1, 2. Kungani uNkulunkulu ‘wayemqakathekisa kakhulu’ uDanyeli njalo thina singamlingisela njani uDanyeli?

LAPHO amaJuda ayethunjiwe efika eBhabhiloni athola kugcwele izithombe kanye labantu ababekhonza amadimoni. Lanxa kunjalo uDanyeli labangane bakhe lamanye amaJuda ayethembekile kabazange bavume ukubunjwa bafanane labantu baseBhabhiloni. (Dan. 1:6, 8, 12; 3:16-18) UDanyeli labangane bakhe babezimisele ukukhonza uJehova kuphela njalo bavuma ukuthi ababumbe. Lanxa uDanyeli wahlala labantu ababi eBhabhiloni phose okwempilo yakhe yonke, ingilosi yaveza ukuthi uNkulunkulu ‘wayemqakathekisa kakhulu.’—Dan. 10:11, 19.

² Endulo umbumbi wayengafaka ibumba phezu kwento ethile abeseqala ukubumba ngezandla zakhe ukuze kuphume lokho akufunayo. Lamuhla izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ziyakunanzelela ukuthi uJehova unguMbusi wendawo yonke njalo nguye olelungelo lokubumba abantu lezizwe. (Bala uJeremiya 18:6.) Kanti njalo uNkulunkulu ulelungelo lokubumba ngamunye wethu. Loba kunjalo uyananzelela ukuthi silenkululeko yokuzikhethela ngakho kasibambi ngamandla  kodwa ufuna sizikhethele. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi sihlale silubumba olubuthakathaka ezandleni zikaNkulunkulu? Kasixoxeni ngemibuzo emithathu elandelayo: (1) Singayibalekela njani imikhuba engalunganga engenza kube nzima ukwamukela iseluleko esivela kuNkulunkulu? (2) Yiziphi izimpawu zobuntu okumele sibe lazo ezingasinceda ukuthi sihlale sizithoba futhi singabantu ababumbekayo? (3) Abazali bangazithoba njani kuNkulunkulu nxa bebumba abantwababo?

3. Yiphi imikhuba engenza singabumbeki? Nika umzekeliso.

³ UZaga 4:23 uthi: “Phezu kwakho konke, gcina inhliziyo yakho, ngoba ingumthombo wokuphila kwakho.” Yiphi imikhuba okumele siyibalekele? Yikuzigqaja, ukwenza isono ngabomo kanye lokuswela ukholo. Izinto lezi zingenza umuntu abe yisiqholo futhi abe ngumhlamuki. (Dan. 5:1, 20; Heb. 3:13, 18, 19) Omunye owatshengisa ukuzigqaja ngu-Uziya inkosi yakoJuda. (Bala u-2 ImiLando 26:3-5, 16-21.) Ekuqaliseni u-Uziya “wenza ukulunga phambi kukaJehova” njalo “wazimisela ukumdinga uNkulunkulu.” Kodwa kwathi ‘eselamandla amakhulu, waziqhenya’ wakhohlwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu nguye owayemnike amandla. Waze wangena ethempelini efuna ukuyatshisa impepha, umsebenzi okwakumele wenziwe ngabaphristi benzalo ka-Aroni kuphela! Kodwa abaphristi bathi bemkhuza wazonda wabila. Kwaphetha ngani? UJehova wayitshaya ngobulephero inkosi le eyayizigqaja njalo umkhuhlane lo wayinamathela yaze yafa.—Zaga. 16:18.

4, 5. Ukuzigqaja kulayiphi ingozi? Nika isibonelo.

⁴ Lathi nxa singayekela ukuzinanzelela endabeni yokuzigqaja singaqalisa “ukuzazisa kakhulu okudlula okufaneleyo,” mhlawumbe size sale lokwamukela iseluleko esiseMibhalweni. (Zaga. 29:1; Rom. 12:3) Nanku okwenziwa ngomunye umzalwane ongumdala webandla okuthiwa nguJim. Kazange avumelane labanye abadala bebandla ngendaba ethile ephathelane lebandla. UJim uthi: “Ngabatshela ukuthi babengelathando njalo ngahle ngaphuma emhlanganweni lowo.” Ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha wathuthela kwelinye ibandla kodwa kazange afike abekwe ukuthi abe ngumdala kulelobandla. UJim uthi lokhu kwamzwisa ubuhlungu kakhulu ngoba yena wayezitshela ukuthi uqondile futhi wacina esetshiya ukukhonza. Wahlala engasafezi inkonzo okweminyaka engu-10. Uthi: “Ngasengizigqaja kakhulu njalo ngaqalisa lokusola uJehova ngakho konke okwakusenzakala. Okweminyaka eminengi abazalwane babengivakatshela bezama ukuzoxoxisana lami kodwa mina ngangiqinisa ikhanda.”

