Sengikhulume kaningi ngomsebenzi kaNkulunkulu wezinsuku zokugcina ukuze ngishintshe umoya womuntu, ngishintshe umphefumulo wabo bonke abantu, njengezinhliziyo zabo, ezihlupheke kakhulu, zaba zintsha, zasindisa imiphefumulo yazo, ezilinyazwe kakhulu ububi; umgomo wakho ukuvusa umoya wabantu, kuncibilike izinhliziyo zabo ezineqhwa, ukuze nabo baphinde babe basha. Lena intando enkulu kakhulu kaNkulunkulu. Siyeke ukukhuluma ngokuchuma nokubaluleka kokuphila komuntu; lapho izinhliziyo zabantu zivusiwe, lapho bevuswe emaphusheni abo futhi bewazi kahle umonakalo kadrako omkhulu obomvu, umsebenzi wenkonzo kaNkulunkulu uyobe usuqediwe. Usuku umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu oyoqedwa ngalo wusuku futhi lapho umuntu eyoqala indlela efanele yokukholwa kuNkulunkulu. Ngaleso sikhathi, iyobe isiphelile inkonzo kaNkulunkulu: Umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu enyameni uyobe usuphele wonke, futhi umuntu uyoqala ngokusemthethweni ukwenza umsebenzi ayewufuna—uyokwenza inkonzo yakhe. Lezi yizinyathelo zomsebenzi kaNkulunkulu. Ngakho, kufanele niphumputhe umnyango wenu lapho niqala ukwazi lezi zinto. Konke lokhu kufanele nikuqonde. Ukungena komuntu kuyothuthuka kuphela lapho izinguquko sezingene zajula enhliziyweni yakhe, ngoba umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu uwukunqotshwa okuphelele komuntu—umuntu ohlengiwe, osaphila ngaphansi kwamandla obumnyama, ongakaze avuke—kule ndawo okuhlangana kuyo amademoni; kungenxa yokuthi umuntu akhululwe ezinkulungwaneni zeminyaka yesono, futhi athandwe uNkulunkulu, amshaye amqede udrako omkhulu obomvu, amise umbuso kaNkulunkulu, futhi alethe ukuphumula ngokushesha enhliziyweni kaNkulunkulu, kuwukuvuthela ngolaka, ngokungazigodli, inzondo evuvukalisa isilwane senu, ukubulala lawo magciwane akhuntile, unenza niphile ukuphila okungahlukile kokwenkunzi noma kokwehhashi, ningabe nisaba isigqila, kungabe kusaba bikho okunithuthumelisayo, noma ninikezwe udrako omkhulu obomvu umyalo; ngeke nisaba kulesi sizwe esehlulekayo, ngeke nesaba ngokadrako omkhulu obomvu, ngeke nisaba isigqila sakhe. Isidleke samademoni nakanjani siyohlakazwa uNkulunkulu, niyobe nime eceleni kukaNkulunkulu—ningabakaNkulunkulu, futhi awuyena owalo mbuso wezigqila. UNkulunkulu ubelokhu ewenyanya ngazo zonke izindlela lo mphakathi ongcolile. Uthukuthele kakhulu, ulangazelela ukunyathela omubi, inyoka endala, ukuze ingaphinde ivuke, futhi ingaphinde ihlukumeze umuntu; ngeke azixolele izenzo zayo ezedlule, ngeke akabukezelele ukukhohlakala komuntu, uyolungisa izono zawo wonke umuntu phakathi nenkathi edlule. UNkulunkulu ngeke nakancane adedele lo mholi wabo bonke ububi aphunyuke,^[1] nakanjani uyoyishaya ayibhuqe.

