1. Kuyini uJehova akubonayo ebantwini bakhe?

UJEHOVA UNKULUNKULU “uyathokoza ngabantu bakhe.” (Hubo. 149:4) Lokhu kusithinta inhliziyo sibili! Uyabona ubuntu bethu obuhle kanye lokuhle esingakwenza futhi usidonsela kuye. Nxa singahlala sithembekile kuye, laye uzahlala eseduze lathi kuze kube nini lanini.—Joh. 6:44.

2. Kuyini okwenza abanye bangakholwa ukuthi uJehova uyabathanda?

² Abanye bangathi, ‘Ngiyakwazi ukuthi uJehova uyabathanda abantu bakhe, kodwa kuyini okungenza ngingathandabuzi ukuthi uyangithanda mina ngokwami?’ Kuyini okwenza babuze umbuzo lo? U-Oksana * owahlupheka kakhulu esesengumntwana uthi: “Ngathaba ngesikhathi ngibhabhathizwa langesikhathi ngiqalisa ukuphayona. Kodwa kwathi sekudlule iminyaka engu-15 ngaqalisa ukukhumbula izinto ezibuhlungu ezazenzakale ngisasengumntwana. Ngaqalisa ukucabanga ukuthi uJehova kasangamukeli lokuthi ngeke angithande.” Udade oliphayona okuthiwa nguYua laye owathwala nzima esasengumntwana uthi: “Ngazinikela kuJehova ngoba ngangifuna ukumthokozisa. Kodwa ngangizitshela ukuthi ngeke angithande loba sekutheni.”

3. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

³ Lawe njengamaKhristu la esiqeda kuxoxa ngawo, uyamthanda uJehova kodwa ungabe uthandabuza ukuthi yena uyakuthanda. Kungani kungamelanga uthandabuze ukuthi ulendaba lawe? Kanti njalo kuyini okungakunceda nxa ucabanga  ukuthi uJehova kakuthandi? Asiphenduleni imibuzo le.

4. Kungani kuyingozi ukuthandabuza ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda?

⁴ Nxa siqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda sizazimisela ukumkhonza ngenhliziyo yonke lanxa sisehlelwa yibunzima. Kodwa nxa sithandabuza ukuthi ulendaba lathi ‘amandla ethu azakuba mancinyane.’ (Zaga. 24:10) Kanti njalo nxa singadana besesicabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu kasithandi, kasisoze senelise ukumelana loSathane.—Efe. 6:16.

5. Kwenzakalani kwabanye ababethandabuza ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyabathanda?

⁵ Abanye abafowethu labodadewethu sebethandabuza ukuthi uJehova uyabathanda lokuthi ulendaba labo futhi lokhu sekuxegise ukholo lwabo. Umdala webandla okuthiwa nguJames uthi: “Lanxa ngangisebenza eBhetheli futhi ngizikholisela ukutshumayela lebandla elisebenzisa olunye ulimi, ngangizibuza ukuthi uJehova uyakwamukela yini engimenzela khona. Ngasengize ngithandabuza lokuthi uyayilalela imithandazo yami.” U-Eva laye osenkonzweni yesikhathi sonke uthi: “Ngananzelela ukuthi ukuthandabuza ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda kuyingozi ngenxa yokuthi kuyaphambanisa konke esimenzela khona. Sicina singasafuni ukwenza izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza futhi singasathokozi.” UMichael oliphayona lesikhathi sonke futhi ongumdala webandla uthi: “Nxa uthandabuza ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulendaba lawe, uyakhukhuleka ucine usukhatshana laye.”

