulokhu, ngakho-ke ngeke basindiswe. Kunesizathu esenza ngithi abanakusindiswa. Esikhathini esizayo, abanye bazonqontshwa, abanye bazosuswa, abanye bazopheleliswa, kanti abanye bazosetshenziswa—ngakho abanye bazobhekana nezinhlupheko, abanye bazojeziswa (kuzoba yizinhlekelele zendalo namashwa nje enziwe ngabantu), abanye bazosuswa, kanti abanye bazosinda. Kulokhu, bazohlukaniswa ngamunye ngokohlobo lwabo, iqembu ngalinye lizobe limele uhlobo oluthile lomuntu. Akubona bonke abantu abazosuswa, futhi akubona bonke abantu abazopheleliswa. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi izinga labantu baseShayina liphansi kakhulu, kanti yidlanzana nje phakathi kwabo elinohlobo lokuzazi uPawulu ayenakho. Phakathi kwenu, bambalwa abanokuzimisela ukuthanda uNkulunkulu njengoba uPetru enza, noma uhlobo lokholo olufana nalolo uJobe ayenalo. Bambalwa phakathi kwenu abesaba futhi abasebenzela uJehova njengoba kwenza uDavide, abanezinga elifanayo lokwethembeka. Niyihlazo!

Namuhla, ukukhuluma ngokupheleliswa kuyingxenye eyodwa kuphela. Noma ngabe kwenzekani, kumele niphathe lesi sinyathelo sobufakazi ngendlela efanele. Uma naniceliwe ukuba nisebenzele uNkulunkulu ethempelini, ningakwenza kanjani? Uma ungeyena umpristi, futhi ungenasikhundla samadodana angamazibulo noma amadodana kaNkulunkulu, usengakwazi ukwethembeka? Usengakwazi yini ukwenza konke okusemandleni akho ukusabalalisa umbuso kaNkulunkulu? Usengakwazi yini ukwenza umsebenzi owuthunywe uNkulunkulu ngendlela efanele? Noma ngabe isikhule kangakanani impilo yakho, umsebenzi wanamuhla uzokwenza ukholwe ngokugcwele ngaphakathi, nokuba ubekele eceleni yonke imibono yakho. Ukuthi unakho noma cha okudingekayo ukuze ufune ukuphila, umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu uzokwenza ukholwe ngokuphelele. Abanye abantu bathi: “Ngiyakholwa nje kuNkulunkulu, futhi angiqondi ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukuphishekela ukuphila.” Futhi abanye bathi: “Ngididekile ekukholweni kwami kuNkulunkulu. Ngiyazi ukuthi ngeke ngipheleliswe, ngakho-ke ngikulungele ukusolwa.” Ngisho nabantu abafana nalaba, abakulungele ukusolwa noma ukushatshalaliswa, kumele futhi bavume ukuthi umsebenzi wanamuhla wenziwa nguNkulunkulu. Abanye abantu babuye bathi: “Angiceli ukupheleliswa, kodwa, namuhla, ngizimisele ukwamukela konke ukuqeqesha kukaNkulunkulu, futhi ngizimisele ukuphila ubuntu obujwayelekile, ngithuthukise izinga lami, futhi ngihloniphe zonke izinhlelo zikaNkulunkulu….” Kulokhu, sebenqotshiwe futhi baba nobufakazi, okufakazeka khona ukuthi lukhona ulwazi oluthile lomsebenzi kaNkulunkulu kulaba bantu. Lesi sigaba somsebenzi senziwe ngokukhulu ukushesha, futhi esikhathini esizayo, sizokwenziwa ngokushesha okwengeziwe emazweni aphesheya. Namuhla, abantu abasemazweni aphesheya abakwazi nokulinda, bonke baphuthuma eShayina—ngakho-ke uma ningenakupheleliswa, nizobe nibambezela abantu basemazweni aphesheya. Ngaleso sikhathi, kungakhathaleki ukuthi ningene kahle kanjani noma ninjani, uma isikhathi sifika, umsebenzi Wami uzofezwa futhi upheleliswe. Umsebenzi Wami ngeke ubanjezelwe yini. Ngenza umsebenzi wabantu bonke, futhi asikho isidingo sokuthi ngichithe esinye isikhathi ngani! Anigqugquzelekile, futhi anizazi nhlobo! Anikufanele ukupheleliswa—ayikho nencane inhlasi yethemba! Esikhathini esizayo, ngisho noma abantu bangaqhubeka bezidonsa futhi