Izinkulungwane zeminyaka leli bekulokhu kuyizwe eligcwele ukungcola, lingcole ngokwedlulele, ligcwele usizi, izipokwe zigijima zigcwale zonke izinkalo, bayaphamba futhi bakhohlise, basola ngaphandle kwesizathu,^[2] banonya futhi babi, bathuthumelisa izipokwe bazishiye nezidumbu; ukubola kumboze izwe kungcolisa nomoya, kuqashwe kakhulu.^[3] Ubani ongabona umhlaba ongale kwesibhakabhaka? Udeveli uwubambe ngqi wonke umzimba womuntu, umkopolote womabili amehlo, wawuvala wawuqinisa umlomo wakhe. Inkosi yodeveli ibilokhu uphulukundlela zonke lezi zinkulungwane zeminyaka, kuze kube namuhla, ngesikhathi isanake idolobha lezipoki, njengokungathi isigodlo samademoni esiqinile; ngesikhathi esifanayo, lezi zinja ezigadile, ziwakhiphe wonke amehlo, zesaba ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzozibamba zinganakile aziqothule, azishiye zingasenayo indawo yokuthula nokujabula. Babengambona kanjani uNkulunkulu abantu besipokwe sedolobha abafana nalaba? Ingabe bake baluzwa uthando lukaNkulunkulu? Bayazazisa yini izindaba zomhlaba wesintu? Ubani kubo ongaqonda ugqozi lwentando kaNkulunkulu? Okuncane okudidayo nje mayelana nokuzifihla kukaNkulunkulu osesimweni somuntu: Emphakathini omnyama njengalona, lapho kunamademoni anonya nangenabo ubuntu, kungenzeka kanjani ukuba inkosi yodeveli, ebulala abantu ngokungangabazi nakancane, ibekezelele ukuba khona kukaNkulunkulu onothando, onomusa, futhi ongcwele? Zingakujabulela futhi zikuhalalisele kanjani ukufika kukaNkulunkulu? Labo thathekile! Babonga umusa ngenzondo, bebelokhu bengamthandi uNkulunkulu, bemhlukumeza, bakhohlakele kabi, abamazi nokuthi uyini uNkulunkulu, bayamntshontshela futhi bamthuke, abasenawo nhlobo unembeza, baphikisana nawo wonke unembeza, futhi benza omsulwa angabi nangqondo. Ingabe bangokhokho basendulo? Abaholi abathandwayo? Bonke bamelene noNkulunkulu! Ukuba kwabo ogaxekile kushiye bonke abasezulwini besesimweni sobumnyama nesiyaluyalu! Ingabe inkululeko yenkolo? Ingabe amalungelo nezinto ezithandwa izakhamuzi? Konke kungamacebo okumboza isono! Ubani owamukele umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu? Ubani obeke phansi ukuphila kwabo noma wachitha igazi ngenxa yomsebenzi kaNkulunkulu? Izizukulwane ngezizukulwane, kusukela kubazali kuya ezinganeni, umuntu oyisigqila ngokushesha uphenduke isigqila sikaNkulunkulu—kungahlala kanjani lokhu kungamthukuthelisi? Izinkulungwane zeminyaka yenzondo zigxile enhliziyweni, izinkulungwane zesono zisenhliziyweni—kungahlala kanjani lokhu kungayikhuthazi inzondo? Kuphindiselele uNkulunkulu, kubuqede bonke ubutha, ungabe usakuvumela, ungakuvumeli ukuba kudale ezinye izinkinga njengoba kufisa! Manje isikhathi: Umuntu ubelokhu eqoqa amandla akhe, unikele ngayo yonke imizamo yakhe, wakukhokha konke, ngenxa yalokhu, ukuze embule ubuso bamademoni futhi avumele abantu, abenziwe izimpumputhe, wabekezelela lonke uhlobo lokuhlupheka nobunzima, ukuze aqede ubuhlungu futhi ajikele lo develi omdala omubi. Kungani uhlanganisa lezi zithikamezo emsebenzini kaNkulunkulu? Kungani uceba okubi ukuze ukhohlise abantu bakaNkulunkulu? Ikuphi inkululeko yangempela namalungelo kanye nokuthandwayo? Buphi ubulungiswa? Iphi induduzo? Iphi imfudumalo? Kungani usebenzisa inkohliso ukuze uphambe abantu bakaNkulunkulu? Kungani usebenzisa amandla ukuze ucindezele ukuza kukaNkulunkulu? Kungani ungamvumeli uNkulunkulu azulazule emhlabeni awudala? Kungani uba isicefe kuNkulunkulu aze angabi nayo indawo yokuphumuza ikhanda Lakhe? Ikuphi imfudumalo kubantu? Ukuphi umoya wokwamukelana kubantu? Kungani nikhathaza uNkulunkulu? Kungani nifuna uNkulunkulu elokhu enibiza? Kungani niphoqa uNkulunkulu ukuba akhathazeke ngeNdodana Yakhe ayithandayo? Kulo mphakathi onobumnyama kungani izinja zawo ezigadile ezilusizana zingamvumeli uNkulunkulu ukuba angene aphume emhlabeni awudala? Kungani umuntu engaqondi, umuntu ophila ngobuhlungu nokuhlupheka? Ngenxa yenu, uNkulunkulu ubekezelele ubuhlungu obukhulu, uyibeke ngobuhlungu obukhulu iNdodana Yakhe ayithandayo, inyama negazi Lakhe kini—ngakho kungani ninganaki? Wonke umuntu uyakuphika ukufika kukaNkulunkulu, enqabe ubungani bukaNkulunkulu. Kungani ningenanembeza kangaka? Ingabe nizimisele ukubekezelela ukungabi nabulungiswa emphakathini onesinyama njengalona? Kungani, esikhundleni sokugcwalisa izisu zenu ngezinkulungwane zeminyaka, nizigcwalisa “ngamasimba” enkosi yodeveli?