6. Kumele senzeni nxa sesifikelwa yimicabango yokuthi uJehova kasithandi?

⁶ Okwenzakala kumaKhristu la kutshengisa indlela ukholo lwethu olungaphambaniseka ngayo nxa singaqalisa ukuthandabuza ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda. Manje kumele senzeni nxa sesifikelwa yimicabango enjalo? Kumele sihle siyikhiphe ezingqondweni zethu! Cela uJehova akuncedise ukhiphe imicabango ekukhathazayo abesekunika ‘ukuthula kwakhe okuzalinda inhliziyo lengqondo yakho.’ (Hubo. 139:23; Flp. 4:6, 7) Khumbula lokuthi kayisuwe wedwa olemicabango enjalo. Abanye abafowethu labodadewethu abathembekileyo labo bathwaliswe nzima yimicabango enjalo. Ezinye izinceku zikaJehova zakudala lazo zazilohlupho olunje. Ake sibone ukuthi sifundani kumphostoli uPhawuli.

7. Yiziphi inhlupho uPhawuli ake waba phakathi kwazo?

⁷ Uyake ubone angani ulemisebenzi eminengi kakhulu okumele uyenze lokuthi kunzima ukuthi uyenze yonke? Nxa kunjalo uzamzwisisa uPhawuli. Wayekhathazekile, hatshi ngebandla elilodwa kuphela, kodwa “ngawo wonke amabandla.” (2 Khor. 11:23-28) Ulomkhuhlane ophila lawo yini okuqedela intokozo? UPhawuli wayethwaliswe nzima ‘ngameva enyameni’ okungenzakala ukuthi kwakuyikugula ayefisa kuphele. (2 Khor. 12:7-10) Uyake udaniswe yini ngamaphutha owenzayo? UPhawuli laye ayeke amdanise. Wathi ‘uyahawula’ ngenxa yokuthi kwakumele ahlale elwisa ukwenza okulungileyo.—Rom. 7:21-24.

8. Kuyini okwanceda uPhawuli ukuthi aqhubeke eqinisela lanxa wayephakathi kwenhlupho?

⁸ UPhawuli waqhubeka ekhonza uJehova lanxa wehlelwa yibunzima bonke lobu. Wawathatha ngaphi amandla okwenza njalo? Wayelokholo oluqinileyo enhlawulweni lanxa wayesazi mhlophe ukuthi uyawenza amaphutha. Wayesazi isithembiso sikaJesu esokuthi ‘wonke umuntu otshengisa ukuthi ulokholo kuJesu angathola ukuphila okungapheliyo.’ (Joh. 3:16; Rom. 6:23) UPhawuli wayengomunye walabo ababetshengisa ukuthi balokholo enhlawulweni. Wayengathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova uzimisele ukuthethelela lalabo abenze izono ezinkulu nxa bangaphenduka.—Hubo. 86:5.

9. Amazwi kaPhawuli akuGalathiya 2:20 asifundisani?

⁹ Okunye okwenza uPhawuli waqhubeka ekhonza uJehova yikuthi wayekholwa ukuthi uyamthanda kakhulu. Wayeqiniseka ngalokho ngenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu wayethumele uJesu ukuthi azomfela. Nanzelela amazwi uPhawuli awatshoyo: ‘INdodana kaNkulunkulu yangithanda futhi yazinikela ngenxa yami.’ (Bala uGalathiya 2:20.) Kazange azibone emubi kakhulu okokuthi uNkulunkulu ngeke amthande. Ngamanye amazwi kazange athi, ‘Ngiyazwisisa ukuthi kungani uJehova engathanda abafowethu labodadewethu, kodwa mina ngeke angithande.’ Wakhumbuza amaKhristu eRoma wathi: “UKhristu wasifela siseseyizoni.” (Rom. 5:8) Akulalutho olungenza uNkulunkulu angasithandi.

10. Sifundani kuRoma 8:38, 39?

¹⁰ Bala uRoma 8:38, 39. UPhawuli wayekwazi ukuthi uthando lukaNkulunkulu lulamandla amakhulu. Wabhala wathi akulalutho ‘olungasehlukanisa lothando lukaNkulunkulu.’ Wayekwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu wawabekezelela ama-Israyeli. Wayekwazi lokuthi uJehova wayemtshengise isihawu. Singakubeka  ngale indlela okwakutshiwo nguPhawuli, ‘Njengoba uJehova wathumela iNdodana yakhe ukuthi izongifela, akumelanga ngithandabuze ukuthi uyangithanda.’—Rom. 8:32.

