📖 Kitabu cha Zaburi — Sehemu ya 7: Zaburi 56, Ninapoogopa📖 The Book of Psalms — Unit 7: Psalm 56, When I Am Afraid

1. Baba Yangu Yuko Nyumbani1. My Father Is in the House

Nilipokuwa mtoto niliota ndoto za kutisha, kama watoto wengi wanavyoonekana kuota. Ningeamka moyo ukidunda na macho yakiwa wazi kabisa, nikiwa na hakika kwamba zimwi au mwizi ameingia nyumbani. Niliogopa sana. Kisha ningekumbuka kwamba baba yangu yuko nyumbani, nami nilijua kwamba maadamu yeye yupo, sikuhitaji kuogopa. Nami nililala tena. Kumbukumbu hiyo ya utotoni imebeba ujumbe wote wa Zaburi 56. Mtunga zaburi anakabili hatari ya kweli, lakini amejifunza mahali Baba yake alipo.When I was a child I had the nightmares that so many children seem to have. I would wake with my heart pounding and my eyes wide open, certain that a monster or a robber had broken into the house. I was terribly afraid. Then I would remember that my father was in the house, and I knew that as long as he was there I did not have to be afraid. And I went back to sleep. That childhood memory holds the whole message of Psalm 56. The psalmist faces real danger, but he has learned where his Father is.

Katika siku za Wakovenanta (Covenanters) huko Uskoti, waumini walikabili mateso makali; wengi waliuawa na kuteswa kwa ajili ya imani yao. Baadhi yao walibuni msemo wa siri. Waliposimamishwa na kuulizwa wanakokwenda, walijibu, "Ninakwenda nyumbani kwa Baba yangu." Ilimaanisha zaidi ya safari ya kurudi nyumbani. Ilikuwa ni ukiri kwamba, lolote litakalotokea kwa mwili, wao ni mali ya Mungu na wako njiani kwenda Kwake. Walikuwa wamejifunza kutokuogopa kwa sababu walijua kwamba Baba yuko nyumbani.During the days of the Covenanters in Scotland, believers faced terrible persecution; many were killed and tortured for their faith. Some of them developed a code phrase. When they were stopped and asked where they were going, they would answer, "I am going to my Father's house." It meant more than a journey home. It was a confession that, whatever happened to the body, they belonged to God and were on their way to Him. They had learned to be unafraid because they knew the Father was in the house.

2. Siku ya Hofu Yangu2. Whenever I Am Afraid

Nakumbuka nikiwa nimeketi mbele ya televisheni wakati wa Vita vya Ghuba, nikitazama matangazo ya moja kwa moja vita vilipoanza kwa kasi ya kuua. Mwitikio wangu wa kwanza ulikuwa hofu. Moyo wangu ulidunda. Watu wangekufa, na baadhi ya wachambuzi walikuwa wakizungumza juu ya Har–Magedoni na dunia kutumbukia vitani. Kisha nikakumbuka kwamba Baba yangu yuko nyumbani, na kwamba sikuhitaji kuogopa. Angalia kwamba mtunga zaburi hasemi "kama" nikiogopa, bali "siku ya hofu yangu" — yaani, kila ninapoogopa. Anatarajia hofu itakuja. Ahadi si kwamba mwamini hatahisi hofu kamwe, bali kwamba wakati wa hofu anayo mahali pa kugeukia: "nitakutumaini Wewe." Hebu tuangalie sababu nne kwa nini hatuhitaji kuogopa.I remember sitting before the television during the Gulf War, watching the live coverage as the conflict began with deadly swiftness. My first reaction was fear. My heart pounded. Men would die, and some commentators were speaking of Armageddon and a world plunged into war. And then I remembered that my Father was in the house, and that I did not have to be afraid. Notice that the psalmist does not say "if" I am afraid, but "whenever" I am afraid — he expects fear to come. The promise is not that the believer never feels afraid, but that in the moment of fear he has somewhere to turn: "I will trust in You." Let us look at four reasons we do not have to be afraid.

