1, 2. Umphostoli uJohane wathi uNkulunkulu usitshengise njani indlela yokumthanda?

KUJAYELEKILE ukuthi indlela engcono kakhulu ubaba angafundisa ngayo abantwabakhe yikuba yisibonelo kubo. Umphostoli uJohane wabhala wathi “siyathanda ngoba [uNkulunkulu] wasithanda kuqala.” (1 Joh. 4:19) Ngakho kuyacaca ukuthi uBaba wethu uJehova, uyisibonelo esikhulu ukwedlula zonke sokuba lothando esisinceda ukuthi lathi senelise ukumthanda.

² UNkulunkulu “wasithanda kuqala” ngayiphi indlela? Umphostoli uPhawuli wathi: “UNkulunkulu ubonakalisa uthando lwakhe kithi ngalokhu: Siseseyizoni, uKhristu wasifela.” (Rom. 5:8) UJehova watshengisa ukuthi ngolunjani uthando oluqotho ngokunikela ngeNdodana yakhe eligugu kakhulu ukuthi ibe lihlawulo labantu bonke abakholwayo. Uthando olunjalo lubonakaliswa ngokupha, ngokwenzela abanye izinto ngesihle langokuzidela. Lesisenzo sikaNkulunkulu esimangalisayo sikwenze kwaba lula ukuthi sisondele kuye, senelise ukuthandwa nguye lokuthi lathi simtshengise ukuthi siyamthanda.—1 Joh. 4:10.

3, 4. Kumele simthande njani uNkulunkulu?

³ Uthando luphawu lobuntu bukaNkulunkulu olukhulu kulazo zonke.  Yikho sikuzwisisa ukuthi kungani uJesu watshela enye indoda ukuthi umlayo wokuqala ovela kuNkulunkulu ngothi: “Thanda iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke langomphefumulo wakho wonke langengqondo yakho yonke langamandla akho wonke.” (Mak. 12:30) Amazwi kaJesu la asifundisa ukuthi into yokuqala yikuthanda uNkulunkulu ngokusuka enhliziyweni. UJehova ngeke athokoze nxa singamkhonzi ngenhliziyo epheleleyo. Kodwa okunye esikunanzelelayo yikuthi ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kugoqela lokumthanda ngomphefumulo wonke, ngengqondo yethu yonke langamandla ethu wonke. Lokhu kutsho ukuthi ukuthanda uNkulunkulu ngokupheleleyo akucini ngokuphonguba lomuzwa wokumthanda nje enhliziyweni. Kugoqela lokumthanda ngakho konke esenelisa ukukwenza ngengqondo langamandla ethu. Lokhu yikho kanye uJehova akufunayo kithi njengoba umphrofethi uMikha watsho.—Bala uMikha 6:8.

⁴ Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyamthanda kakhulu uBaba wethu osezulwini? Kumele simthande ngakho konke esilakho. Njengoba uJesu watsho, kumele simthande ngamandla ethu wonke, ngengqondo yethu yonke langomphefumulo wethu wonke. Esihlokweni esidlulileyo sixoxe ngezindlela ezine uJehova atshengise ngazo ukuthi uyabathanda kakhulu abantwabakhe. Khathesi kasixoxeni ngokuthi thina singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyamthanda uJehova lokuthi singayithuthukisa njani indlela esimthanda ngayo ngezindlela azamukelayo lezimthokozisayo.

5. Kuyini esingakwenza okungatshengisa ukuthi siyakubonga kakhulu konke uJehova asipha khona?

⁵ Wandise ukwenzani nxa ungamukela isipho? Kumele ukuthi kukhona okwenzayo ukuze utshengise ukuthi uyabonga. Kanti njalo kumele ukuthi kawusitshaphazi kodwa usisebenzisa kuhle kakhulu. Umfundi uJakhobe wabhala wathi: “Zonke izipho ezinhle lezipheleleyo zivela phezulu, zehlele phansi zivela kuYise wezibane zasezulwini, ongaguquki njengemithunzi etshudukayo.” (Jak. 1:17) Ngakho uJehova kehluleki ukusinika izinto esizidingayo ukuze siphile njalo sithokoze. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi lokhu kuzakwenza lathi sifune ukumthanda.

6. Ama-Israyeli kwakumele enzeni ukuze aqhubeke ebusiswa nguJehova?

⁶ UJehova wawanakekela ngothando ama-Israyeli okwamakhulu eminyaka njalo wawabusisa kakhulu ngakho konke ayekudinga ekuphileni kwawo lasekumkhonzeni. (Dute. 4:7, 8) Kodwa ukuze aqhubeke ethola izibusiso lezi kwakumele alalele uMthetho kaNkulunkulu owawugoqela ukuthi anikele zikhathi zonke ‘ngezithelo zakuqala’ zomhlaba “ezinhle kakhulu”. (Eks. 23:19) Ngokwenza njalo, ama-Israyeli ayezatshengisa ukuthi ayengaluthathi lula uthando lukaJehova lezibusiso ayebanika zona.—Bala uDutheronomi 8:7-11.