11. Kungani uPhawuli wayengathandabuzi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyamthanda lanxa wenza amaphutha ahlanganisa lawo abhalwe ku-1 Thimothi 1:12-15?

¹¹ Bala u-1 Thimothi 1:12-15. Kumele ukuthi kulezikhathi lapho uPhawuli ayezisola khona ngezinto ayezenze engakabi ngumKhristu. Yikho akumangalisi ukuthi wayezibona eyisoni ‘esibi kulazo zonke.’ Wayehlukuluza amaKhristu emadolobheni atshiyeneyo, efaka amanye emajele futhi evotela ukuthi amanye abulawe. (ImiSeb. 26:10, 11) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi wayephatheka kubi nxa wayehlangana lamaKhristu asakhulayo ayelabazali ababulalisayo. Wayezisola sibili ngamaphutha ayewenzile kodwa wayekwazi ukuthi akulalutho ayengalwenza ukuthi atshintshe okwakwenzakele. Phela ayesechithekile engasabutheki. Wayekholwa ukuthi uKhristu wamfela yikho wabhala wathi: “Ngiyilokho engiyikho khona ngenxa yomusa omkhulu kaNkulunkulu.” (1 Khor. 15:3, 10) Sifundani? Akumelanga uthandabuze ukuthi uKhristu wakufela lokuthi wakuvulela indlela yokuthi ube ngumngane oseduze kaJehova. (ImiSeb. 3:19) Okuqakathekileyo kuNkulunkulu yilokho esimenzela khona khathesi lesizamenzela khona esikhathini esizayo, hatshi amaphutha esawenza kudala, kungelani lokuthi sasingoFakazi bakaJehova kumbe hatshi.—Isaya. 1:18.

12. Amazwi aku-1 Johane 3:19, 20 angasinceda njani nxa sizibona singasibantu balutho kumbe sicabanga ukuthi uJehova ngeke asithande?

¹² Nxa ucabanga ngokuthi uJesu wafela izono zakho, ungabona angani isipho lesi esiligugu asikufanelanga. Kuyini okungenza ucabange njalo? Inhliziyo yethu ingasikhohlisa  isenze sibone angani asisibantu balutho kumbe ukuthi uJehova ngeke asithande. (Bala u-1 Johane 3:19, 20.) Nxa sesiqalisa ukuba lemicabango enjalo kumele sikhumbule ukuthi “uNkulunkulu mkhulu kulezinhliziyo zethu.” Kumele siqiniseke ukuthi uBaba wethu osezulwini uyasithanda kakhulu lokuthi uzimisele ukusithethelela. Ukuze sizwisise indlela uJehova asibona ngayo kumele sihlale sitaditsha iLizwi lakhe, sithandaze kokuphela futhi sizinike isikhathi sokuba labantu bakhe. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi sikwenze lokhu?

13. Ukutaditsha iLizwi likaNkulunkulu kusinceda njani? (Khangela lebhokisi elithi “ ILizwi LikaNkulunkulu Libanceda Njani?”)

¹³ Taditsha iLizwi likaNkulunkulu nsuku zonke ukuze ubuzwisise ngcono ubuntu bukaJehova. Ungenza njalo uzabona ukuthi ukuthanda kangakanani. Ukucabangisisa nsuku zonke ngalokho okubala eLizwini likaNkulunkulu kuzakunceda ukuthi ‘uqondise izinto’ engqondweni lasenhliziyweni yakho. (2 Tim. 3:16) Umdala webandla okuthiwa nguKevin owayethwaliswe nzima yikuzibona engasimuntu walutho uthi: “Ukubala iHubo 103 lokucabangisisa ngalo kungincede ukuthi ngiqondise indlela engicabanga ngayo lokuthi ngizwisise indlela uJehova angibona ngayo.” U-Eva esike sakhuluma ngaye uthi: “Ekupheleni kwelanga ngizinika isikhathi sokucabanga ngendlela uJehova angibona ngayo. Lokhu kwenza ngihlaliseke futhi kuyaluqinisa ukholo lwami.”

