1. Singenzani ukuze sisondele kuJehova?

 SIYAKHOLISA ukuba labantu esibathandayo. Indoda lomkayo bayakukholisa ukuba ndawonye. Abasakhulayo bayakuthanda ukuba labangane babo. Kanti njalo sonke siyakukholisa ukuba labafowethu labodadewethu. Kodwa esikuqakathekisa kakhulu yikuba lesikhathi sokusondela kuNkulunkulu wethu. Lokhu sikwenza ngokuthandaza kuye, ngokubala iLizwi lakhe langokucabangisisa ngalokho ahlose ukukwenza kanye lobuntu bakhe. Isikhathi esisiqeda siloJehova siligugu sibili.—Hubo. 139:17.

2. Kuyini okungenza kube nzima ukuthi sisondele kuJehova?

² Siyakuthanda ukukhuleka lokutaditsha iBhayibhili. Kodwa ngezinye izikhathi kunzima ukuthi sikwenze lokho. Sihlala silezinto ezinengi zokwenza futhi lokhu kungenza kube nzima ukuthi sithole isikhathi sokwenza izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza. Umsebenzi, imuli lezinye izinto eziqakathekileyo okumele sizenze kungathatha isikhathi sethu esinengi size sicabange ukuthi asilaso esokuthandaza, esokutaditsha kumbe esokucabangisisa.

3. Kuyini okunye okungasithathela isikhathi esinengi?

³ Kulokunye okungasithathela isikhathi sethu. Nxa singananzelelanga singacina sisenza izinto ezingazimbi kodwa ezisithathela isikhathi esinengi ebesingasisebenzisa ukuthi sisondele kuJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, kuqakathekile ukuthi sike sibethwe ngumoya. Lanxa sizilibazisa ngezinto ezinhle, zingasithathela isikhathi esinengi sicine siswela esokwenza izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza. Kumele sikhumbule ukuthi ukuzilibazisa ayisikho okuqakatheke kakhulu.—Zaga. 25:27; 1 Tim. 4:8.

4. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

 ⁴ Esihlokweni lesi sizabona ukuthi kungani kumele sikhethe kuhle esikuqakathekisayo empilweni. Sizabona lokuthi singenzani ukuze sisisebenzise kuhle isikhathi sethu loJehova lokuthi lokhu kuzasinceda njani.

5. Ukucabangisisa ngalokho okutshiwo ku-Efesu 5:15-17 kungamnceda njani osakhulayo ukuthi akhethe kuhle lokho azakwenza empilweni?

⁵ Khetha impilo engcono kulazo zonke. Abasakhulayo bafuna ukukhetha lokho okuzabenza bathokoze sibili empilweni. Ababalisi lezihlobo ezingayisibo boFakazi zingabakhuthaza ukuthi baye eyunivesithi ukwenzela ukuthi bathole umsebenzi omuhle olemali. Imfundo enje ingathathela abasakhulayo isikhathi esinengi. Abazali babo kanye labangane babo ebandleni bona bangabakhuthaza ukuthi benze imisebenzi yenkonzo ethile. Pho kuyini okunganceda osakhulayo othanda uJehova ukuthi akhethe kuhle? Kungaba kuhle ukuthi abale u-Efesu 5:15-17 abesecabangisisa ngalokho akutshoyo. (Bala.) Nansi imibuzo angazibuza yona nxa esewabalile amavesi la: ‘Iyini “intando kaJehova”? Yisiphi isinqumo esizamthokozisa? Yisiphi isinqumo esizanginceda ukuthi ngisisebenzise kuhle isikhathi sami?’ Khumbula ukuthi “insuku zimbi” lokuthi sekuseduze ukuthi umhlaba lo obuswa nguSathane utshabalaliswe. Yikho siyabe senze kuhle kakhulu nxa singakhetha ukwenza izinto ezithokozisa uJehova.

6. UMariya wakhethani futhi kungani lokho akhetha ukukwenza kwakukuhle kakhulu?

⁶ Khetha okuqakathekileyo. Kwesinye isikhathi zombili izinto okuyabe kumele sikhethe phakathi kwazo ziyabe zingazimbi, kodwa kuyabe kumele sikhethe okuzakwenza sisisebenzise kuhle kakhulu isikhathi sethu. Ngokwesibonelo, ngelinye ilanga uMatha wathaba yena lodadewabo bevakatshelwe nguJesu waseqalisa ukumlungisela ukudla okunenginengi. Kodwa uMariya yena wahlala duzane loJesu wamlalela efundisa. Lokho uMatha akhetha ukukwenza kwakukuhle sibili kodwa uMariya yena ‘wakhetha okungcono kulakho konke.’ (Luk. 10:38-42, amabala angaphansi.) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kumele ukuthi uMariya wakukhohlwa ukudla okwadliwa mhlalokho kodwa asithandabuzi ukuthi wahlala ekukhumbula lokho akufundiswa nguJesu. Wasiqakathekisa kakhulu isikhathi ayelaso loJesu. Lathi asimlingiseleni ngokuqakathekisa isikhathi esiba laso loJehova. Singenzani ukuze sisisebenzise kuhle kakhulu lesosikhathi?

