Namuhla, indlala iyinkinga ekhona emhlabeni wonke. “Ngokuya ngombiko weUnited Nations, ngonyaka ka 2023 kuphela, ngokuya nge SOFI 2024, abantu abayizigidi ezingu 733 bazohlupheka ngenxa yendlala emhlabeni wonke.” 1 Kuba sengathi umuntu oyedwa phakathi kwabangu 11 emhlabeni ulambile futhi lenani liyakhula ngenxa yesimo sokungalingani komphakathi, ubunzima kwezomnotho, nokulwa ngezikhali. Lokhu kufanekiswa kakhulu ngenani lokudla okukhiqizwayo emhlabeni wonke okubonisa ukuthi inkinga akuyona yokuntuleka kwezinsiza zokusebenza kepha ukusatshalaliswa kabi kanye nokuntuleka kwezenzo.

Lapho uJesu ethi, “Bapheni-nina ukudla,” Wanikeza abafundi Bakhe inselelo yokubhekana nesimo esibonakala singeke senzeka-inselela yokupha abantu ukudla-izinkulungwane zabantu zilambile namuhla. Noma kunjalo, njengaleso sikhathi, isigijimi sikaKristu sikhomba ukuziphendulela kwabalandeli Bakhe ukuhlangana nesidingo somzimba nesesimoya kulabo abahluphekile.

Isimangaliso sokwanda kwezinkwa senzeka masinyane nje emva kombiko wokufa kukaJohane uMbhapathizi. Kwakungenxa yokuba abafundi babekhathele futhi bedangaliswe ukufa kukaJohane yilokho uJesu wamuka nabafundi ukuya endaweni eyihlane njengesikhathi sokuqabuleka. “Kwathi uJesu esekuzwile lokho, wamuka lapho ngomkhumbi, waya endaweni eyihlane eyedwa” (Mathewu 14:13). Isimemo sikaKristu sokuphumula sigcizelela ukunaka komfundisi ngenxa yabafundi Bakhe. Kodwa ukuphumula okudingekayo kwaphazanyiswa masinyane, njengoba isixuku sathola lapho Aye khona samlandela sihamba ngezinyawo. “Abaningi sebebabona bemuka, baqonda, baze bagijimela khona ngezinyawo, bephuma kuyo yonke imizi, babandulela” (Marako 6:33).

IPhasika laliseduze, futhi, ukusuka kude naseduze, ibutho lezihambi lalisendleleni eya eJerusalema lahlangana ukubona uJesu. Inani labantu lengezeka ngesibalo, kwaze kwahlangana abantu abayizinkulungwane ezinhlanu zabelisa ngaphandle kwabesifazane nabantwana. Ngaphambi kokuba uKristu afike ogwini, isixuku sabantu sasimlindele.” 2

UMsindisi onothando akaze anqikaze ukuhlangabezana nezidingo zethu. Wasizwela isixuku, wabamukela futhi walapha abagulayo babo. “UJesu waphuma, wabona isixuku esikhulu, waba-nesihe ngaso, waphulukisa abagulayo babo” (Mathewu 14:14).

KwiTestamende Elisha, “ukuba nesihawu” kucindezela izinga eliphakeme lozwelo kulabo abahluphekile, kaningi kuqondiswa ngokuphathelene nezenzo zikaJesu Kristu. (Bheka ku-Mathewu 15:32; 20:34; Marako 1:41; Luka 7:13.)

UJesu akazange ahambise umuntu ngaphandle kokunaka zonke izidingo zabo. Noma ephazanyiswa ekuphumuleni Kwakhe, wayeshiya ukuphumula Kwakhe, wenza izinto ezintathu okufanele azinakekele.

1. Wafundisa isixuku ngombuso kaNkulunkulu, kanjalo ehlangabezana nezidingo zengqondo.

2. Waphulukisa abagulayo, kanjalo ehlangabezana nezidingo zomzimba

3. Wondla sonke isixuku ngesinkwa njengophawu lwesinkwa esivela ezulwini (Johane 6:22-40).

Kanjalo, uJesu wahlangabezana nezidingo zengqondo, umzimba, nesimoya.