⁵ Okwenzakala kuJim kutshengisa ukuthi ukuzigqaja kungasenza sibone angathi esikwenzayo kuqondile besekusiba nzima ukuthi uJehova asibumbe. (Jer. 17:9) UJim uthi: “Ngasengikuthanda kakhulu ukukhangela amaphutha abanye.” Wena sewake waphanjaniswa ngomunye umzalwane yini kumbe walahlekelwa ngumsebenzi othile obuwenza ebandleni? Wakwamukela njani lokho? Phela ukuzigqaja kungabangela ukuthi wehluleke ukuthethelela umfowenu loba kukwenze ukhalale ukukhonza uJehova.—Bala iHubo 119:165 loKholose 3:13.

6. Kuyini okungenzakala nxa singaqhubeka sisenza isono ngabomo?

⁶ Okunye okungenza umuntu angasilaleli iseluleko esivela kuNkulunkulu yikuqhubeka esenza isono ngabomo. Nxa sekunjalo umuntu angenza loba yini ngoba kuyabe kungasathi thiki enhliziyweni yakhe. Omunye umzalwane wathi kulesikhathi lapho ayengasazihluphi ngitsho ngesono ayesenza. (UmTshu. 8:11) Omunye njalo umzalwane owayeselomkhuba wokubukela amafilimu abantu abasemacansini wathi: “Ngasengikuthanda ukuchothoza abadala bebandla.” Umkhuba lo wawusuphambanise ubuhlobo bakhe loJehova. Ekucineni lokho ayekwenza  kwavela egcekeni njalo abadala bamsiza. Kuliqiniso ukuthi sonke silesono. Ngakho nxa singawona akumelanga sicatshe ngomunwe ngoba lokho kungatshengisa ukuthi sesilobuqholo. Kumele sicele ukuthi uNkulunkulu asithethelele njalo asisize.

7, 8. (a) Okwenziwa ngama-Israyeli kutshengisa njani ukuthi ukuswela ukholo kuyingozi? (b) Thina sifundani kulokhu?

⁷ Okwenziwa ngama-Israyeli ngemva kokuba uJehova ewakhulule eGibhithe kwenza sibone ukuthi kuyingozi kangakanani ukuswela ukholo. Babezibonele ngawabo uNkulunkulu ebakhulula esebenzisa izimangaliso ezesabekayo. Kodwa bathi sebezangena eLizweni Lesithembiso batshengisa ukungabi lokholo. Kulokuthi bamthembe uJehova bona baba ngamagwala njalo baqalisa ukukhonona besola uMosi. Basebefuna lokubuyela eGibhithe lapho ababeyizigqili khona. Lokhu kwamzwisa ubuhlungu uJehova waze wathi: “Koze kube nini abantu laba bengeyisa na?” (Nani. 14:1-4, 11; Hubo. 78:40, 41) Bonke abantu ababekhonona bafela enkangala ngenxa yokuswela ukholo lokuba lenhliziyo ezilukhuni.

⁸ Lathi sekuseduze ukuthi singene emhlabeni omutsha. Kodwa zinengi izinto ezingaxegisa ukholo lwethu. Ngakho kungaba kuhle ukuthi sizihlole sibone langabe ukholo lwethu luqinile yini. Ngokwesibonelo singahlola ukuthi siyawakholwa yini amazwi kaJesu akuMathewu 6:33 ngokuzibuza imibuzo elandelayo: ‘Engikhetha ukukwenza empilweni kanye lezinqumo zami kuyatshengsa yini ukuthi ngiyawakholwa amazwi kaJesu? Ngingakhetha ukulova yini emihlanganweni loba ekutshumayeleni ukuze ngithole imali enengi? Ngizakwenzani nxa umsebenzi engiwenzayo usungidlela isikhathi futhi ungitshiya ngidinwe ngingasazazi. Kambe ngizawuvumela yini umhlaba lo ungibumbe, mhlawumbe uze ungenze ngitshiye ukukhonza uJehova?’

9. Kungani kumele sihlale ‘sihlola’ ukuthi sisekukholweni njalo singakwenza njani lokhu?

⁹ Izinhliziyo zethu zingaba lukhuni nxa singayekela ukulandela lokho iBhayibhili elikutshoyo mayelana labangane ababi, abantu abasusiweyo kanye lokukhetha ezokuzilibazisa. Nxa ungananzelela ukuthi lawe awusakulandeli lokho iBhayibhili elikutshoyo ngezindaba lezi, zama ukuhlola ukholo lwakho ngokuphangisa. IBhayibhili lithi: “Zihloleni ukuba libone langabe lisekukholweni, zihloleni.” (2 Khor. 13:5) Ngakho nxa sikwenza lokhu akumelanga siziqile, kodwa kufanele sisebenzise iLizwi likaNkulunkulu zikhathi zonke ukuze liqondise imicabango yethu.

10. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi sibe ngumdaka obumbekayo ezandleni zikaJehova?

¹⁰ UNkulunkulu usebenzisa iLizwi lakhe, ibandla lobuKhristu kanye lomsebenzi wokutshumayela ukuthi asincede sihlale singumdaka obumbekayo. Amanzi ayawuthambisa umdaka, yikho ukubala iLizwi likaNkulunkulu nsuku zonke lokunakana ngalo kuyasinceda ukuthi sibe lubumba olubumbekayo ezandleni zikaJehova. UJehova wayekhangelele ukuthi wonke amakhosi ako-Israyeli abhale phansi uMthetho futhi awubale nsuku zonke. (Dute. 17:18, 19) Abaphostoli labo bakubona ukuthi ukubala iMibhalo lokucabangisisa ngayo kwakuqakathekile kakhulu ukuze baphumelele enkonzweni. Babecupha kanengi eMibhalweni yesiHebheru lapho beloba futhi bakhuthaza labantu ababebatshumayeza ukuthi labo bayisebenzise iMibhalo leyo. (ImiSeb. 17:11) Lathi lamuhla siyakubona ukuqakatheka kokulibala nsuku zonke iBhayibhili kanye lokunakana ngalo. (1 Tim. 4:15) Ukwenza lokhu kuyasinceda ukuthi sihlale sithobekile futhi kwenza kube lula ukuthi uJehova asibumbe.

11, 12. UJehova angalisebenzisa njani ibandla ukuze abumbe ngamunye wethu? Nika isibonelo.

¹¹ UJehova uyakwazi ukuthi munye ngamunye wethu usilela ngaphi ngakho usebenzisa ibandla lobuKhristu ukuze asibumbe. UJim esike sakhuluma ngaye waqalisa ukuncibilika ngesikhathi omunye umdala webandla ezisondeza kuye  ukuze abe ngumngane wakhe. Uthi: “Kazange loba nini angisole loba angichothoze ngalokho okwakwenzakele. Kodwa wayengiphatha kuhle njalo etshengisa lokuthi ulesifiso sokunginceda.” Ngemva kwezinyanga ezintathu umdala lo wamnxusa ukuthi abuye emhlanganweni webandla. UJim uthi: “Ibandla langamukela ngomusa futhi lokhu kwangenza ngafuna ukuntshintsha sibili. Ngaqalisa ukubona ukuthi kwakungalunganga ukuthi ngiqakathekise indlela mina engifuna izinto zenziwe ngayo. Abazalwane banginceda kakhulu. Umkami laye wangisekela, lanxa mina ngake ngaphambuka yena kazange atshiye ukukhonza. Kancane kancane ngaqalisa ukulungisisa ubuhlobo bami loJehova.” Okunye okwanceda uJim yikubala isihloko esithi, “UJehova Akumelwe Asolwe” lesithi “Khonza UJehova Ngokwethembeka.” Izihloko lezi ziyatholakala ku-Nqabayokulinda yesiZulu ka-November 15, 1992.

¹² Ngokuya kwesikhathi uJim waphinda waba ngumdala webandla. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi usencede abazalwane abanengi ukuthi labo banqobe uhlupho olufanana lalolo ayelalo njalo baqinise ukholo lwabo. Uphetha ngamazwi la: “Ngangicabanga ukuthi ngilobuhlobo obuqinileyo loJehova kanti ngiyazikhohlisa. Ngiyazisola kakhulu ngokuthi ngavumela ukuzigqaja kwangenza ukuthi ngihlale ngithe nhlo emaphutheni enziwa ngabanye kulokuthi ngibone izinto eziqakathekileyo.”—1 Khor. 10:12.