Zinkulu kangakanani iziphazamiso emsebenzini kaNkulunkulu? Ingabe kukhona owaziyo? Kubantu ababanjwe yizinkolelo-ze ezijulile ezahlukahlukene, ubani ongakwazi ukwazi ubuso bangempela bukaNkulunkulu? Ngalolu lwazi lwesiko lasemuva oluncane kangaka futhi olungaqondakali, kungenzeka kanjani ukuba baqonde ngokugcwele amazwi akhulunywe uNkulunkulu? Ngisho noma ekhulunywa ubuso nobuso kubo, futhi bondliwa umlomo ngomlomo, bangawaqonda kanjani? Ngezinye izikhathi kuba sengathi amazwi kaNkulunkulu awele ezindlebeni ezingezwa: Abantu abanakho nokuncane ukusabela, banikina amakhanda futhi bangaqondi lutho. Kungenzeka kanjani ukuthi lokhu kungakhathazi? Lokhu “kungumlando wakudala,^[4] wesiko lasendulo kanye nolwazi lwesiko” okhulise leli qembu labantu abangelutho. Leli siko lasendulo—ifa eliyigugu—liyinqwaba yemfucumfucu! Kudala laba yihlazo elingapheli, futhi akudingi nokuba kukhulunywe ngalo! Kufundise abantu amaqhinga kanye namacebo okumelana noNkulunkulu, futhi “nokuqondisa okuhlelekile, okuthambile”^[5] kwemfundo kazwelonke kwenze abantu bangamlalela kakhulu uNkulunkulu. Ingxenye ngayinye yomsebenzi kaNkulunkulu inzima kakhulu, futhi isinyathelo ngasinye somsebenzi Wakhe emhlabeni besibanga usizi kuNkulunkulu. Yeka indlela onzima ngayo umsebenzi Wakhe emhlabeni! Izigaba zomsebenzi kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni zihlanganisa ubunzima obukhulu: UNkulunkulu wenza izinhlelo ezinhle kakhulu futhi ucabanga ngokujulile mayelana nobuthaka bomuntu, ukuntula, ubungane, ukungazi, nakho konke okomuntu. Umuntu ufana nengwe esephepheni okungekho muntu olokotha ayicasule; ngokuthinta nje kancane iyamluma, noma iwe, futhi kunjengokungathi ngokunganaki nje okuncane, kuphinde kusuke lokho, angamnaki uNkulunkulu, noma agijimele ezingulubeni zakhe nasezinjeni zabazali ukuze azitike ngezinto ezingcolile zemizimba yabo. Lokho kuyisithikamezo esikhulu! Kuzo zonke izigaba zomsebenzi Wakhe, uNkulunkulu uyalingwa, futhi kuso sonke isinyathelo uNkulunkulu ulengela engozini enkulu. Amazwi Akhe aqotho futhi athembekile, awakhohlisi, kodwa ubani ozimisele ukuwamukela? Ubani ozimisele ukuzithoba ngokugcwele kuwo? Aphula inhliziyo kaNkulunkulu. Umuntu umbekezelela ubusuku nemini, uhlale ekhungethwe usizi lokuphila komuntu, uyazwelana nobuthaka bomuntu. Ubekezelele izimbaxa eziningi wenza isigaba ngasinye somsebenzi Wakhe, ngenxa yawo wonke amazwi awakhulumayo; uhlale ephakathi kwedwala nendawo eqinile, ucabanga ngobuthaka bomuntu, ukungalaleli, ubungane, izinto achayeke kuzo … njalo nje. Ubani owake wakwazi lokhu? Ubani angathulula kuye isifuba Sakhe? Ubani oyokwazi ukuqonda? Uyohlale ezizonda lezi zono zomuntu, nokungabi nasisekelo, into ewumgogodla yomuntu, futhi akalokothi akhathazeke ngokuchayeka komuntu, unaka indlela ehlalele umuntu ngaphambili; ngaso sonke isikhathi lapho ebona amazwi nezenzo zomuntu, ingabe uba nomusa, nentukuthelo, futhi njalo lapho ebona lezi zinto uzwa ubuhlungu enhliziyweni Yakhe. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, abamsulwa nabo sebendikindiki; kungani uNkulunkulu kumele ehlale enza izinto zibe nzima kubo? Umuntu obuthaka njalo akakwazi ukubekezela; kungani uNkulunkulu kufanele ahlale emthukuthelele? Umuntu obuthaka nongenamandla akasenalutho olubalulekile kuye; kungani uNkulunkulu kufanele ahlale emjezisela ukungalaleli kwakhe? Ubani ongamelana nezinsongo zikaNkulunkulu osezulwini? Umuntu ngakolunye uhlangothi ubuthaka, futhi entekenteke kanjalo uNkulunkulu ufake intukuthelo Yakhe yajula enhliziyweni Yakhe, ukuze umuntu asimame kancane. Kodwa umuntu, obhekene nethuna, akayazisi nakancane intando kaNkulunkulu; uhlale ethuthumeliswa inkosi endala yodeveli, noma kunjalo akaboni lutho, uhlale emelana noNkulunkulu, akashisi futhi akabandi kuNkulunkulu. UNkulunkulu ukhulume amazwi amaningi, kodwa ubani oke wawathatha njengabalulekile? Umuntu akawaqondi amazwi kaNkulunkulu, kodwa uhlale ezolile, ngaphandle kokulangazela, futhi akakaze asazi ngempela isiqu sikadeveli omdala. Abantu baphila eHayidesi, esihogweni, kodwa bacabanga ukuthi baphila esigodlweni esisogwini lolwandle; bashushiswa udrako omkhulu obomvu, kodwa bacabanga ukuthi bayathandwa^[6] yizwe; bakhohliswa udeveli kodwa bacabanga ukuthi bajabulela injabulo yesikhashana yenyama. Bayiqeqebana elingcolile, abantukazana abaphansi! Umuntu uhlangabezane namashwa, kodwa akazi futhi kulo mphakathi onesinyama, ubhekana neshwa emva kwelinye,^[7] kodwa lutho ukuvuka emaqandeni. Uyoyeka nini ukuzicabangela nokuba nomhobholo? Kungani engenandaba nenhliziyo kaNkulunkulu? Ingabe ubugqugquzela buthule ubunzima nokucindezelwa? Ingabe akalufisi usuku lapho angashintsha khona ubumnyama bube ukukhanya? Ingabe akafisi ukuphinde abuyise ubulungiswa ekulungeni naseqinisweni? Ingabe uzimisele ukubukela angenzi lutho lapho abantu beshiya iqiniso futhi belisonta? Ingabe kuyamjabulisa ukuqhubeka ebekezelela lokhu kungaphathwa kahle? Ingabe uzimisele ukuba isigqila? Ingabe uzimisele ukushabalala ezandleni zikaNkulunkulu kanye nezigqila zalesi simo sokwehluleka? Siphi isinqumo sakho? Siphi isifiso sakho? Siphi isithunzi zakho? Buphi ubuqotho bakho? Ikuphi inkululeko yakho? Ingabe uzimisele ukunikela ngokuphila kwakho^[8] konke kudrako omkhulu obomvu, inkosi yodeveli? Ingabe kuyakujabulisa ukuthi uyokuhlukumeza uze ufe? Ingaphandle liyaxokozela futhi limnyama, linabantu abajwayelekile, abahluphekayo, abakhala Ezulwini futhi bakhononda emhlabeni. Umuntu uyokwazi nini ukuphakamisa ikhanda lakhe? Umuntu uzacile futhi wondile, angakwazi kanjani ukulwa nalesi sikhohlakali sikadeveli? Kungani enganikeli ngokuphila kwakhe kuNkulunkulu ngokushesha lapho esekwazi? Kungani esashalaza, lapho engakwazi ukuqedela umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu? Ngakho uyaxhashazwa futhi acindezelwe enganakile, ekugcineni ukuphila kwakhe konke kuphelela ezeni; kungani ejahe kangaka ukufika, futhi ephuthuma kangaka ukuhamba? Kungani engagcini okuthile okuyigugu azokunika uNkulunkulu? Ingabe useyikhohliwe inzondo yeminyaka eyizinkulungwane?