Kwakulusuku olumatasatasa nomsebenzi. UJesu uthe wafundisa futhi welapha abagulayo ababekhona esixukwini, kepha abafundi manje babekhathazekile ukuthi bazosiphani lesixuku. Ngokubheka lapho bekhona, basondela kuJesu, begcizelela ukukhathazeka kwabo becela ukuthi ahambise abantu ukuba bazifunele ukudla emaphandleni aseduze.

“Ekupheleni kosuku, abafundi basondela kuJesu bathi, lendawo iyihlane, futhi manje isikhathi sesihambile: Bamukise, baye emaphandleni nasemizaneni ezungezileyo, bazithengele ukudla: ngokuba akunalutho abangaludla” (Marako 6:35, 36). Abafundi babengaboni ukuthi bangondla kanjani lesixuku ngokudla; kwakungaphezu kwesabelo-mali sabo, kubo sasingekho isixazululo ngaphandle kokuthi bahambise isixuku. Konke kubo kwakungavumelani; indawo yayingaphandle, kwakusemva kwesikhathi, isixuku sisikhulu, futhi babengenayo imali eyanele. Ngombono wokuswela, abafundi bagcizelela ngalokhu abangenakho.

Elalela kahle imicabango yabafundi, “Kepha uJesu wathi kubo; akuswelekile ukuba bamuke; bapheni-nina ukudla” (Mathewu 14:16). Izwi likaKristu lalingalindelwe futhi liphazamisa, ngakho-ke abafundi babenezinselela ezintathu:

1. Isixuku sikhulu, abesilisa abayizinkulungwane ezinhlanu, singakabali abesifazane nabantwana.

2. Babesehlane bekude nedolobha lapho bangathenga khona ukudla.

3. Babengenayo imali eyanele.

Abafundi ngokusobala babefinyelele ekugcineni-benezinkinga zokuhleleka, beswele izinsiza, kanye nesixuku esilambile.

Kodwa bavuma ukunikela ngengcosana yezinkwa nezinhlanzi ezimbalwa ababenazo ezandleni zikaKristu, Wayesethi “ziletheni lapha Kimi” (Mathewu 14:18). “Lokhu okuncane kwandiswa ngokumangalisayo, futhi badla bonke basutha. Isimangaliso sisifundisa ukuthi, nalapho sinezinsiza ezincane, uNkulunkulu angaphelelisa izinto ezinkulu ngabantu abathanda ukuphana.”

Lapho uJesu eyala abafundi ukuba bondle abantu, wayebiza isimiso sokuziphendulela kwebandla ngokunaka abalimele labo akhuluma ngabo ngomprofethi uIsaya. UJesu ngomprofethi, wayala, “Yabela isinkwa sakho abalambile;” nokubuyisa abampofu nemihambima ekhaya lakho;” Nokwembesa ohambaze, lapho umbonayo” (Isaya 58:7).

INkosi isiyalile ngokusobala: “Hambani niye ezweni lonke, nishumayele ivangeli kukho konke okudaliweyo” (Marako 16:15). “Kodwa kukangakhi izinhliziyo zethu zishona, nokholo lwethu luhluleka, uma sibona ukuthi sikhulu kangakanani isidingo, nokuthi incane kangakanani imali esezandleni zethu. NjengoAndreya lapho ebheka izinkwa ezinhlanu zebhali nezinhlanzi ezimbili, wathi, “kepha kuyini lokhu kwabaningi kangaka-na? Kaningi siyangabaza, singathandi ukupha ngalokhu esinakho, sesaba ukukusebenzisela abanye. Kodwa uJesu uyasincenga, ‘Bapheni-nina ukudla.’ Umyalo Wakhe uyisithembiso; futhi emva kwaso kukhona amandla afanayo lawo asuthisa isixuku eduze kolwandle.” 3

Amazwi athi, “Bapheni-nina ukudla,” adlulela ngale komongo wokuhlinzekela ngokudla komzimba. Ubizo lwebandla, njengomzimba kaKristu, ukuhlangabezana nezidingo zabantu ngokwesimoya, zomphefumulo kanye nezidingo zezinto ezibonakalayo. UJesu akavumelanga abafundi ukuthi bashwabane ekuziphenduleleni kwabo kokunakekela izixuku, ngesimiso esifanayo kufanele sihole ibandla namuhla.