7. Kungani ukuthandaza lokutaditsha lokucabangisisa kuqakatheke kakhulu?

⁷ Bona ukuthandaza lokutaditsha lokucabangisisa kuyindlela yokukhonza. Nxa sithandaza siyabe sikhuluma loBaba wethu osezulwini osithanda okwamagama. (Hubo. 5:7) Nxa sitaditsha iBhayibhili siyabe sifunda ngoNkulunkulu ongumthombo wakho konke ukuhlakanipha. (Zaga. 2:1-5) Nxa sicabangisisa siyabe sinakana ngobuntu bakhe langezinto ezinhle afuna ukusenzela zona thina kanye labantu bonke. Kambe ikhona indlela esingasebenzisa ngayo isikhathi sethu engcono ukwedlula le? Kodwa kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi sikwenze lokho?

8. Sifundani kuJesu?

⁸ Dinga indawo ethuleyo nxa kuvuma.  UJesu wathi engakaqalisi inkonzo yakhe waya enkangala wahlala insuku ezingu-40 khonale. (Luk. 4:1, 2) Esendaweni le ethuleyo, wayethandaza kuJehova njalo ecabangisisa ngalokho ayefuna akwenze. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi lokhu kwenza wabulungela ubunzima obabuzamehlela. Ungamlingisela njani uJesu? Kwezinye izikhathi kungaba nzima ukuthi uthole indawo ethuleyo ngekhaya nxa imuli yangakini inkulu. Yikho kungaba kuhle ukuthi udinge indawo ethuleyo phandle. Lokhu yikho kanye okwenziwa nguJulie nxa efuna ukuthandaza kuJehova. Indawo yena lomkakhe abahlala kuyo eFrance incane futhi kunzima ukuthi enze izinto afuna ukuzenza eyedwa. Uthi: “Nsuku zonke ngiyaphuma ngiye ephakhi, ngithi sengikhonale sengingedwa futhi ngingaphanjaniswa yilutho, ngikhulume loJehova.”

9. Lanxa uJesu wayelezinto ezinengi zokwenza, kuyini okwakutshengisa ukuthi uyakuqakathekisa ukuba loYise bebodwa?

⁹ UJesu wayelezinto ezinengi kakhulu zokwenza. Wayehlala elandelwa ngamaxuku abantu endaweni ezinengi ayesiya kuzo. Ngelinye ilanga ‘bonke abantu bedolobho babuthana phambi komnyango’ befuna ukumbona. Kodwa sekusemathathakusa, waya “endaweni eyayingelabantu” ukuze abe loYise bebodwa. (Mak. 1:32-35) UJesu wayesiba leqiniso lokuthi uhlala ethola isikhathi sokuthandaza kuJehova.

10-11. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuMathewu 26:40, 41, uJesu wacela abafundi bakhe ukuthi benzeni besesivandeni seGetsemane kodwa bona benzani?

¹⁰ Ngobusuku bokucina uJesu engakabulawa, inkonzo yakhe lapha emhlabeni isizaphela, wayidinga futhi indawo ethuleyo lapho ayengacabangisisa khona njalo athandaze. Wayithola esivandeni seGetsemane. (Mat. 26:36) Lapho yikho atshela khona abafundi bakhe okunye okuqakatheke kakhulu mayelana lokuthandaza.

¹¹ Bafika esivandeni seGetsemane phakathi kobusuku. Mhlawumbe kwasekungemva kwamabili. UJesu wacela abaphostoli ukuthi ‘bahlale bephapheme’ wasesuka wayakhuleka. (Mat. 26:37-39) Kodwa wathi esakhuleka bajumeka. Uthe ebafica belele waphinda ukubacela ukuthi ‘bahlale bephapheme futhi bahlale bekhuleka.’ (Bala uMathewu 26:40, 41.) Wayekwazi ukuthi babekhathazeke kakhulu lokuthi babediniwe. Wabazwela watsho ukuthi “inyama ibuthakathaka.” Okwamahlandla amabili wasuka esiyakhuleka futhi wayesithi nxa ephenduka  athole abafundi belele kulokuthi bathandaze.—Mat. 26:42-45.