benza ngokungazimiseli, futhi bengazilungisi izimo zabo, lokhu ngeke kuwuphazamise umsebenzi womhlaba wonke. Uma sifika isikhathi sokuthi umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu uphele, uzophela, futhi uma sifika isikhathi sokuthi abantu basuswe, bazosuswa. Yebo, labo okumele bapheleliswe, futhi abakufanele ukupheleliswa, bazopheleliswa—kodwa uma ningenalo nhlobo ithemba, khona-ke umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu ngeke ulinde nina! Ekugcineni, uma unqontshiwe, nakho lokhu kungathathwa ngengobufakazi. Kunemikhawulo kulokho uNkulunkulu akufuna kini; noma yikuphi ukuphakama isiqu somuntu esikwazi ukufika kukho, lokho kuwukuphakama kobufakazi obufuneka kuye. Akunjengoba umuntu ecabanga ukuthi ubufakazi obunjalo bungafika emikhawulweni ephezulu kakhulu nokuthi buzoba bukhulu—angeke kwenzeke nhlobo lokhu kinina bantu baseShayina. Ngixoxisane nani sonke lesi sikhathi, futhi nani nizibonele lokhu: Nginitshelile ukuthi ningaphikisi, ningahlubuki, ningenzi izinto ezidala ukuphazamisa noma ezonayo lapho ngifulathele. Ngibagxeke ngqo abantu ngalokhu izikhathi eziningi, kodwa nalokho akwenele—uma nje befulathela bayaguquka, lapho abanye bengiphikisa ngasese, ngaphandle kwamahloni. Ucabanga ukuthi angikwazi lokhu? Ucabanga ukuthi ungangidalela izinkinga bese kungenzeki lutho? Ucabanga ukuthi angazi uma ufuna ukudicilela phansi umsebenzi Wami uma ngingabhekile? Ucabanga ukuthi amasu akho angathi shu angamela isimilo sakho? Njalo ubukeka sengathi uyalalela kodwa ekusithekeni awethembekile, ufihla imicabango emibi enhliziyweni yakho, futhi ngisho ukufa akusona isijeziso esifanele abantu abanjengawe! Ucabanga ukuthi umsebenzi omncane kaMoya oNgcwele kuwe ungathatha indawo yokungihlonipha? Ucabanga ukuthi usuzuze ukukhanyiselwa ngokumemeza iZulu? Awulazi ihlazo! Awunto yalutho! Ucabanga ukuthi “izenzo zakho ezinhle” beziya eZulwini, nokuthi, ngenxa yalokho, ukuvumele ngokungalindelekile wathola ithalente elincane, elikwenze waba nolimi olushelelayo, olukwenza udukise abanye, futhi ukhohlise Nami? Waze wantula ukucabanga! Uyazi ukuthi ukukhanyiseleka kwakho kuvela kuphi? Uyazi ukuthi okukabani ukudla obukudla usakhula? Waze wangaba nanembeza! Abanye phakathi kwenu abakaguquki ngisho nangemva kokubhekanwa nabo iminyaka emine noma emihlanu, futhi nicaciselekile ngalezi zindaba. Kumele nicacelwe yindalo yenu, futhi ningakhonondi uma ngelinye ilanga, nilahlwa. Abanye, abakhohlisa labo abangaphezulu nabangaphansi kwabo emsebenzini wabo, kubhekanwe nabo kaningi; abanye, ngenxa yokuthi banomhobholo wemali, kubhekanwe nabo kaningi; abanye, ngenxa yokuthi ababeki mingcele ecacile phakathi kwabesilisa nabesifazane, kubhekanwe nabo kaningi; abanye, ngenxa yokuthi bayavilapha, futhi banake inyama kuphela, futhi abenzi ngokwezimiso uma bevakashela amabandla, kubhekanwe nabo kaningi; abanye, ngenxa yokuthi bayahluleka ukuba ngofakazi noma kuphi lapho behamba khona, futhi benza ngenkani nangobudlabha, baze benze izono ngamabomu, baxwayisiwe izikhathi eziningi ngalokhu; abanye abakhuluma nje ngamagama nezimfundiso emihlanganweni, beziphakamisa kunabanye, bengenalo nelincane iqiniso, futhi benzela abanye amacebo futhi bencintisana nabanye abazalwane—bavezwe kaningi obala ngenxa yalokhu. Ngiwakhulumile kini lawa mazwi izikhathi eziningi, futhi namuhla, angeke ngisakhuluma ngalokhu—yenzani lokhu