Isimangaliso sikaKristu sokusuthisa izinkulungwane ezinhlanu ngumfanekiso wokusebenza kwamandla kaNkulunkulu avela esivunweni. UJesu ubeka iveyili eceleni emhlabeni wemvelo futhi embule amandla adalayo lawo asetshenziswa njalo ngobuhle bethu. Ngokwandisa imbewu ephonswa emhlabathini, lowo owandisa izinkwa wenza isimangaliso nsuku zonke. Kuyisimanga ukuthi njalo usuthisa izigidi ngesivuno sasensimini. Abantu babizelwa ukuba basizane Naye ekunakekeleni ukolweni nokulungiswa kwesinkwa, ngenxa yalokhu balahlekelwa ngumbono wesithunywa esingcwele. Ukusebenza kwamandla Akhe abangwa izimbangela zemvelo noma izinsiza zabantu, kaningi izipho Zakhe ziyahlanekezelwa ekusetshenzisweni kokuzithandela okubangele isiqalekiso esikhundleni sezibusiso. UNkulunkulu ufuna ukuguqula konke lokhu. Ufisa ukuthi imizwa yethu ebuthuntu iphangiswe ukuhlukanisa umusa Wakhe onesihe, nokuthi izipho Zakhe zingaba kithi isibusiso asihlosile.

“Kuyizwi likaNkulunkulu, elingenisa ukuphila Kwakhe, okunikeza ukuphila kwimbewu; futhi ngalokuphila, thina, ngokudla ukolweni, siba ngabahlanganyeli. Ngalokho, uNkulunkulu ufisa ukuba sihlukanise; ufisa ukuthi ngokwamukela isinkwa semihla ngemihla singaqaphela isithunywa Sakhe futhi silethwe eduze kobudlelwano Naye.

“Ngemithetho kaNkulunkulu ngemvelo, umphumela ulandela imbangela ngokuqiniseka okungavunyelwe. Isivuno sifakazela ukutshala. Lapha akukho ukuzenzisa okubekezelelwayo. Abantu bangakhohlisa abangane babo futhi bathole ukudunyiswa ngezincephezelo zomsebenzi abangawenzanga. Kodwa emvelweni ayikho inkohliso.” 4

“Esivunweni imbewu iyandiswa. Uhlamvu olulodwa lukakolweni, luyanda ngokuphinda lutshalwe futhi, lingamboza umhlaba wonke ngezinyanda zegolide. Umfutho ungasabalala ngokuphila okukodwa, ngisho nangesenzo esisodwa.

Ngaphezu kwalokho ukuphawula ngesimangaliso sokwanda kwezinkwa nezinhlanzi, siyafunda kuMoya weSiprofetho: “Ngesenzo sikaKristu sokunikeza izidingo zesikhashana kwixuku elilambile sisonga isifundo esijulile kuzo zonke izisebenzi Zakhe. UKristu wamukela kuBaba; wakwabela abafundi; abafundi babela isixuku; nabantu omunye komunye. Ngakho-ke bonke abamunye noKristu bazothola Kuye isinkwa sokuphila, ukudla kwasezulwini, futhi basabele abanye.” 6

Ukulamba uJesu akhuluma ngakho kungaqondwa ngendlela ebanzi. Abantu abaningi abasizungezile balambele ukulunga, ukuthula, uthando, nethemba. Ibandla linomsebenzi wokuba ngumsuka wokondla umhlaba ososizini. Umpostoli uJakobe uqinisa leqiniso ngokugcizelela ukubaluleka kokukholwa okuhambisana nezenzo: “Uma umzalwane noma umzalwanekazi behambaze, beswela ukudla kwemihla ngemihla, Kusho omunye kini kubo ukuthi: Hambani nibe nokuthula, nifudumale, nisuthe; kepha ningabaphi lokho okudingwa ngumzimba, lokhu kusizani-na?” (Jakobe 2:15, 16). Ngokufanayo, kwisahluko sokuqala, uJohane uyabuza, “Kepha yena onemfuyi yezwe, embona umzalwane wakhe eswele, amvalele isihawu sakhe, uthando lukaNkulunkulu lungahlala kanjani kuye-na? (1 Johane 3:17).

