1, 2. (a) Kuyini okungabangela ukuthi sibuze umbuzo othi, “Koze kube nini”? (b) Kubi yini ukuthi sibuze umbuzo lo?

“KOZE kube nini?” Umbuzo lo wabuzwa ngabaphrofethi ababili u-Isaya loHabakhukhi. (Isa. 6:11; Hab. 1:2) UDavida laye wawubuza kane ngesikhathi ebhala iHubo 13. (Hubo. 13:1, 2) LoJesu Khristu wawubuza umbuzo lo ngesikhathi ekhuluma labantu ababengelakholo. (Mat. 17:17) Lathi kwezinye izikhathi singawubuza umbuzo othi, “Koze kube nini?”

² Kodwa kuyini okungabangela ukuthi sibuze umbuzo lo? Kungabangelwa yizimo ezinzima esingabe siphakathi kwazo. Ngokwesibonelo ukuphathwa kubi ngabanye, ukugula, ukuguga loba ubunzima bokuphila ‘kulezinsuku zokucina.’ (2 Tim. 3:1) Okunye okungenza sibuze umbuzo lo yikukhathazeka ngenxa yezinto ezimbi esizibona zisenziwa ngabanye abantu. Kungelani lokuthi yikuphi esihlangana lakho, kuyasiduduza ukwazi ukuthi labantu bakaNkulunkulu endulo bawubuza umbuzo lo futhi uJehova kazange abasole.

3. Kuyini okungasinceda nxa siphakathi kobunzima?

 ³ Kuyini okungasinceda nxa sesithe sahlangana lezimo ezinzima? UJakhobe umfowabo kaJesu wabhala wathi: “Ngakho, bazalwane, bekezelani iNkosi ize ifike.” (Jak. 5:7) Amazwi la atshengisa ukuthi ukubekezela kuqakathekile. Kodwa kutshoni ukubekezela njalo singenzani ukuze sibe ngabantu ababekezelayo?

4, 5. (a) Kutshoni ukubekezela? (b) Yiwuphi umzekeliso owasetshenziswa nguJakhobe ongasinceda endabeni yokubekezela? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁴ IBhayibhili liveza ukuthi ukubekezela yisithelo somoya ongcwele. Ngakho uNkulunkulu nguye kuphela ongasincedisa ukuthi senelise ukubekezela. Nxa sibekezela siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda uBaba wethu lokuthi siyabathanda abanye. Ukwehluleka ukubekezela kwenza abantu bangazwanani ikanti ukubekezela kwenza bathandane. (1 Khor. 13:4; Gal. 5:22) Kodwa ukubekezela akuhambi kodwa. Ngokwesibonelo kuhamba ndawonye lokuqinisela, okwenza umuntu angakhalali nxa esebunzimeni ngoba uyabe elethemba lokuthi kuzalunga. (Kol. 1:11; Jak. 1:3, 4) Ukubekezela kuyasinceda lokuthi sihlale sithembekile kuJehova lanxa siphakathi kwaloba yibuphi ubunzima njalo kuyasisiza ukuthi singaphindiseli. IBhayibhili lisikhuthaza ukuthi sibe ngabantu abazimiseleyo ukubekezela. Lokhu yikho esikuthola kuJakhobe 5:7, 8. (Bala.)

⁵ Kungani kumele sizimisele ukubekezela silindele uJehova? UJakhobe wafanisa isimo esikuso lesomlimi. Lanxa umlimi engasebenza nzima ehlanyela izilimo zakhe, ngeke enelise ukuguqula isimo somkhathi kumbe enze ukuthi izilimo zikhule masinyane loba ukuthi isikhathi sihambe ngokuphangisa. Kodwa uyabekezela alindele ukuthi ‘insimu ithele izilimo zayo eziligugu.’ Lathi silindele izithembiso zikaJehova kodwa kulutshwana esingakwenza ukuze lezozithembiso ziphangise ukufika. (Mak. 13:32, 33; ImiSeb. 1:7) Ngakho kufanele sibekezele njengomlimi.