Mhlawumbe, abantu abaningi benyanya amanye amazwi kaNkulunkulu, noma mhlawumbe abawenyanyi futhi abanandaba nawo. Kungakhathaleki, amaqiniso ngeke abe ukucabanga okungaqondakali; akekho ongakhuluma amagama aphikisa amaqiniso. Ngalesi sikhathi uNkulunkulu uphenduke inyama ukuze enze lowo msebenzi, aphothule umsebenzi asezowuqeda, aqede ngale nkathi, ahlulele le nkathi, ahlulele izoni ezinkulu ezweni lasolwandle lwezinhlupheko futhi aziguqule. AmaJuda abethela uNkulunkulu esiphambanweni, ngalokho aqeda uhambo Lwakhe eJudiya. Esikhathini esingeside ngemva kwalokho, uNkulunkulu waphinde weza phakathi kwabantu, wafika isinyenyela ezweni likadrako omkhulu obomvu. Eqinisweni, uphakathi wenkolo yamaJuda ubulokhu uphanyeke isithombe sikaJesu ezindongeni zawo, futhi abantu bebelokhu bememeza bethi “Nkosi uJesu Kristu.” Kuncane abebekwazi ngokuthi kwase kukudala uJesu amukela umyalo kaYise wokubuyela kubantu ukuze aqedele isigaba sesibili somsebenzi Wakhe owawungakaqedwa. Ngenxa yalokho, abantu bamangala lapho bembona: Wazalwa emhlabeni sekudlule izinkathi eziningi, wavela phakathi kwabantu njengomuntu ojwayeleke kakhulu. Eqinisweni, njengoba kudlula izinkathi, izimpahla Zakhe nakho konke ukubonakala Kwakhe kwashintsha, njengokungathi uzalwe kabusha. Abantu bangazi kanjani ukuthi useyiNkosi uJesu Kristu efanayo nalena eyehla esiphambanweni futhi yavuswa? Akanawo nomncane umyocu wokulimala, njengoba nje uJesu engenakho ukufana noJehova. UJesu wanamuhla sekudlule izikhathi eziningi ekhona. Abantu bangamazi kanjani? “UTomasi” onamanga uhlale engabaza ukuthi uJesu wavuswa, uhlale efuna ukubona izibazi namanxeba ezipikili ezandleni zikaJesu ovusiwe ngaphambi kokuvuma engqondweni yakhe; engakawaboni uhlale enezinsolo, futhi akakwazi ukunyathela emhlabeni oqinile alandele uJesu. “UTomasi” wabantu—angazi kanjani ukuthi uJesu uzele umsebenzi ayalwa uNkulunkulu uYise ukuba awenze? Kungani kufanele uJesu abe nezibazi zokubethelwa Kwakhe? Ingabe izibazi zokubethelwa ziwuphawu lukaJesu? Uzele ukuzosebenzela intando kaYise; kungani kufanele agqoke futhi azihlobise njengomJuda njengoba enza ezinkulungwaneni eziningi zeminyaka ezedlule? Ingabe indlela uNkulunkulu abukeka ngayo enyameni iphazamisa umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu? Imfundiso kabani lena? Ingabe lena imfundiso esunguliwe? Kungani, lapho uNkulunkulu esebenza, kumele kuvumelane nomcabango womuntu? Okuwukuphela kwento uNkulunkulu agxila kuyo emsebenzini Wakhe ukuthi ube nomphumela. Akanamatheli emthethweni, futhi ayikho imithetho emsebenzini Wakhe—umuntu angawuqonda kanjani? Umuntu angangena kanjani ngokuphelele emsebenzini kaNkulunkulu ngokuthembela emibonweni nasemicabangweni yakhe? Ngakho unganethezeka ngendlela efanele: Ungalibali izinto ezingathi shú, ungazenzi into enkulu izinto ngenxa nje yokuthi zintsha kuwe—lokhu kuyokwenza ukuthi ungazenzi inhlekisa nabantu bangakuhleki. Ukholelwe kuNkulunkulu yonke le minyaka kodwa awukamazi uNkulunkulu; uyogcina usolwa, wena “osesigabeni esiphezulu,”^[9] usesigabeni sokusolwa. Kuyoba ukuhlakanipha ukungasebenzisi izindlela zobuqili ukuze ukuhlakanipha kwakho; ingabe ukunqundeka kwamehlo akho kungamkhohlisa uNkulunkulu, obona yonke into? Ingabe izinto odlule kuzo ezingatheni ziyakuvumela ukuba wazi intando kaNkulunkulu ngokugcwele? Ungazithwali. Ngemva kwakho konke, uNkulunkulu akayena owaleli zwe—ngakho umsebenzi Wakhe ungaba kanjani yilona owulindele?