Umhlaba namuhla ugcwele “izixuku ezilambile” zifuna isizathu, sokuhlangana nethemba. Ibandla libizwa ukuba libe ngumphakathi ophanayo, olungele ukwabelana ngesinkwa sokuphila nokuletha isigijimi esiguqulayo sikaKristu.

Kulula ukuba uzizwe uphelelwa amandla ngobubanzi bomhlaba wonke okhungethwe yindlala. Singenzenjani, ngezinsiza zethu ezilinganiselwe, ukwenza umehluko ebusweni benkinga enkulu? Imbali yokwandiswa kwezinkwa iyasikhumbuza ukuthi, ezandleni zikaKristu, ngisho nalokhu okuncane esinakho kungandiswa kwabelwe abaningi.

Izibusiso, zesikhashana nezesimoya, zizohambisana nalabo ababela abadingayo ngalokhu abakwamukele eNkosini. UJesu wenza isimangaliso sokusuthisa izinkulungwane ezinhlanu, ezikhathele, isixuku esilambile. Wakhetha indawo enhle engamukela abantu futhi wabayala ukuba bahlale phansi. Wathatha izinkwa ezinhlanu nezinhlanzi ezincane. Akungabazeki ukuphawula kwabaningi okwenziwa njengento engeke yenzeka ukwenelisa abesilisa abayizinkulungwane ezinhlanu abalambile, ngaphandle kwabesifazane nabantwana, okusuka esitolo esintulayo. Kodwa uJesu wabonga wabeka ukudla ezandleni zabafundi ukuba baphe abantu. Banikeza isixuku, ukudla kwanda ezandleni zabo. Lapho isixuku sesisuthi, abafundi uqobo bahlala phansi badla noKristu ukudla okuvela kwisitolo sasezulwini. Lesi isifundo esiyigugu somuntu ngamunye ongumlandeli kaKristu.” 7

NjengoJesu’ abafundi basendulo, uNkulunkulu unethemba lokuxhumana nathi njengemizila yokwabelana ngezibusiso Zakhe. “Abafundi babeyimizila yokuxhumana phakathi kukaKristu nabantu. Lokhu makube isikhuthazo esikhulu sabafundi Bakhe namuhla. UKristu uyisikhungo esikhulu, umthombo wamandla onke. Abafundi Bakhe kufanele bathole ukondliwa kwabo okuvela Kuye. Onokuhlakanipha konke, onomqondo kakhulu wesimoya, banganikeza kuphela njengoba bamukela. Ngokwabo angeke babanakho ukunikeza izidingo zomphefumulo. Singanikeza kuphela kulokhu esikwamukelayo njengoba sabelana nabanye. Njengoba siqhubeka ukwabelana, nathi siyaqhubeka ukwamukela. Kanjalo sizoqhubeka sikholwe, sethembe, samukele, futhi sabelane.” 8

Izikhungo zamaKrestu, izithunywa zevangeli kanye namavolontiya emhlabeni wonke sebaphila lempilo ngempela yokunikezela izimpilo zabo ukuze zihlangabezane nezidingo zabantu ezisengozini enkulu. Kusukela ezinhlelweni zokudla zabantu abalambayo banikeze nemfundiso maqondana neminikelo, impilo nokunaka okuyisisekelo, lezinhlelo zibonisa uthando lukaKristu olusebenzayo. Lokhu okubonakala kukuncane emehlweni ethu kungaba yisiqalo somsebenzi omkhulu ezandleni zikaNkulunkulu. Akufanele silinde size sibe nokuningi ezandleni zethu; kodwa lokhu esinakho namuhla kungaba ithulusi ezandleni zikaKristu ukuphelelisa lokhu okungeke kwenzeka.

Isicelo sikaKristu kubafundi Bakhe siyaqhubeka ukuphindwa namuhla. Uyasinxusa ukuba sibe yinxenye yomsebenzi Wakhe Wokuhlenga emhlabeni, kakhulu umongo wehlabathi lonke odinga kakhulu. Indlala, isathinta izinkulungwane zabantu, futhi amaKrestu abizelwa ukuba yimpendulo kaNkulunkulu kulezidingo.