6. Kuyini esingakufunda esibonelweni sikaMikha?

⁶ Okwenzakala lamuhla kufanana lalokho okwakusenzakala ngesikhathi sikaMikha. Indoda le yayingumphrofethi ngesikhathi kubusa inkosi embi u-Ahazi futhi kwakugcwele ubuqili lobugwelegwele. IBhayibhili lithi abantu ‘basebezingcitshi ekwenzeni okubi.’ (Bala uMikha 7:1-3.) UMikha wayekwazi ukuthi ngeke enelise ukuntshintsha izinto ezazisenzakala. Ngakho wathi: “Mina ngilindele uJehova ngethemba, ngilindele uNkulunkulu uMsindisi wami; uNkulunkulu wami uzangizwa.” (Mik. 7:7) Lathi kumele ‘silindele uJehova’ njengoMikha.

7. Ukulinda kwethu kumele kube njani?

⁷ Nxa silokholo olunjengolukaMikha sizazimisela ukubekezela, simlindele ngenhliziyo yonke uJehova. Ukulinda kwethu akufanani lokwesibotshwa esigwetshelwe ukufa. Isibotshwa lesi siyalinda kodwa siyabe singelathemba ngoba silindele ukubulawa. Thina sitshiyene kakhulu lesibotshwa lesi ngoba siyakwazi ukuthi uJehova uzasigcwalisa isithembiso sokusinika impilo engapheliyo futhi uzakwenza lokhu ngesikhathi esiyiso. Ngakho ‘siyabekezela ngesineke esikhulu langokuthokoza.’ (Kol. 1:11, 12) Kodwa-ke uJehova ngeke athokoze nxa singathi silindile ngapha simsola ngokuthi uyaphuza ukugcwalisa izithembiso zakhe.—Kol. 3:12.

8. Kungani kumele sicabangisise ngezibonelo zabanye ababekezelayo endulo?

⁸ Ukucabangisisa ngezibonelo zabantu basendulo ababekezelayo, balindela ukuthi uJehova agcwalise lokho ayebathembise khona kungasinceda ukuthi sibekezele. (Rom. 15:4) Ake sixoxe ngabanye babo sibone ukuthi balinda okwesikhathi esinganani, ukuthi kungani bazimisela ukulinda lokuthi uJehova wababusisa njani ngenxa yokubekezela kwabo.

9, 10. U-Abhrahama loSara bamlindela okwesikhathi esinganani uJehova?

⁹ Okokuqala ake sixoxe ngo-Abhrahama loSara. Labo ngabanye “okwathi ngokukholwa langokubekezela bathola ilifa lalokho okwakuthenjisiwe.” IMibhalo isitshela ukuthi u-Abhrahama ‘walinda ngokubekezela’ futhi ngemva kwalokhu uJehova wamthembisa ukuthi wayezambusisa njalo amenze abe yisizwe esikhulu. (Heb. 6:12, 15) Kungani kwakufanele u-Abhrahama abekezele? Kungenxa yokuthi kwakuzathatha isikhathi ukuthi isithembiso leso sigcwaliseke. Isivumelwano uJehova asenza lo-Abhrahama saqalisa ukusebenza mhlaka 14 ngenyanga kaNisan ngo-1943 B.C.E., * kwakumhla u-Abhrahama labendlu yakhe bechapha uMfula uYufrathe bengena eLizweni Lesithembiso. Ngemva kwalokho u-Abhrahama walinda eminye iminyaka engu-25 kwaze kwazalwa indodana yakhe u-Isaka njalo waphinda walinda eminye engu-60 kwaze kwazalwa abazukulu bakhe u-Esawu loJakhobe.—Heb. 11:9.