12. Kuyini okungasinceda nxa ngezinye izikhathi sisehluleka ukuthandaza ngenxa yokuthi sidinwe kakhulu kumbe sidane kakhulu?

¹² Khetha isikhathi esifaneleyo. Ngezinye izikhathi singehluleka ukuthandaza ngenxa yokuthi sikhathazeke kakhulu kumbe sidinwe sifile. Lokhu kwenzakala kwabanengi bethu. Pho kuyini okungasinceda? Abanye ababejayele ukuthandaza sebesiyalala bakubona kunceda ukutshintsha isikhathi baphangise kancane ukuqalisa ukuthandaza bengakadinwa kakhulu. Abanye bananzelela ukuthi ukuthandaza behlezi kumbe beguqile kuyanceda sibili. Kodwa ungenzani nxa usehluleka ukuthandaza ngenxa yokuthi ukhathazeke kakhulu kumbe udane kakhulu? Tshela uJehova indlela ozizwa ngayo. Qiniseka ukuthi uBaba wethu olesihawu uyazwisisa.—Hubo. 139:4.

13. Amafoni kumbe ama-tablet angasiphambanisa njani nxa sithandaza, sitaditsha kumbe sisemihlanganweni yebandla?

¹³ Xwaya izinto ezingakuphambanisa nxa utaditsha. Ukuthandaza ayisikho kodwa ongakwenza ukuze uqinise ubungane bakho loJehova. Okunye okungakunceda yikutaditsha iLizwi likaNkulunkulu lokuba semihlanganweni yebandla. Kukhona yini ongakwenza ukuze usisebenzise kuhle kakhulu isikhathi sakho nxa utaditsha lalapho usemihlanganweni yebandla? Zibuze, ‘Kuyini okujayele ukungiphambanisa nxa ngisemihlanganweni yebandla loba nxa ngitaditsha?’ Engxenye ujayele ukufonelwa kumbe ukuthunyelwa amameseji efonini kumbe ku-tablet kumbe kukhompiyutha. Lezinsuku sebebanengi sibili abantu abalezinto lezi. Abanye abachwayisisayo bathi ukuba lefoni nje eceleni kwakho nxa uzama ukwenza okuthile kungakuphambanisa. Esinye isikhwicamfundo sithi: “Ingqondo iyabe ingekho kulokho oyabe ukwenza, iyabe izicabangela okunye.” Nxa sisemihlanganweni yesiqinti leyesabelo sijayele ukukhunjuzwa ukuthi sifake amafoni ethu esimeni sokuthi angabaphambanisi abanye. Kungavuma yini ukuthi sifake amafoni ethu esimeni sokuthi angasiphambanisi nxa sithandaza, sitaditsha kumbe sisemihlanganweni yebandla?

14. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuFiliphi 4:6 lo-7, uJehova uzasincedisa njani ukuthi sigxilise ingqondo zethu kulokho esikwenzayo?

 ¹⁴ Cela uJehova akuncedise ugxilise ingqondo kulokho okwenzayo. Nxa ungananzelela ukuthi usucabanga ezinye izinto ngesikhathi utaditsha kumbe usemihlanganweni yebandla, cela uJehova akuncedise. Kungaba nzima ukuthi ufake ingqondo kulokho okwenzayo nxa ukhathazekile kodwa kuqakathekile ukuthi ukwenze lokho. Thandaza ucele ukuthula okuzalinda inhliziyo yakho ‘lengqondo yakho.’—Bala uFiliphi 4:6, 7.

15. Kunceda ngani ukuzinika isikhathi sokwenza izinto ezisinceda ukuthi sibe seduze loJehova?

¹⁵ Nxa ungazinika isikhathi sokukhuluma loJehova lesokumlalela kanye lesokucabangisisa ngaye, kuzakuhambela kuhle. Kungani sisitsho njalo? Okokuqala, uzakwenza izinqumo ezinhle. IBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi “ohamba lezihlakaniphi uyahlakanipha.” (Zaga. 13:20) Yikho nxa ungazinika isikhathi sokwenza izinto ezikunceda ube seduzane lomthombo wokuhlakanipha, uJehova, lawe uzahlakanipha. Uzazwisisa ukuthi kuyini okumele ukwenze ukuze umthokozise lokuthi ungaxwaya njani ukwenza izinqumo ezingamzwisa ubuhlungu.

