Ake sikhangele lamhla indaba yokulinda. Sonke siyabazi ubuhlungu bokulinda. Langabe umncane, ungumuntu omutsha, ungumzali, ungugogo loba ukhulu, sonke sihlezi silindile.
Ukholo luyakwazi ukulinda ngethemba. Lwenza ukulinda kungabi buhlungu kakhulu. Khumbula isikhathi nxa ulinde ukuzwa ngomphumela womhloliso, kufanele uqhubeke ngezifundo zakho. Khumbula nxa ulinde ukuthi udokotela uzakuthini esekuhlole ngomkhuhlane owesabeka onjengekhensa. Uzwa njani nxa ulinde ibhasi esiphuzile kumele uyefika lapho oyakhona ngesikhathi esithile? Ukuthwala umthwalo wokungazi ukuthi kuyini okulandelayo, kuyini okuzakwenzakala, kuyini okuzavela akulula.
Ukulinda loba yini kuyaluhlola ukholo esilalo. Silakho ukulinda ngoba sithemba ukuthi lokho esikulindileyo kuzakwenzakala. Asikwazi ukuthi elakusasa lisiphatheleni, kodwa sikholwa lo esimkhonzayo, ukuthi uzasivusa siphilile sibe lelinye ilanga eligcweleyo. Ukholo lusekelwa lithemba kuNkulunkulu. Ingqobe-ke ithi, bambelela kulo oPhezukonke uze usuke kulo umhlaba. Minengi imibhalo esikhuthazayo sisalindile.
Ogwalweni loMphrofethi u-Isaya siyakhuthazwa ukuba, “…abayithembayo iNkosi bazazuza amandla amatsha, bazakuqonga ngamaphiko njengokhozi, bagijime bangadinwa, bahambe bangapheli amandla” (Isaya 40:31). Kusamele silinde ngethemba.
Omunye umhlabeleli uthi, “Thulani, lazi ukuba mina nginguNkulunkulu …” (iHubo 46:10). Sisalindile, kumele singakhathazeki ngoba uNkulunkulu uyazi. Usipha ukuthula.
Sisaphila emhlabeni, asakhile lapha. Singabahambayo thina, silinde ukuya ekhaya ezulwini. UJesu watsho kubafundi wathi, “… lindani, ngoba kalilwazi usuku lesikhathi” (uMathewu 25:13). 
Cela iNkosi ikusize kukho konke otshiseka ngakho usalindile. Yona izakupha ithemba lokuthula okwedlula ukuqedisisa kwethu thina abantu.

Barbara Nkala