Kuyoba isikhathi esingakanani?

Uma thina maKristu sidlula ebunzimeni akulula ukubekezela. Kuba nzima nakakhulu lapho sithola umbono wokuthi uNkulunkulu usesikhohliwe ngoba, njengoba kubonakala kithi, usenesikhathi eside engayiphenduli imithandazo yethu. Noma lapho sithola ukuthi uNkulunkulu wenza okuhluke kakhulu kulokho ebesikufuna. Kulezi zimo sinokuqonda okungalungile ngendlela uNkulunkulu enza ngayo. Sifunda ngezithembiso eBhayibhelini, siyathandaza futhi sithemba ukuthi zizogcwaliseka maduze: «Kodwa ngiseduze nawe, ngifuna ukukusindisa, futhi manje! Usizo lwami alusafiki. Ngifuna ukunika iJerusalema insindiso nokuthula futhi ngibonise inkazimulo yami kwa-Israyeli.”—Isaya 46,13 Ithemba labo bonke).

Ivesi lika-Isaya limane lingelinye lamazwi asakazeke kulo lonke iBhayibheli lapho uNkulunkulu ethembisa ukuthatha isinyathelo ngokushesha. Ngokomongo wayo, imayelana nesiqinisekiso sikaNkulunkulu sokuthi amaJuda aseBabiloni ayeyobuyiselwa eJudiya, kodwa futhi ibhekisela ekufikeni kukaJesu Kristu.

AmaJuda, ayesavaleleke eBhabhiloni, abuza ukuthi singaya nini. Ukukhala kwezwakala njalo kwavela kuNkulunkulu kubantu bakhe abafayo phakathi neminyaka. Angase azwakale nangezikhathi zabantwana ababoshiwe abalindele ukubusa kwakhe emhlabeni. Kaningi uNkulunkulu washo ukuthi ngeke angabaze ngoba uyazazi izinkinga zethu.

Lapho umprofethi uHabakuki eba nokuphazamiseka kovalo ngenxa yokungabi nabulungisa kwabantu futhi ekhononda kuNkulunkulu ngokuntuleka kwesenzo sosuku lwakhe, wathola umbono nesiqinisekiso sokuthi uNkulunkulu wayeyokwenza okuthile, kodwa uNkulunkulu wanezela: “Isiprofetho sisazofika. ukuza kuyogcwaliseka ngesikhathi sayo futhi ekugcineni iyophuma ngokukhululeka ingaduki. Noma idonsa, yilinde; ngokuqinisekile iyofika futhi ngeke ihluleke ukubonakala” (Habakuki 2,3).

Ohambweni olude, zonke izingane zihlupha abazali bazo ngemva nje kwamakhilomitha ambalwa futhi zifuna ukwazi ukuthi kuzothatha isikhathi esingakanani. Kuyiqiniso ukuthi indlela esibona ngayo isikhathi iyashintsha njengoba sikhula sisuka ezinganeni siya ebudaleni, futhi kubonakala sengathi lapho ukhula ngokushesha, kodwa noma kunjalo siyazabalaza nakanjani ukuze sibe nombono kaNkulunkulu.

“Endulo uNkulunkulu wakhuluma kokhokho bethu ngezindlela eziningi esebenzisa abaprofethi. Kodwa manje, ekupheleni kwesikhathi, ukhulume kithi ngeNdodana. UNkulunkulu umisile ukuthi ekugcineni zonke izinto zibe ngezakhe njengefa lakhe. Ngaye futhi wadala izwe ekuqaleni ”(Heb 1,1-2 Izindaba Ezinhle ZeBhayibheli).

Encwadini eya kumaHeberu sifunda ukuthi ukufika kukaJesu kwaphawula “ukuphela kwesikhathi” futhi lokho kwakungaphezu kweminyaka eyizinkulungwane ezimbili edlule. Ngakho isivinini sethu asisoze safana nesikaNkulunkulu. Kungase kubonakale sengathi uNkulunkulu uyangabaza.

Mhlawumbe kuyasiza ukubeka isikhathi endaweni efanele ngokubheka umhlaba obonakalayo. Uma sicabanga ukuthi umhlaba cishe uneminyaka engaphezu kwezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezine futhi indawo yonke cishe iminyaka eyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane eziyishumi nane, khona-ke izinsuku ezimbalwa zokugcina zingadonsa isikhashana.

Yebo kunenye impendulo ngaphandle kokucabanga ngokuhamba kwesikhathi nokuhlobana, ukugxila emisebenzini kaBaba: «Siyambonga uNkulunkulu ngezikhathi zonke ngani nonke futhi siyanikhumbula emikhulekweni yethu futhi sicabanga njalo ngomsebenzi wenu phambi kukaNkulunkulu, uBaba wethu ekukholweni nasekukholweni. emsebenzini wenu othandweni nasekubekezeleni kwenu ethembeni leNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu.”— 1 Thes 1,2-enye).

Ayikho into enjengokuba matasatasa umangale ukuthi izinsuku zihamba kanjani.

nguHilary Buck