3. Ahadi za Mungu3. The Promises of God

Kwanza, hatuhitaji kuogopa kwa sababu ya ahadi za Mungu. Mungu hutimiza ahadi zake. Amesema, "Sitakupungukia kamwe, wala sitakuacha kabisa." Katika siku za nabii Amosi, Israeli ilikuwa ikifanikiwa kuliko wakati mwingine wowote, ikitawala eneo kubwa kuliko wakati wowote mwingine, na watu walidhani utajiri wao ulikuwa ishara ya kibali cha Mungu. Lakini chini ya mafanikio hayo kulikuwa na dhambi kubwa — uonevu wa maskini, rushwa mahakamani, ibada ya sanamu, na uasherati. Kwa hiyo Amosi alionya kwamba Mungu angewapeleka uhamishoni, naye alifanya hivyo, kwa mkono wa Waashuru, ambao mji wao mkuu Ninawi ulisimama mahali Baghdad ilipo leo. Hata hivyo, hata katika hukumu Mungu aliahidi rehema baada yake. Kwa karibu miaka mia mbili walikuwa mateka katika nchi ya mbali, na bila shaka walijiuliza kama Mungu alikuwa amesahau ahadi zake. Lakini mwishowe walirudi na kulijenga upya Hekalu. Ahadi yetu ni ileile: kwamba "katika mambo yote Mungu hufanya kazi pamoja na wale wampendao katika kuwapatia mema, yaani, wale walioitwa kwa kusudi lake."First, we do not have to be afraid because of the promises of God. God keeps His promises. He has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." In the days of the prophet Amos, Israel was prospering as never before, controlling more territory than at any other time, and the people assumed their wealth was a sign of God's favor. But beneath the prosperity was great sin — oppression of the poor, corruption in the courts, idolatry, and immorality. So Amos warned that God would send them into exile, and He did, by the hand of the Assyrians, whose capital Nineveh stood where Baghdad stands today. Yet even in judgment God promised mercy beyond it. For nearly two hundred years they were captives in a distant land, and surely they wondered whether God had forgotten His promises. But in the end they returned and rebuilt the Temple. Our promise is the same: that "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

Mkristo mmoja mzee alikuwa akifa akiwa na dhiki kubwa. "Ee mchungaji," alisema, "kwa miaka mingi nimezitegemea ahadi za Mungu, lakini sasa katika saa ya kufa siwezi kukumbuka hata moja ya kunifariji." Akijua kwamba Shetani alikuwa akimsumbua mtu huyo, mhubiri alijibu, "Ndugu yangu, unadhani kwamba Mungu atasahau ahadi zake zozote?" Tabasamu likaenea usoni mwa mwamini huyo aliyekuwa akifa, naye akapaza sauti, "Hapana, hapana! Hatasahau! Bwana asifiwe, sasa naweza kulala katika Yesu na kumtumaini Yeye azikumbuke zote na kunifikisha salama mbinguni." Amani ilifurika nafsini mwake, na muda mfupi baadaye aliingizwa katika nuru ya siku ya milele ya Mungu.An elderly Christian lay dying in great distress. "Oh, pastor," he said, "for years I have relied upon the promises of God, but now in the hour of death I cannot remember a single one to comfort me." Knowing that Satan was troubling the man, the preacher answered, "My brother, do you think that God will forget any of His promises?" A smile spread over the face of the dying believer, and he exclaimed, "No, no! He won't! Praise the Lord, now I can fall asleep in Jesus and trust Him to remember them all and bring me safely to heaven." Peace flooded his soul, and a short time later he was ushered into the light of God's eternal day.

4. Mpango wa Mungu4. The Plan of God

Pili, hatuhitaji kuogopa kwa sababu ya mpango wa Mungu. Waefeso 1:11 inasema kwamba Mungu "atendaye mambo yote kwa shauri la mapenzi yake." Ayubu alitangaza, "Huyaongeza mataifa, kisha huyaangamiza; huyaeneza mataifa, kisha huyaongoza." Katika historia yote mataifa yameinuka na kuanguka, yamekuwa na nguvu na kuchukuliwa mateka, lakini Mungu amebaki katika kiti chake cha enzi. Na mpango huu unawafikia wakuu na wadogo pia: Bwana anayetawala mataifa pia amezihesabu hata nywele za vichwa vyetu. Mtu anaweza kupinga kwamba dunia imejaa machafuko — uhalifu unaoongezeka, nyumba zilizovunjika, uasherati mkubwa, silaha za kutosha kuiangamiza dunia mara nyingi. Lakini Biblia inasisitiza kwamba Mungu ana mpango na kwamba Yeye ndiye anayetawala. Dunia imewahi kuwa katika hali ya kukata tamaa hapo awali na imenusurika tu kwa sababu ya maongozi ya Mungu. Kama si mkono wake unaozuia, hali ingekuwa mbaya zaidi sana.Second, we do not have to be afraid because of the plan of God. Ephesians 1:11 says that God "works all things according to the counsel of His will." Job declared, "He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them." Through all of history nations have risen and fallen, grown strong and been led away captive, yet God has remained upon His throne. And this plan reaches both the great and the small: the Lord who governs the nations has also numbered the very hairs of our head. Someone may object that the world is full of chaos — rising crime, broken homes, gross immorality, weapons enough to destroy the earth many times over. Yet the Bible insists that God has a plan and that He is in control. The world has been in a desperate state before and has survived only because of God's providence. If not for His restraining hand, it would be far worse.