enikufunayo! Zithatheleni nina izinqumo! Abaningi akubhekwananga nabo ngale ndlela unyaka owodwa noma emibili kuphela, abanye kube iminyaka emithathu noma emine, lapho abanye bedlule kulokhu iminyaka eyishumi, kubhekanwe nabo ngenkathi bephenduka beba ngamakholwa, kodwa kuze kube manje luseluncane uguquko kubo. Nithini, anifani nezingulube? Ingabe angikhulumi kahle kini? Ningacabangi ukuthi umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu angeke uphele uma ningakwazi ukufinyelela ezingeni elithile. Ingabe uNkulunkulu usazonilinda uma ningakwazi ukufeza izidingo Zakhe? Ngikutshela ngokusobala—akunjalo! Ungabi nethemba elinjalo ngezinto! Umsebenzi wanamuhla unesikhathi osibekelwe, futhi uNkulunkulu akakukhohlisi! Phambilini, lapho izikhonzi zizwa ukulingwa, abantu babecabanga ukuthi uma bengama baqine ebufakazini babo kuNkulunkulu, futhi banqontshwe Nguye, kwakufanele bafinyelele ezingeni elithile—kwakufanele babe abenzi bomsebenzi ngokuzikhethela nangokuthanda, badumise uNkulunkulu nsuku zonke, bangazidonsi nakancane noma benze ngokunganaki. Babecabanga ukuthi kungaleso sikhathi lapho babezoba khona ngabenzi bomsebenzi beqiniso, kodwa ingabe kunjalo ngempela? Ngaleso sikhathi, izinhlobo ezehlukene zabantu zembulwa; bakhombisa lonke uhlobo lokuziphatha. Abanye bakhononda, abanye basabalalisa imibono, abanye bayeka ukuhambela imihlangano, futhi abanye basabalalisa imali yebandla. Abazalwane babakhelana amacebo. Kwakuyinkululeko enkulu kakhulu, kodwa kwakukhona okukodwa okwakukuhle ngakho: Akekho owabuyela emuva. Iyona nto enhle engashiwo ngakho. Baba nobufakazi phambi kukaSathane ngenxa yalokhu, futhi ngemva kwesikhathi bazuza ubunjalo babantu bakaNkulunkulu futhi babambelela kwaze kwaba namuhla. Umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu awenziwa ngendlela ocabanga ngayo, kunalokho, uma isikhathi sesiphelile, umsebenzi uzophela, kungakhathaleki ukuthi ufinyelele kuliphi iqophelo wena. Abanye abantu bangase bathi: “Ngokwenza kanje awubasindisi abantu, noma awubathandi—awuyena uNkulunkulu olungile.” Nginitshela ngokucacile: Umongo womsebenzi Wami namuhla ukunqoba nina nokunenza nibe nobufakazi. Ukunisindisa kungumxhantela nje; ukuthi nizosindiswa noma cha kukulokhu okufunwa yini, futhi akuhlangene Nami. Nokho kumele ngikunqobe; ungalokhu uzama ukungidonsa ngekhala—namuhla ngiyakusebenza futhi ngikusindise, hhayi okunye!

Namuhla, lokhu esenikuqonda kungaphezulu kwawo wonke umuntu emlandweni ongazange apheleliswe. Noma kungaba ulwazi lwenu lokulingwa noma ukukholwa kuNkulunkulu, konke kungaphezu kwanoma ngubani okholwa kuNkulunkulu. Izinto eniziqondayo yizinto enizazi ngaphambi kokulingwa yizimo, kodwa isiqu senu sangempela asihambisani neze nazo. Lokhu enikwaziyo kungaphezu kwalokhu enikwenzayo. Yize nithi abantu abakholwa kuNkulunkulu kumele bathande uNkulunkulu, futhi akumele balwele izibusiso kuphela kodwa ukwanelisa intando kaNkulunkulu, okwenzekayo ezimpilweni zenu kuqhelelene nalokhu, kanti futhi kungcoliseke kakhulu. Abantu abaningi bakholwa kuNkulunkulu ukuze babe nokuthula nezinye izinzuzo. Uma kungeke kukuhlomulise, awukholwa kuNkulunkulu, futhi uma ungawutholi umusa kaNkulunkulu, uyadangala. Lokhu okushilo kungaba kanjani yisona siqu sakho sangempela? Uma kuziwa ezigamekweni zomndeni ezingagwemeki njengokugula kwezingane, ukulaliswa kwabathandwayo esibhedlela, isivuno