1. Kuyini okufika engqondweni yakho nxa ucabanga ngoJehova?

 SEWAKE wazama ukucabanga ukuthi uJehova unjani? Nxa uthandaza kuye umcabanga engumuntu onjani? Lanxa singeke senelise ukumbona, iBhayibhili limchaza ngendlela ezitshiyeneyo. UJehova ubizwa ngokuthi “ulilanga futhi ulihawu” lokuthi “ungumlilo otshabalalisayo.” (Hubo. 84:11; Heb. 12:29) Omunye umlobi weBhayibhili wathi echasisa umbono awubonayo wathi uJehova unjengelitshe lesafire, lensimbi ecazimulayo njalo wathi lapho ayekhona kwakuyibunkanyankanya angathi ngumchilowamakhosikazi. (Hez. 1:​26-28) Ezinye indlela uJehova achasiswa ngazo zingasimangalisa kakhulu. Kanti njalo ezinye zingasethusa.

2. Kuyini okungenza kube nzima kwabanye ukuthi basondele kuJehova?

² Ngeke simbone uJehova. Yikho kungaba nzima ukukholwa ukuthi uyasithanda. Abanye bacabanga ukuthi uJehova ngeke abathande ngenxa yezinto ezimbi ezenzakala empilweni zabo. Engxenye abazange babe lobaba owayebathanda. UJehova uyayizwisisa indlela esizizwa ngayo kanye lezinto ezenza kube nzima ukuthi sisondele kuye. Kodwa kasitshiyi sinjalo, eLizwini lakhe iBhayibhili uyasivezela ubuntu bakhe obuhle ukuze asincede.

3. Kungani kumele sifunde okunengi ngothando lukaJehova?

³ Ibala elilodwa elimchaza kuhle uJehova ngelithi uthando. IBhayibhili lithi uNkulunkulu “uluthando.” (1 Joh. 4:8) Konke akwenzayo ukwenza ngenxa yothando. Uthando lukaNkulunkulu lukhulu kakhulu futhi lulamandla okokuthi kathandi labo abamthandayo kuphela kodwa uthanda lalabo abangamthandiyo. (Mat. 5:​44, 45) Esihlokweni lesi sizaxoxa kakhulu ngoJehova futhi  sizahlolisisa uthando lwakhe. Nxa singafunda okunengi ngoNkulunkulu wethu sizamthanda kakhulu.

UJEHOVA UYASITHANDA KAKHULU

4. Uzwa njani ngokuthi uJehova uyakuthanda? (Khangela lomfanekiso.)

⁴ ‘UBaba uyalithanda kakhulu.’ (Joh. 16:27) EBhayibhilini uzifanisa lomama olothando. (Isaya. 66:​12, 13) Cabanga ngomama olothando onakekela umntanakhe. Uyamphatha amdlalidlalise futhi akhulume laye kamnandi. Nxa umntwana ekhala kumbe esizwa ubuhlungu, uyaba leqiniso lokuthi uyamupha lokho akufunayo. Lathi nxa siphakathi kobuhlungu singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda. Umhubi wathi: “Lapho ukukhathazeka sekungikhulela, wena wangiduduza, wangenza ngathokoza.”—Hubo. 94:19.

5. Uthando lukaJehova oluqotho lukunceda njani?

⁵ UJehova uqotho. (Hubo. 103:8) Yikho engasikhalali nxa singaphambanisa. Isizwe sako-Israyeli sasihlala simdanisa uJehova. Lanxa kunjalo wakhuluma amazwi ayetshengisa ukuthi wayelokhu ebathanda abantu bakhe ababephenduka. Wathi: “Waba ligugu kimi, waphiwa udumo njalo ngikuthandile.” (Isaya. 43:​4, 5) Singaqiniseka ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzahlala esithanda ngoba uthando lwakhe alutshintshi. Singaze senze amaphutha amakhulu uJehova kasilahli. Nxa singatshiya izono zethu sibuyele kuJehova, uzaqhubeka esithanda. Uthembisa ukuthi ‘uzasithethelela ngendlela enkulu.’ (Isaya. 55:7) IBhayibhili lithi ‘uJehova uzasivuselela.’—Imiseb. 3:19.

6. uZakhariya 2:8 usifundisani ngoJehova?

⁶ Bala uZakhariya 2:8. UJehova ulendaba lokuthi sizwa njani futhi uzimisele ukusivikela ngoba uyasithanda. Uyabuzwa ubuhlungu nxa lathi sisizwa ubuhlungu. Yikho singakhuleka sithi: “Ngivikela njengenhlamvu yelihlo lakho.” (Hubo. 17:8) Ilihlo yisitho somzimba esiligugu futhi esingafuni kuthintwa. Ngakho nxa uJehova esifanisa lenhlamvu yelihlo lakhe kufanana lokuthi uthi, ‘Loba ngubani olilimazayo bantu bami ulimaza lokho okuligugu kakhulu kimi.’