14. Ukuthandaza kusinceda njani?

¹⁴ Thandaza kokuphela. (1 Thes. 5:17) Nxa ulomngane kumele lihlale lixoxa futhi litshelana indlela elizizwa ngayo ukuze ubungane benu buqine. Kumele senze njalo ukuze siqinise ubungane bethu loJehova. Nxa singatshela uJehova indlela esizizwa ngayo, esikucabangayo lokusikhathazayo siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi siyamthemba lokuthi siyakwazi ukuthi uyasithanda. (Hubo. 94:17-19; 1 Joh. 5:14, 15) UYua esike sakhuluma ngaye uthi: “Nxa ngithandaza, angiphongutshela uJehova okwenzakale mhlalokho. Kodwa ngimtshela khona kanye engikucabangayo lendlela engizizwa ngayo. Lokhu sekwenze ngaqalisa ukubona uJehova enguBaba obathandayo sibili abantwabakhe hatshi umaneja wekhampani.”—Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Sowake Walibala Yini?”

15. UJehova utshengisa njani ukuthi ulendaba lathi?

¹⁵ Zinike isikhathi sokuba labangane abaqotho. Bayizipho ezivela kuJehova. (Jak. 1:17) UBaba wethu osezulwini utshengisa ukuthi ulendaba lathi ngokusinika abafowethu labodadewethu ‘abalothando ngezikhathi zonke.’ (Zaga. 17:17) Encwadini ayibhalela abaseKholose, uPhawuli waqamba amaKhristu ayeke  amsekela futhi wathi ‘ayemduduza kakhulu.’ (Kol. 4:10, 11) LoKhristu uJesu wayedinga ukusekelwa ngabangane bakhe abangabantu labayizingilosi njalo wayebonga ngalokho ababemenzela khona.—Luk. 22:28, 43.

16. Abangane abaqotho bangasinceda njani ukuthi sisondele kuJehova?

¹⁶ Uyalucela yini uncedo kubangane bakho abasebandleni futhi uyavuma yini nxa befuna ukukuncedisa? Ukutshela abangane bethu abaqinileyo ekukhonzeni lokho okusikhathazayo akutsho ukuthi ukholo lwethu aluqinanga. Ukwenza njalo kuyasivikela. Zwana ukuthi uJames esike sakhuluma ngaye uthini: “Ukuba labangane abaqinileyo ekukhonzeni kungincedile kakhulu. Nxa sengikhulelwa yimicabango yokuthi angisimuntu walutho abangane bami laba bayalalelisisa nxa ngibatshela indlela engizizwa ngayo futhi bayangikhumbuza ukuthi bayangithanda. Nxa besenza njalo ngiyananzelela ukuthi uJehova uyangithanda futhi ulendaba lami.” Kuqakathekile sibili ukuthi sibe ngabangane abaseduze labafowethu labodadewethu!

17-18. Ngubani okumele simlalele futhi kungani?

¹⁷ USathane ufuna sikhalale ukulwisa ukwenza okulungileyo. Ufuna sikholwe ukuthi uJehova kasithandi lokuthi kasifanelanga ukuthi asisindise. Kodwa njengoba sibonile esihlokweni lesi, la ngamanga aluhlaza tshoko.

¹⁸ UJehova uyakuthanda, uligugu sibili kuye. Nxa ungalalela imilayo yakhe ‘uzahlala usethandweni lwakhe’ njengoJesu. (Joh. 15:10) Yikho ungamlaleli uSathane kumbe inhliziyo yakho nxa ikutshela ukuthi uJehova kakuthandi. Kodwa lalela uJehova obona okuhle kithi sonke. Qiniseka ukuthi “uyathokoza ngabantu bakhe” okugoqela lawe!