¹⁰ Wathola indawo enganani u-Abhrahama eLizweni Lesithembiso? IBhayibhili lithi: ‘[UJehova] kamuphanga lifa lapha loba nje  isigcawana somhlabathi. Kodwa wamthembisa ukuthi yena lezizukulwane zakhe ngemuva kwakhe babezalizuza ilizwe lelo libe ngelabo, loba nje ngalesosikhathi u-Abhrahama wayengelamntwana.’ (ImiSeb. 7:5) Kanti njalo kwadlula iminyaka engu-430 ukuthi izizukulwana zakhe ziqoqwe zibe yisizwe esasizathatha ilizwe laseKhenani.—Eks. 12:40-42; Gal. 3:17.

11. Kungani u-Abhrahama wayezimisele ukubekezela futhi yiziphi izibusiso azazithola ngokulinda kwakhe?

¹¹ U-Abhrahama wazimisela ukubekezela ngoba wayelokholo kuJehova. (Bala uHebheru 11:8-12.) Wabekezela lanxa engazange abone konke ayekuthenjisiwe kugcwaliseka. Kodwa akucabange intokozo azakuba layo ngesikhathi evuswa. Uzamangala mhla ebona izinto ezinengi ezalotshwa ngaye kanye lezizukulwane zakhe eBhayibhilini. * Kuzamthokozisa lokwazi ukuthi uJehova wamsebenzisa ukuze afeze injongo yakhe mayelana lenzalo ethenjisiweyo. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi kasoze azisole lakancane ngokulinda akwenzayo.

12, 13. Kungani kwakumele uJosefa abekezele futhi kuyini okwamnceda ukuthi enze njalo?

¹² UJosefa laye ngomunye owabekezelayo lanxa waphathwa kabuhlungu izikhathi ezinengi. Ngokwesibonelo abafowabo bamthengisa ngesikhathi eleminyaka engaba ngu-17 ngenxa yokuthi babemzonda. Esekhonale ebugqilini wetheswa icala elingamanga elokuthi wayefuna ukubamba umkaPhothifa iganyavu wasevalelwa ejele. (Gen. 39:11-20; Hubo. 105:17, 18) Kwakungakhanya angani uNkulunkulu wayemtshiyile uJosefa. Kodwa ngemva kweminyaka engu-13 izinto zantshintsha. Wakhululwa ejele njalo wanikwa isikhundla esikhulu kakhulu eGibhithe.—Gen. 41:14, 37-43; ImiSeb. 7:9, 10.

¹³ Ukuphathwa kubi kwamenza waba lenzondo yini kumbe wacabanga ukuthi uJehova usemtshiyile? Ngitsho lakancane! Kuyini okwamnceda ukuthi abekezele? Yikuba lokholo kuJehova kanye lokubona isandla sakhe kulokho okwakusenzakala. Watshela abafowabo wathi: “Lingesabi. Mina ngisesikhundleni sikaNkulunkulu na? Laliqonde ukungikhubaza, kodwa uNkulunkulu wayehlose ngakho ubuhle ukuze kugcwaliseke lokhu okwenzakalayo manje, ukuphephisa izimpilo.” (Gen. 50:19, 20) UJosefa wakubona sibili ukuthi ukubekezela kuletha umvuzo.

14, 15. (a) Kungani kwakumele uDavida abekezele? (b) Kuyini okwamnceda ukuthi abekezele?

¹⁴ UDavida laye ngomunye owahlangana lobunzima. Lanxa uJehova wamgcoba ukuthi abe yinkosi yako-Israyeli eseselijaha kwadingeka ukuthi alinde iminyaka engu-15 ngaphambi kokuba aqalise ukubusa. (2 Sam. 2:3, 4) Ngalesosikhathi iNkosi uSawuli yayimfuna phansi phezulu. * Ngakho uDavida wayesehlala engobalekayo njalo wake wayaphephela kwelinye ilizwe ikanti kwezinye izikhathi wayehlala ezimbalwini. USawuli wacina ebulewe empini kodwa uDavida kazange ahle abuse sonke isizwe sako-Israyeli, kwadingakala ukuthi alinde eminye iminyaka engu-7.—2 Sam. 5:4, 5.