7. Kungani kumele sisebenze nzima ukuze siqiniseke ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda?

⁷ UJehova ufuna uqiniseke ukuthi uyakuthanda. Kodwa uyakwazi ukuthi kulezinye izinto ezingabe zenzakala ezimpilweni zethu ezingenza sizibuze ukuthi uyasithanda yini. Mhlawumbe singabe silenhlupho khathesi ezenza kube nzima ukuthi siqiniseke ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda.  Manje kuyini okungasinceda singathandabuzi ukuthi uyasithanda? Yikufunda ngendlela uJehova atshengisa ngayo ukuthi uyamthanda uJesu labagcotshiweyo kanye lathi sonke.

UJEHOVA UTSHENGISA NJANI UKUTHI ULOTHANDO?

8. Kungani uJesu wayengathandabuzi ukuthi uYise uyamthanda?

⁸ Okweminyaka eminengi kakhulu uJehova leNdodana yakhe babendawonye. Lokhu kwenza bazwanana futhi bathandana kakhulu. KuMathewu 17:5 uJehova wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi wayemthanda uJesu. Wayengathi, ‘Lo nguye engimamukelayo’ aphelele khonapho. Kodwa wayefuna sibekwazi ukuthi umthanda kangakanani uJesu, yikho wathi: “Le yiNdodana yami engiyithandayo.” UJehova wayezigqaja ngoJesu futhi wayeziqhenya kakhulu ngalokho ayesezakwenza. (Efe. 1:7) UJesu laye wayengathandabuzi ukuthi uYise uyamthanda. Uthando lukaJehova lwalucaca okokuthi loJesu wayekwazi ukuthi uYise kamthontisi. Wawakhuluma kanengi amazwi ayetshengisa ukuthi kathandabuzi ukuthi uYise uyamthanda.—Joh. 3:35; 10:17; 17:24.

9. Yiwaphi amazwi atshengisa indlela uJehova athanda ngayo amaKhristu agcotshiweyo? Chasisa. (URoma 5:5)

⁹ UJehova uphinde watshengisa ukuthi uyawathanda kakhulu amaKhristu agcotshiweyo. (Bala uRoma 5:5.) Unanzelele yini ukuthi ivesi le ithini ngothando? Ithi, “seluthululelwe.” Esinye isichazamazwi seBhayibhili sithi uthando lukaNkulunkulu “lugelezela kithi njengamanzi omfula.” Amazwi la akuchaza kuhle ukuthi uJehova uyawathanda kakhulu amaKhristu agcotshiweyo! Abagcotshiweyo bayakwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu ‘uyabathanda.’ (Jud. 1) Umphostoli uJohane wachasisa indlela abazizwa ngayo, wathi: “Khangelani ukuthi uBaba wasithanda njani saze sabizwa ngokuthi singabantwana bakaNkulunkulu!” (1 Joh. 3:1) UJehova uthanda abagcotshiweyo kuphela yini? Hatshi, utshengise ukuthi uyasithanda sonke.

10. UJehova utshengise njani ukuthi uyakuthanda wena ngokwakho?

¹⁰ Yiphi indlela enkulu ukwedlula zonke uJehova atshengise ngayo ukuthi uyasithanda? Yikusihlawulela. Inhlawulo itshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda kakhulu ukwedlula loba ngubani. (Joh. 3:16; Rom. 5:8) UJehova wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe eligugu, wavuma ukuthi ifele bonke abantu ukuze izono zethu zithethelelwe futhi sibe ngabangane bakhe. (1 Joh. 4:10) Ukuhlala sicabangisisa ngalokho uJehova loJesu abasenzela khona kuzasinceda sikuzwisise kakhulu ukuthi bathanda munye ngamunye wethu. (Gal. 2:20) Inhlawulo kayizange ibhadalwe nje ngenxa yokuthi kwakumele ibhadalwe kodwa iyisipho esitshengisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyasithanda. UJehova watshengisa ukuthi uyasithanda ngokunikela ngoJesu, iNdodana yakhe eligugu kakhulu. UJehova wavuma ukuthi iNdodana yakhe ihlupheke njalo ife ngenxa yethu.

11. Sifundani kuJeremiya 31:3?

¹¹ Njengoba sibonile uJehova kafihli indlela azizwa ngayo kodwa uyasitshengisa ukuthi uyasithanda. (Bala uJeremiya 31:3.) Wasidonsela kuye ngoba uyasithanda. (Khangela loDutheronomi 7:​7, 8.) Akulalutho loba umuntu ongasehlukanisa lothando lwakhe. (Rom. 8:​38, 39) Uthando lolu lukwenza uzwe njani? Bala iHubo 23 ubone ukuthi uDavida wezwa njani ngothando lukaNkulunkulu langendlela uNkulunkulu ayemnakekela ngayo kanye lokuthi lathi lungasenza sizwe njani.

