UThemba ushona ekugcineni

Isaga sithi, “Ithemba liyafa!” Ukube lesi saga besiyiqiniso, ukufa bekuyoba ukuphela kwethemba. Entshumayelweni yePhentekoste, uPetru wamemezela ukuthi ukufa kwakungeke kusambamba uJesu: “UNkulunkulu wamvusa futhi wamkhulula osizini lokufa, ngoba kwakungenakwenzeka ukuba ukufa kumbamba.” ( IzE. 2,24).

Kamuva uPawulu wachaza ukuthi amaKristu, njengoba kufanekiselwa ubhapathizo, awazange ahlanganyele nje ekubethelweni kukaJesu esiphambanweni kodwa nasekuvusweni kwakhe. “Ngakho sembelwa kanye naye ngokubhapathizelwa ekufeni, ukuze njengalokho uKristu wavuswa kwabafileyo ngenkazimulo kaYise, kanjalo nathi sihambe ekuphileni okusha. Ngokuba uma sikhule kanye naye, saba njengaye ekufeni kwakhe, khona-ke siyoba njengaye nasekuvukeni.” 6,4-enye).

Ngakho-ke ukufa akunamandla angunaphakade phezu kwethu. KuJesu sinokunqoba futhi sinethemba lokuthi sizovuselwa ekuphileni okuphakade. Lempilo entsha yaqala lapho samukela ukuphila kukaKristu ovusiwe kithi ngokukholwa kuye. Noma siphila noma sifa, uJesu uhlala kithi futhi lelo ithemba lethu.

Ukufa ngokomzimba kunzima, ikakhulukazi ezihlotsheni nabangane abasala ngemuva. Nokho, akwenzeki ukuthi ukufa kubambe abafileyo ngoba basempilweni entsha kuJesu Kristu, okunguye yedwa onokuphila okuphakade. “Kepha lokho kungukuphila okuphakade, ukuba bazi wena, ukuthi ungubani wedwa uNkulunkulu weqiniso, nomthumileyo, uJesu Kristu” (Johane 1)7,3). Kini, ukufa akusesona isiphetho samathemba namaphupho akho, kodwa ukushintshela ekuphileni okuphakade ezandleni zikaBaba osezulwini, owenza konke lokhu kwenzeka ngeNdodana yakhe uJesu Kristu!

nguJames Henderson