¹⁵ Kuyini okwamnceda ukuthi abekezele? Impendulo siyithola emazwini awaloba kuHubo  13, athi: “Ngiyalwethemba uthando lwakho olungapheliyo; inhliziyo yami iyathokoza ngensindiso yakho. Ngizahlabela kuJehova, ngoba ungenzele ukulunga.” (Hubo. 13:5, 6) UDavida wayemthemba ngenhliziyo yonke uJehova. Wayesazi ukuthi uJehova wayezamkhulula futhi wayehlala enakana ngendlela ayembusise ngayo. Wayekwazi lokuthi nxa angabekezela izinto zizamhambela kuhle.

16, 17. UJehova uNkulunkulu loJesu Khristu batshengise njani ukuthi bayizibonelo ezinhle endabeni yokubekezela?

¹⁶ UJehova kalindelanga ukuthi senze into yena angeke ayenze. Laye uyabekezela futhi uyisibonelo esihle kakhulu endabeni le. (Bala u-2 Phetro 3:9.) Ngokwesibonelo esivandeni sase-Edeni uSathane wasola indlela uJehova abusa ngayo. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi uJehova ubelokhu ebekezela elindele ukuthi indaba le ilungiswe ngokugcweleyo ukuze ibizo lakhe lingcweliswe. Ngalesosikhathi bonke abantu abazimisele ukubekezela bazathola izibusiso ezinhle kakhulu.—Isaya. 30:18.

¹⁷ UJesu laye uyabekezela njengoYise. Ngokwesibonelo wahlala ethembekile waze wafa njalo wathi esebuyele ezulwini ngo-33 C.E. wafika wethula umhlatshelo wakhe kuJehova. Lanxa kunjalo kwadingeka ukuthi alinde okweminyaka eminengi kwaze kwaba ngu-1914 lapho aqalisa khona ukubusa. (ImiSeb. 2:33-35; Heb. 10:12, 13) Lakhathesi uJesu ulokhu ebekezela futhi kuzamele aqhubeke ekwenza lokhu kuze kube sekupheleni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane yokubusa kwakhe. Ngalesosikhathi zonke izitha zakhe ziyabe sezibhujisiwe! (1 Khor. 15:25) Uyabe elinde okweminyaka eminengi sibili uJesu kodwa ngeke azisole ngokulinda kwakhe.

18, 19. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi senelise ukubekezela?

¹⁸ Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi sonke kumele sibekezele sizimisele ukulindela uJehova. Kodwa kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi senelise ukubekezela? Yikuthandaza kuJehova sicele ukuthi asiphe umoya wakhe ngoba ukubekezela yisithelo somoya ongcwele. (Efe. 3:16; 6:18; 1 Thes. 5:17-19) Kumele simncenge uJehova ukuze asisize sibekezele.

¹⁹ Khumbula futhi ukuthi u-Abhrahama, uJosefa loDavida bancedwa lukholo ababelalo kuJehova kanye lokuthemba ukuthi wayezabasekela. Abazange bakhangele lokho okwakuthokozisa bona kuphela. Ngakho ukucabangisisa ngezibusiso abazitholayo ngenxa yokubekezela kwabo kungasinceda ukuthi sizimisele ukubekezela.

20. Uzimisele ukwenzani?

²⁰ Kumele sizimisele ukubekezela kungelani lokuthi sihlangana lenhlupho bani. Kuliqiniso sibili ukuthi kwezinye izikhathi singabuza sithi, “Koze kube nini, O Jehova?” (Isaya. 6:11) Kodwa nxa singavumela uNkulunkulu asincedise ngomoya wakhe ongcwele sizakwenelisa ukutsho amazwi akhulunywa ngumphrofethi uJeremiya athi: “UJehova uyisabelo sami; ngakho ngizalindela yena.”—IZiLi. 3:21, 24.