UZWA NJANI NGOTHANDO LUKANKULUNKULU?

12. IHubo 23 likhuluma ngani?

¹² Bala iHubo 23:​1-6. KuHubo 23 uDavida watshengisa ukuthi uyaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova wayemthanda lokuthi wayemnakekela. Wachasisa ubungane ayelabo loMelusi wakhe uJehova. UDavida wayezizwa evikelekile nxa wayevumela ukuthi uJehova amkhokhele futhi wayethembela kuye ezintweni zonke. UDavida wayekwazi  ukuthi uthando lukaNkulunkulu lwaluzamlandela insuku zonke zokuphila kwakhe. Kuyini okwamenza wangakuthandabuzi lokho?

13. Kungani uDavida wayengathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova wayemnakekela?

¹³ “Angisoze ngiswele lutho.” UDavida wayekubona ukuthi uJehova wayemnakekela ngenxa yokuthi wayemnika konke ayekudinga. Wayekwazi lokuthi uJehova wayengumngane wakhe lokuthi wayethokoza ngaye. Lokhu kwamenza wangathandabuzi ukuthi lanxa kungaze kwenzakaleni empilweni yakhe uJehova wayezaqhubeka emnika konke akudingayo. UDavida wayekwazi ukuthi uJehova wayemthanda lokuthi wayelendaba laye. Lokhu kwamnceda ukuthi angakhathazeki kodwa athokoze kakhulu futhi asuthiseke.—Hubo. 16:11.

14. UJehova utshengisa njani ukuthi uyasithanda lokuthi ulendaba lathi?

¹⁴ UJehova utshengisa ukuthi uyasithanda lokuthi ulendaba lathi ikakhulu nxa kungenzakala izinto ezimbi empilweni zethu. Omunye udade osesebenze eBhetheli okweminyaka eyedlula engu-20 okuthiwa nguClaire a wadana kakhulu ngesikhathi imuli yangakibo isehlelwa zinhlupho ezinengi. Uyise watshaywa yi-stroke, omunye udadewabo wasuswa ekuhlanganyeleni, ibhizinesi yabo yawa njalo bathathelwa indlu yabo. UJehova watshengisa njani ukuthi uyabathanda lokuthi ulendaba labo? UClaire uthi: “UJehova waba leqiniso lokuthi abangakithi bayakuthola abayabe bekudinga nsuku zonke. Izikhathi ezinengi wayeze abanike lezinto abayabe bengazikhangelelanga! Ngihlala ngicabanga ngezikhathi lapho uJehova atshengisa khona ukuthi ulendaba lami lokuthi uyangithanda njalo ngiyakuqakathekisa kakhulu lokho. Ukucabanga ngakho kuyanginceda ukuthi ngibekezele nxa ngiphakathi kwenhlupho.”

15. Kuyini okwenza uDavida wavuseleleka? (Khangela lomfanekiso.)

 ¹⁵ “Uyangivuselela.” Ngezinye izikhathi uDavida wayekhathazeka ngenxa yenhlupho lezilingo ayehlangana lazo. (Hubo. 18:​4-6) Kodwa indlela uJehova ayetshengisa ngayo ukuthi uyamthanda lokuthi ulendaba laye yayimvuselela. UJehova wakhokhela uDavida, umngane wakhe owayedanile wamusa “emadlelweni aluhlaza” ‘lasezindaweni zokuphumula ezilamanzi amanengi.’ Lokhu kwenza uDavida waba lamandla futhi waqhubeka ekhonza uJehova ethokoza.—Hubo. 18:​28-32.

16. Uthando lukaJehova lukuvuselele njani?

¹⁶ Lalamuhla uthando lukaJehova oluqotho yilo olwenza siqinisele nxa sihlangana lobunzima kanye lezilingo. (Izili. 3:22; Kol. 1:11) Cabanga ngalokho okwenzakala kuRachel ngesikhathi somkhuhlane weCOVID-19. Wezwa ubuhlungu kakhulu ngesikhathi umkakhe emtshiya futhi etshiya lokukhonza uJehova. UJehova wamncedisa njani? Uthi: “UJehova waba leqiniso lokuthi ngiyakubona ukuthi ngiyathandwa. Wanginika abangane ababezinika isikhathi sokuba lami, bengiphathela ukudla, bengithumezela amameseji kanye lemibhalo ekhuthazayo. Babebobotheka nxa bengibona njalo babehlala bengikhumbuza ukuthi uJehova ulendaba lami. Ngihlala ngimbonga uJehova ngokunginika imuli enkulu futhi engithandayo.”