5. Mpango wa Mungu: Hakuna "Kama" katika Ulimwengu Wake5. The Plan of God: No "Ifs" in His World

6. Uweza wa Mungu6. The Power of God

Tatu, hatuhitaji kuogopa kwa sababu ya uweza wa Mungu. "Bwana wetu ni mkuu, mwenye uweza mwingi, akili zake hazina mpimo." Ayubu alisema, "Najua ya kuwa Wewe waweza kufanya mambo yote, wala hakuna kusudi lako liwezalo kuzuilika." Kwa neno la Mungu Bahari ya Shamu iligawanyika na kusimama kama kuta; jua lilisimama; chuma kilielea juu ya maji; kunguru walimletea Eliya chakula; na simba walifunga vinywa vyao wala hawakumgusa Danieli. Wanadamu, katika dhambi yao, wanaweza kufanya maamuzi nje ya mapenzi ya Mungu, lakini mwishowe mapenzi ya Mungu hutimizwa. Hakuna kitu kinachoweza hatimaye kuuzuia mpango wake; ingekuwa sawa na kujaribu kuzuia gharika kwa ukuta wa mchanga, au kuzigeuza nyota kutoka njia zao, kama kujaribu kuyapindua mapenzi makuu ya Mungu.Third, we do not have to be afraid because of the power of God. "Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite." Job said, "I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You." At God's word the Red Sea divided and stood up like walls; the sun stood still; iron floated on the water; ravens carried food to Elijah; and the lions kept their mouths shut and would not touch Daniel. Men may, in their sin, make decisions outside the will of God, but in the end God's will is done. Nothing can finally stop His plan; one might as well try to hold back a flood with a wall of sand, or turn the stars from their orbits, as to overrule the sovereign will of God.

Fikiria Farao, aliyedhani uwezo wake ulikuwa juu ya yote na akakataa kuwaachilia watumwa Waebrania. Biblia inasema mara nne kwamba Mungu aliufanya moyo wa Farao kuwa mgumu, na mara tatu kwamba Farao aliufanya moyo wake mwenyewe kuwa mgumu. Ni nani aliyeufanya mgumu? Wote wawili — kwa maana jua lilelile linaloyeyusha nta pia hukausha na kuufanya udongo wa mfinyanzi kuwa mgumu; joto ni lilelile, lakini asili ya kila kimoja ni tofauti. Napoleoni na Hitler, pia, waliota kuitawala dunia, lakini kila mamlaka hatimaye lazima isujudu mbele za Mungu. Napoleoni mwenyewe aliandika kwamba aliwajua wanadamu, na kwamba Yesu alikuwa zaidi ya mwanadamu — Yeye alikuwa Mungu.Consider Pharaoh, who thought his power was supreme and refused to free the Hebrew slaves. The Bible says four times that God hardened Pharaoh's heart, and three times that Pharaoh hardened his own. Who hardened it? Both did — for the same sun that melts the wax also hardens the clay; the heat is the same, but the nature of each is different. Napoleon and Hitler, too, dreamed of ruling the world, yet every power must finally bow to God. Napoleon himself wrote that he knew men, and that Jesus was more than a man — He was God.