esingesihle, nokushushiswa kwamalungu omndeni, ngisho nezinto ezivame ukwenzeka ekuphileni nsuku zonke ziyakwehlula. Uma kwenzeka izinto ezinjengalezi, uyethuka, awazi ukuthi wenzeni—futhi isikhathi esiningi, ukhononda ngoNkulunkulu. Ukhononda ngokuthi amazwi kaNkulunkulu akukhohlisile, ukuthi umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu ukwenze ihlaya. Ingabe aninayo imicabango enjalo? Ingabe ucabanga ukuthi lezi zinto zenzeka phakathi kwenu ngokungavamile kuphela? Zonke izinsuku nizichitha niphila ngaphansi kwezehlo ezinje. Anicabangi nakancane ngempumelelo yokholo lwenu kuNkulunkulu, nokuthi ningayifeza kanjani intando kaNkulunkulu. Isiqu senu sangempela sincane kakhulu, sincane ngisho kunesechwane lenkukhu. Uma ibhizinisi lomndeni wakho lilahlekelwa imali ukhononda ngoNkulunkulu, uma nizithola nisendaweni lapho ningavikelwe nguNkulunkulu nalapho nikhononda ngoNkulunkulu, nikhononda ngisho noma kufa elilodwa emachwaneni enu noma kugula inkomo endala esibayeni. Uyakhononda noma sekuyisikhathi sokuthi indodana yakho iqale umndeni kodwa umndeni wakho ungenayo imali eyenele; ufuna ukwenza umsebenzi wokwamukela izihambeli, kodwa awunawo amandla, bese ukhononda. Uchichima ukukhononda, futhi ngesinye isikhathi awuyi emihlanganweni noma udle futhi uphuze amazwi kaNkulunkulu ngenxa yalokhu, ngezinye izikhathi ucabanga kabi isikhathi eside. Ayikho into eyenzeka kuwe namuhla ehlangene namathemba akho akusasa noma nesiphetho sakho; lezi zinto bezizokwenzeka noma ungakholwa kuNkulunkulu, kodwa namuhla uzenza umthwalo kaNkulunkulu, bese ulokhu uthi uNkulunkulu ukulahlile. Kuthiwani ngokholo lwakho kuNkulunkulu? ingabe ngempela uyinikelile impilo yakho? Uma nibhekene nezilingo ezifana nezikaJobe, akekho phakathi kwenu olandela uNkulunkulu namuhla obengama aqine, beningawa nonke. Futhi nje, ngokusobala, kunomehluko omkhulu phakathi kwenu noJobe. Namuhla, uma kungadliwa ingxenye nje yempahla yenu niyalokotha niphike ukuba khona kukaNkulunkulu; uma ungaphucwa indodana noma indodakazi yakho, ungagijima yonke indawo udinda isililo; uma indlela yakho yokuphila okungukuphela kwayo ifika kwangqingetshe, uzozama ukukhuluma noNkulunkulu; uzobuza ukuthi kungani ngasho amazwi amaningi kangaka ekuqaleni ngikwethusa. Ayikho into eningeke nilokothe niyenze ngezikhathi ezinjalo. Lokhu kusho ukuthi anikazuzi lwazi, futhi aninaso isiqu sangempela. Ngaleyo ndlela, izilingo ezikini zinkulu kakhulu, ngoba nazi okuningi ngokwedlulele kodwa enikuqonda ngempela akukhona ngisho okukodwa enkulungwaneni yalokhu enikwaziyo. Ningagcini ekuqondeni nasekwazini kuphela; kuyoba kuhle kakhulu ukuthi nibone ukuthi kungakanani eningakwenza, ukuthi kungakanani ukukhanyisela nokukhanyisa kukaMoya oNgcwele okutholakale ngomjuluko womsebenzi wakho onzima, nasekuthini kungaki ukwenza kwenu enifeze kukho isinqumo senu. Kufanele uthathe isiqu nokwenza kwakho ngokuzimisela. Ekukholweni kwakho kuNkulunkulu, akufanele uzame ukwenzela noma ngubani nje ngokungazimiseli—ukuthi ekugcineni ungalizuza noma cha iqiniso nokuphila kuncike ekufuneni kwakho.

Imibhalo yaphansi:

a. Indaba yenyoni iHanhao ifana kakhulu nenganekwane ka-Aesop yentuthwane nentethe. Inyoni iHanhao ikhetha ukulala esikhundleni sokwakha isidleke ngenkathi isimo sezulu sisafudumele—naphezu kwezexwayiso eziningi ezivela kumakhelwane wayo, igwababa. Uma ubusika bufika, inyoni iyagodola ife.