17. Kuyini okwenza uDavida ‘wangesabi lutho’?

¹⁷ “Angesabi lutho ngoba wena ulami.” Impilo kaDavida yayihlala isengozini njalo wayelezitha ezinengi ezilamandla. Kodwa wayezizwa evikelekile futhi ehlalisekile ngenxa yokuthi wayebona ukuthi uJehova uyamthanda. UDavida wayekubona ukuthi uJehova wayelaye kukho konke ayedlula kukho futhi lokho kwakumduduza. Yikho wahlabela wathi: ‘[UJehova] wangikhulula kukho konke engangikwesaba.’ (Hubo. 34:4) Zikhona sibili izinto uDavida ayezesaba kodwa uthando lukaJehova lwalulukhulu kulazo.

18. Ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uyakuthanda kungakuqinisa njani nxa usesaba?

¹⁸ Ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda kusiqinisa njani nxa sihlangana lezimo ezesabisayo? Omunye udade oliphayona okuthiwa nguSusi uyasitshela indlela yena lomkakhe abezwa ngayo ngesikhathi indodana yabo isizibulele. Uthi: “Nxa kungenzakala isigigaba esinjengalesi uba lesithuli njalo uhlala usesaba ukuthi kulezinye izinto ezimbi ezingakwehlela. Kodwa uthando lukaJehova lwenze sahlaliseka futhi sezwa sivikelekile.” URachel esike sakhuluma ngaye uthi: “Ngelinye ilanga ebusuku inhliziyo yami yaba buhlungu kakhulu futhi ngangikhathazekile njalo  ngisesaba, yikho ngakhuleka kuJehova ngikhala. Khonapho nje ngezwa angathi uJehova uyangithulisa njengomama ethulisa usane lwakhe futhi ngezwa sengingcono ngajunywa yibuthongo. Angisoze ngiyikhohlwe indlela uJehova anginceda ngayo.” Omunye umdala webandla okuthiwa nguTasos wahlala iminyaka emine ejele ngoba wayeyale ukuya esisotsheni. Wakubona njani ukuthi uJehova uyamthanda lokuthi ulendaba laye? Uthi: “UJehova wayenginakekela sibili ngoba wayeze anginike lezinto engangingazikhangelelanga. Lokho kwangenza ngamthemba kakhulu futhi ngangingathandabuzi ukuthi wayezahlala engincedisa kukho konke. Kanti njalo uJehova wanginika umoya wakhe ongcwele owangenza ngahlala ngithokoza lanxa ngangisejele, indawo eyayingamnandi ngitsho. Lokho kwangenza ngaqiniseka ukuthi nxa ngingahlala ngiseduze kwakhe ngizakubona ngendlela ecacileyo ukuthi uyangithanda. Yikho ngahle ngaqalisa ukuba liphayona lesikhathi sonke ngisejele.”

SONDELA KUNKULUNKULU WAKHO OLOTHANDO

19. (a) Nxa sisazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyasithanda imithandazo yethu izakuba njani? (b) Yiphi ivesi oyithanda kakhulu ekhuluma ngendlela uJehova asithanda ngayo? (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Amazwi Asenza Sibone Ukuthi UJehova Uyasithanda Kakhulu.”)

¹⁹ Konke esesixoxe ngakho kutshengisa ukuthi “uNkulunkulu wothando” ulathi! (2 Khor. 13:11) Ulendaba lomuntu ngamunye. Asithandabuzi ukuthi ‘uyasivikela ngoba ulothando oluqotho.’ (Hubo. 32:10) Nxa singahlala sicabangisisa ngezindlela asitshengisa ngazo ukuthi uyasithanda sizakubona ukuthi ulendaba lathi besesisondela kuye. Singakhululeka ukumtshela loba kuyini okusezinhliziyweni zethu, simtshele lokuthi siyaludinga kakhulu uthando lwakhe. Kanti njalo singamtshela konke okusihluphayo siqiniseka ukuthi uyasizwisisa lokuthi uzimisele ukusincedisa.—Hubo. 145:​18, 19.

20. Uthando lukaJehova lusisondeza njani kuye?

²⁰ Nxa kuqanda siyasondela emlilweni ukuze sikhudumale, yikho lathi siyasondela kuJehova ukuze siluzwe uthando lwakhe. Lanxa uJehova enguNkulunkulu uSomandla uphinde aziwe ngokuthi ulothando. Ngakho woba kwazi ukuthi uJehova uyakuthanda. Kwangathi lathi singatshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda sithi: “Ngiyamthanda uJehova”!—Hubo. 116:1.