7. Uweza wa Mungu: Uzao wa Haki Ulihifadhiwa7. The Power of God: The Righteous Seed Preserved

Shetani pia ana nguvu, na dhambi inaweza kuleta madhara makubwa; kama Mungu asingewazuia, dunia ingekuwa mbaya zaidi sana. Lakini Shetani hajawahi hata mara moja kuweza kuuzuia mpango wa Mungu. Tangu mwanzo alijaribu kuuangamiza Uzao wa Haki, akikumbuka neno la Mungu kwamba uzao wa mwanamke ungemponda kichwa. Akidhani Habili ndiye uzao huo, alimtumia Kaini kumuua. Karne nyingi baadaye alimtumia Farao kujaribu kuuzamisha uzao huo huko Misri. Kwa sababu Mungu alikuwa amesema kwamba ukoo huo ungepitia kwa Daudi, alimtumia Athalia mwovu kuwaua wanaume wote wa jamaa ya Daudi — lakini mlezi mmoja alimficha mtoto mchanga Yoashi, naye aliishi hata akawa mfalme. Alimtumia Herode kuwaua watoto wa Bethlehemu Yesu alipozaliwa.Satan also has power, and sin can do great damage; if God did not restrain them, the world would be far worse. But Satan has never once been able to thwart God's plan. From the beginning he tried to destroy the Righteous Seed, remembering God's word that the seed of the woman would crush his head. Thinking Abel was the seed, he used Cain to kill him. Centuries later he used Pharaoh to try to drown the seed in Egypt. Because God had said the line would run through David, he used wicked Athaliah to slay every male in David's family — but a nurse hid away the infant Joash, and he lived to become king. He used Herod to kill the children of Bethlehem when Jesus was born.

Hatimaye, siku ile Yesu alipokufa, ilionekana kwamba Shetani hatimaye amefanikiwa. Tunaweza kuwawazia mapepo wakishangilia msalabani, wakiwa na hakika kwamba Uzao wa Haki umeangamizwa. Lakini Mungu alikuwa amepanga kila sehemu yake tangu mwanzo, na siku ya tatu alimfufua Yesu kutoka kwa wafu. Mpango wa Mungu umewekwa imara; hauwezi kupotoshwa wala kuangamizwa. "Ee BWANA, neno lako lasimama imara mbinguni hata milele." Wakati uleule ulioonekana kuwa ushindi wa Shetani ndio uliokuwa saa ya wokovu wetu.Finally, on the day Jesus died, it seemed that Satan had at last succeeded. We may imagine the demons rejoicing at the cross, certain the Righteous Seed was destroyed. But God had planned every bit of it from the beginning, and on the third day He raised Jesus from the dead. The divine plan is fixed; there can be no deviation from it and no destroying it. "Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven." The very moment that looked like Satan's victory was the hour of our salvation.

8. Ulinzi wa Mungu8. The Protection of God

Nne, hatuhitaji kuogopa kwa sababu ya ulinzi wa Mungu, "akivichukua vyote kwa amri ya uweza wake." Karne chache zilizopita watu wengi, wakiwemo baadhi ya waasisi wa Amerika, walishikilia Udeisti (Deism) — imani kwamba Mungu aliuweka ulimwengu katika mwendo kisha akarudi nyuma, akauacha uende kama mashine kubwa bila kujihusisha nao tena. Kama hilo lingekuwa kweli, basi Mungu hafanyi kazi sasa, maombi hayana faida, na dunia inaelea tu kuelekea machafuko. Lakini Biblia inatuambia kinyume chake: Mungu anavichukua vyote, naye anatuita tuombe, hata kwa ajili ya wale wenye mamlaka juu yetu, iwe tunakubaliana nao au la, kwa maana wanahitaji hekima yake. Wanadamu ni wenye dhambi na hufanya makosa, wakati mwingine makosa ya kutisha — lakini Mungu anaweza kuyachukua hata makosa ya wanadamu na bado akatimiza makusudi yake. Mungu daima anajua lililo bora. Hata kama tungejua kila jambo, tusingeweza kufanya kila uamuzi sahihi; lakini Mungu anaweza. Tunapoomba, Mungu tayari anajua hitaji letu, naye hujibu kwa kutupa kilicho bora.Fourth, we do not have to be afraid because of the protection of God, who "upholds all things by the word of His power." A few centuries ago many people, including some of America's founders, held to Deism — the belief that God set the world in motion and then stepped back, leaving it to run like a great machine without His further involvement. If that were true, then God is not active now, prayer is useless, and the world is simply drifting toward chaos. But the Bible tells us the opposite: God upholds all things, and He calls us to pray, even for those in authority over us, whether or not we agree with them, for they need His wisdom. Men are sinful and make mistakes, sometimes terrible ones — yet God can take even the mistakes of men and still accomplish His purposes. God always knows what is best. Even if we knew every fact, we could not make every right decision; but God can. When we pray, God already knows our need, and He answers by giving what is best.

Tuma Mtihani & Angalia KufauluSubmit Exam & Check Pass Weka Upya SehemuReset Unit