16. Ukuzinika isikhathi sokwenza izinto ezisenza sisondele kuJehova kusinceda njani ukuthi sithuthukise indlela esifundisa ngayo?

¹⁶ Okwesibili, uzafundisa kuhle. Nxa sifunda lomuntu iBhayibhili, inhloso yethu enkulu yikumncedisa ukuthi asondele kuJehova. Nxa singahlala sikhuleka kuJehova futhi sifunda ngaye sizamthanda kakhulu njalo sizenelisa ukuncedisa esifunda laye iBhayibhili ukuthi laye amthande. Lokho yikho okwenziwa nguJesu. Indlela ayekhuluma ngayo ngoYise yanceda abafundi bakhe babona ukuthi uJehova ulomusa futhi ulothando. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi labo bamthande uJehova.—Joh. 17:25, 26.

17. Ukuthandaza lokutaditsha kusinceda njani ukuthi siqinise ukholo lwethu?

¹⁷ Okwesithathu, ukholo lwakho luzaqina kakhulu. Sonke isikhathi nxa ungacela uNkulunkulu ukuthi akukhokhele, akududuze kumbe akusekele futhi ubone eyiphendula imithandazo yakho, ukholo lwakho luyaqina. (1 Joh. 5:15) Kuyini okunye okungakunceda ukuthi uqinise ukholo lwakho? Yikutaditsha uwedwa. Phela “ukholo luba khona ngemva kokuzwa ilizwi.” (Rom. 10:17) Kodwa ukuze siqinise ukholo lwethu akumelanga siphongubala nje. Kulokunye okumele sikwenze. Kuyini lokho?

18. Chasisa ukuthi kungani kumele sicabangisise.

 ¹⁸ Kumele sicabangisise ngalokho esikufundayo. Ake sixoxe ngokwenziwa ngumlobi weHubo 77. Wayekhathazekile ngoba wayecabanga ukuthi yena kanye lamanye ama-Israyeli ayengasemukelwa nguJehova. Ukukhathazeka lokhu kwasekumenza angasabuquthi. (Uvesi 2-8) Manje wenzani? Watshela uJehova wathi: “Ngizacabanga ngayo yonke imisebenzi yakho nginakane ngazo zonke izenzo zakho ezinkulu.” (Uvesi 12) Umhubi wayezazi mhlophe izinto uJehova ayezenzele abantu bakhe kudala. Kodwa indoda le eyayikhathazekile yayizibuza isithi: “Kanti uNkulunkulu usekhohliwe ukuba lesihawu na? Usethe ngokuzonda wagodla uzwelo lwakhe na?” (Uvesi 9) Umhubi wacabangisisa ngemisebenzi kaJehova lokuthi uNkulunkulu wayetshengise abantu bakhe kudala isihawu lozwelo. (Uvesi 11) Kwamnceda njani ukwenza njalo? Kwamenza waqiniseka ukuthi uJehova kasoze abatshiye abantu bakhe. (Uvesi 15) Lawe ukholo lwakho luzaqina nxa ungacabangisisa ngalokho uJehova akwenzele abantu bakhe kanye lalokho akwenzele khona wena ngokwakho.

19. Ukwenza izinto ezisisondeza kuJehova kusinceda njani?

¹⁹ Okwesine futhi okuqakatheke kulakho konke, yikuthi uzamthanda kakhulu uJehova. Uthando yilo oluzakunceda ukuthi uzimisele ukumlalela, wenze izinto ezimthokozisayo njalo uqinisele kuloba yibuphi ubunzima obungakwehlela. (Mat. 22:37-39; 1 Khor. 13:4, 7; 1 Joh. 5:3) Akulalutho oluqakatheke ukwedlula ukuba lobungane obuqinileyo loJehova.—Hubo. 63:1-8.

20. Uhlele ukwenzani ukuze ube lesikhathi sokuthandaza, esokutaditsha lesokucabangisisa?

²⁰ Khumbula ukuthi ukuthandaza, ukutaditsha lokucabangisisa kuyingxenye yokukhonza kwethu. Lingisela uJesu uzinike isikhathi sokuba wedwa usenza izinto ezikusondeza kuJehova. Zama ukuthi kungabi lolutho olukuphambanisayo. Thandaza kuJehova ucele ukuthi akuncedise ugxilise ingqondo kulokho oyabe ukwenza. Nxa ungasisebenzisa kuhle kakhulu isikhathi sakho khathesi, uJehova uzakunika umvuzo wokuphila kuze kube nini lanini emhlabeni omutsha asithembisa wona.—Mak. 4:24.