Imibhalo yaphansi:

1. “Ingqongqo yabo bonke ububi” kubhekise kudeveli omdala. La mazwi abonisa ukwenyanya okwedlulele.

2. “Ukusola ngaphandle kwesizathu” kubhekise ezindleleni udeveli alimaza ngazo abantu.

3. “Kuqashwe kakhulu” kubonisa ukuthi izindlela udeveli ahlupha ngazo abantu zimbi ngokukhethekile futhi ulawula abantu kangangokuthi abanalo ithuba lokunyakaza.

4. “Wakudala” kusetshenziselwa ukuhlekisa.

5. “Ukuqondisa okuhlelekile, okuthambile” kusetshenziswa ngokubhuqa.

6. “Bayathandwa” kusetshenziselwa ukuhlekisa ngabantu ababonakala bebuthuntu futhi bengenalo ulwazi lokuzihlola.

7. “Ishwa emva kwelinye” kubonisa ukuthi abantu bazalwa ezweni likadrako omkhulu obomvu, futhi abakwazi ukuphakamisela amakhanda abo phezulu.

8. “Ukunikela ngakho konke ukuphila kwakho” kushiwo ngomqondo wokwedelela.

9. “Isigaba esiphezulu” kusetshenziselwa ukuhlekisa ngalabo abafuna ngokungaphezi uNkulunkulu.