Lobizo lokusebenza luqala ngesenzo esincane sobubele: izwi lokukhuthaza, isipho kulabo abadingayo, noma ukumiswa kosizo lomphakathi emabandleni ethu afuna ukuhlangabezana nezidingo zomzimba nesimoya somphakathi wethu. Angeke sanganaka indlala yezwe lonke, kodwa njangabafundi bakaKristu, sinikwa inselelo yokusebenza ngesihawu nokuphana.

“UJesu akazange afune ukuthathekisa abantu Kuye ngokwenelisa izifiso zokunethezeka. Kulesixuku esikhulu, esikhathele nesilambile emva kosuku olude noluthokozisayo, ukudla okulula kwaqinisekisa kokubili amandla Akhe nokunakekela Kwakhe okumnene kubo ngezidingo ezivamile zokuphila. UMsindisi akazange athembise abalandeli Bakhe ukunethezeka komhlaba; iningi labo livalwe ubumpofu; kodwa izwi Lakhe liyisibopho sokuthi izidingo zabo zizoneliswa, futhi uthembisile ukuthi yikuphi okungcono kunobuhle belizwe-ukunethezeka okuhlalayo kobukhona Bakhe.

“Emva kokuba izinkulungwane seziphiwe ukudla, kwabakhona ukudla okuningi okwasala. UJesu unxusa abafundi Bakhe, ‘Buthani imvuthuluka eseleyo, kungachitheki lutho.’ (Johane 6:12) Lamazwi asho okukhulu kunokufaka ukudla ebhasikidini. Isifundo sasiphindwe kabili. Akukho okufanele kuchithwe. Akufanele sivume ukulahlekelwa nayithuba elincane. Akufanele singanaki lutho okuzosebenza ukusiza isidalwa somuntu. Vumela zonke izinto ziqoqwe ezizokhulula izidingo zalabo ababulawa indlala. Ngokunakekela okufanayo kumele silondoloze isinkwa esivela ezulwini ukwenelisa isidingo somphefumulo. Ngalolonke izwi likaNkulunkulu kufanele siphile. Makungabikho uNkulunkulu akukhulumile okufanele kulahleke. Malingakukho izwi nelilodwa eliphathelene nosindiso lwethu lwaphakade okumele linganakwa. Makungabikho izwi elilodwa okumele liwele emhlabathini lingasizi ngalutho.” 9

“Njengoba sibona izidingo zabampofu, abangenalwazi, abahluphekile, kukangakhi izinhliziyo zethu zishona phansi. Siyabuza, kuyini okubandakanya amandla ethu obuthakathaka kanye nezinsiza zokusebenza ezithambile ukunikeza isidingo esesabekayo. Angeke yini silinde ukuthi umuntu onamandla amakhulu aqondise umsebenzi, noma inhlangano ethile ukuba yenze?’ UKristu uthi, ‘Bapheni-nina ukudla, sebenzisa imali, isikhathi, ikhono, onalo. Letha izinkwa zakho zebhali kuJesu.

“Noma izinsiza zakho zingaba zincane ukondla izinkulungwane, zingenelisa ukondla oyedwa. Esandleni sikakristu bangondla abaningi. Njengabafundi, yipha ngalokho onakho. UKristu uzokwandisa isipho. Uzovuza ukuthembeka, ukweyama okulula Kuye. Lokhu okubonakala kukuncane kuzoba yidili elinothile.” 10

“Bapheni-nina ukudla” akuwona umyalo wesisa, kodwa ubizo lokuziphendulela. UJesu ubonisa ukuthi asidingi ukuba nokuningi okuzokwenza umehluko; kufanele sinikele ngalokhu esinakho ezandleni Zakhe. Ngokufanayo nezinkwa kanye nezinhlanzi ezandiswa, uKristu angandisa imizamo yethu nezinsiza ukondla izixuku ezilambile ezisizungezile ngokwesimoya nangokomzimba.

Emhlabeni lapho izigidi zabantu zihlupheka ngenxa yendlala, ibandla kufanele liqhubeka ukusabela lobizo ngesihawu, njengesifanekiso sothando lukaKristu emphakathini odinga kakhulu ukunakekelwa nethemba.