13. Umsebenzi wokutshumayela ungasinceda ukuthi sibe laziphi izithelo zomoya njalo lokhu kusinceda ngani?

¹³ Umsebenzi wokutshumayela wona ungasibumba njani sibe ngabantu abangcono kakhulu? Ukutshela abanye izindaba ezinhle kungasinceda ukuthi sithobeke njalo silwele ukuba lezinye izithelo zomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu. (Gal. 5:22, 23) Cabanga ngezimpawu ezinhle osulazo ngenxa yokuzinikela emsebenzini wokutshumayela.  Nxa silingisela uKhristu enkonzweni, abantu bayawamukela umlayezo esibatshela wona njalo bangantshintsha lendlela abasibona ngayo. Ngokwesibonelo omunye umama ohlala e-Australia wazonda kakhulu lapho oFakazi ababili bexoxa laye futhi wabaphendula kubi. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wazisola ngalokho ayekwenzile njalo wabhalela igatsha exolisa. Encwadini yakhe wathi: “Ngiyaxolisa kakhulu ngendlela engaphatha ngayo abantu labana ababili ababekhanya bebekezela futhi bethobekile. Ngiyisithutha sibili ngoba nganinela khatshana abantu ababetshumayela iLizwi likaNkulunkulu.” Kambe umuntu lo wayengakutsho lokhu yini aluba abamemezeli laba bamzondela? Hatshi. Siyabona-ke ukuthi inkonzo yethu ilusizo kulabo esibatshumayezayo njalo iyasinceda lokuthi sibe lobuntu obuhle.

14. Kuyini okumele abazali bakwenze ukuze baphumelele ukubumba abantwababo?

¹⁴ Abantwana abanengi bathobekile njalo balesifiso sokufunda. (Mat. 18:1-4) Ngakho abazali abahlakaniphileyo bayazama ukwenza ukuthi abantwababo balithande iqiniso lokuthi lijule ezingqondweni lasezinhliziyweni zabo. (2 Tim. 3:14, 15) Kodwa ukuze baphumelele ukwenza lokhu kumele bona ngokwabo bagxilise iqiniso ezinhliziyweni zabo futhi balisebenzise ekuphileni kwabo. Nxa abazali besenza lokhu abantwababo bazalamukela iqiniso futhi balithande. Kanti njalo bazabona lokuthi iseluleko abasithola ebazalini babo sitshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyabathanda.

15, 16. Abazali bangatshengisa njani ukuthi bathembele kuJehova nxa umntanabo esusiwe?

¹⁵ Lanxa befundiswe kuhle sibili, abanye abantwana bayalitshiya iqiniso loba basuswe ebandleni nxa sebekhulile. Lokhu kubabuhlungu kakhulu emulini. Omunye udadewethu waseSouth Africa wathi: “Lapho ubhudi wami esuswa, kwakungani usefile. Kwakubuhlungu kakhulu!” Imuli yomfana lo yenzani? Yalandela lokho okutshiwo liLizwi likaNkulunkulu mayelana lokuphatha umuntu osusiweyo. (Bala u-1 Khorinte 5:11, 13.) Abazali bakhe bathi: “Sazimisela ukusebenzisa okutshiwo liBhayibhili ngoba sasikwazi ukuthi ukulandela izindlela zikaNkulunkulu kwenza siphumelele. Sazitshela ukuthi ukususwa yindlela uJehova ayisebenzisayo ukuze alaye abantu bakhe futhi ubalaya ngendlela efaneleyo ngoba uyabathanda. Ngakho sasingathintani layo indodana yethu ngaphandle nxa kwakulendaba eqakathekileyo emulini.”

¹⁶ Lo owayesusiwe kwamphatha njani lokhu? Ngemva kwesikhathi wabhala wathi: “Ngakubona ukuthi abangakithi babengangizondi kodwa babelalela uJehova lenhlanganiso yakhe.” Waphinda wathi: “Nxa isimo okuso sesikufuqa ukuthi ucele uJehova akusize njalo akuthethelele yikho lapho obona khona ukuthi uyamdinga sibili.” Imuli le yathokoza kakhulu lapho ujaha lo ebuyiselwa ebandleni. Lokhu kwenza kucace ukuthi singathemba uJehova kuzo zonke izindlela zethu, sizaphumelela.—Zaga. 3:5, 6; 28:26.

17. Kungani kumele sizithobe kuJehova futhi kuzasinceda ngani ukwenza njalo?

¹⁷ Umphrofethi u-Isaya waphrofetha ukuthi kwakuzafika isikhathi lapho amaJuda ayeseBhabhiloni ayezaguquka khona abesesithi: “O Jehova, wena unguBaba wethu. Thina silubumba, wena ungumbumbi; Sonke singumsebenzi wezandla zakho.” Babezancenga bathi: “Izono zethu ungazikhumbuli kokuphela. Hawu ake usikhangele, siyakhuleka, ngoba sonke singabantu bakho.” (Isaya. 64:8, 9) Lathi nxa singazithoba kuJehova kukho konke esikwenzayo empilweni, uzasiqakathekisa kakhulu njengalokho akwenza kuDanyeli. Okuhle yikuthi uJehova uzaqhubeka esibumba esebenzisa iLizwi lakhe, umoya wakhe ongcwele lenhlanganiso yakhe ukuze lathi kwelizayo sibe ‘ngabantwana bakaNkulunkulu’ abapheleleyo.—Rom. 8:21.