7. Singayisebenzisa njani ‘imfuyo yethu’ ukuze sitshengise ukuthi siyamthanda uJehova?

⁷ Thina ke? Lanxa kungasela sidingo sokuthi sinikele ngemihlatshelo, singatshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda uNkulunkulu ngokumdumisa ‘ngemfuyo yethu.’ (Zaga. 3:9) Singakwenza njani lokhu? Okunye esingakwenza yikusebenzisa imfuyo yethu loba impahla yethu eligugu ukuze sisekele imisebenzi ephathelane loMbuso eyenziwa kwelakithi lasemhlabani wonke jikekelele. Le yindlela enhle kakhulu esingatshengisa ngayo ukuthi siyamthanda uJehova kungelani lokuthi siyazuza loba siyaswela. (2 Khor. 8:12) Kodwa zikhona ezinye izindlela esingamtshengisa ngazo uJehova ukuthi siyamthanda.

8, 9. Ukuthemba izithembiso zikaJehova kuhambisana njani lokumthanda? Nika isibonelo.

⁸ Khumbula amazwi uJesu awatshela abalandeli bakhe ebakhumbuza ukuthi banganqineki ngokuthi bazakudlani lokuthi bazagqokani, kodwa ukuthi baqhubeke befuna kuqala uMbuso.  Wathi uBaba uyakwazi esikudingayo. (Mat. 6:31-33) Indlela esisithemba ngayo isithembiso lesi izatshengisa ukuthi simthanda kangakanani uJehova, ngoba ukuthanda umuntu lokumethemba kuyahambisana. Kasingeke sithi siyamthanda umuntu thina singamethembi. (Hubo. 143:8) Ngakho singazibuza ukuthi: ‘Engifuna ukukwenza empilweni lendlela engiphila ngayo kuyatshengisa yini ukuthi ngiyamthanda uJehova? Engikwenzayo nsuku zonke kuyatshengisa yini ukuthi ngiyamthemba ukuthi uzanginakekela?’

⁹ Omunye umKhristu okuthiwa nguMike watshengisa ukuthi uyamthanda njalo uyamethemba uJehova. Esesemncane waba lesifiso esikhulu sokuyakhonza kwelinye ilizwe. Lanxa watshada waba labantwana ababili, isifiso sakhe kasizange siphele. UMike lemuli yakhe bakhuthazwa yizihloko kanye lemibiko ephathelane lokuyakhonza lapho okulabamemezeli abalutshwana khona, baze babona kungcono ukuthi baphile impilo elula. Bathengisa indlu yabo basebedinga enye encane kulayo. UMike wanciphisa lebhizimusi yakhe wadinga lezindlela angalinakekela ngazo ekwelinye ilizwe esebenzisa i-Inthanethi. Ngemva kwalokho imuli le yathutha futhi yathi isileminyaka emibili ikholisa ukukhonza elizweni eyayikulo, uMike wathi: “Sazibonela sibili ukuthi amazwi kaJesu akuMathewu 6:33 aliqiniso!”

10. Okwenziwa yiNkosi uDavida kutshengisa ukuthi kungasinceda njani ukucabangisisa ngeqiniso eliphathelane loJehova?

¹⁰ Eminyakeni engaba ngu-3 000 eyadlulayo, iNkosi uDavida yababaza ngalokho eyakubona esibhakabhakeni yathi: “Amazulu afakaza inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu; lomkhathi utshumayela umsebenzi wezandla zakhe.” Yaphinda yababaza inhlakanipho eseMthethweni kaNkulunkulu, yathi: “Umthetho kaJehova uphelele uvuselela umphefumulo. Izimiso zikaJehova zithembekile, zihlakaniphisa abayizithutha.” Kwamnceda njani uDavida ukucabangisisa ngamazulu langomthetho kaNkulunkulu? Waqhubeka wathi: “Sengathi amazwi omlomo wami leminakano yenhliziyo yami kungathokozisa emehlweni akho, O Jehova, Dwala lami loMkhululi wami.” Kusegcekeni-ke ukuthi lokhu kwenza uDavida waba lobuhlobo obuseduze kakhulu loNkulunkulu wakhe.—Hubo. 19:1, 7, 14.

11. Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kumele kusikhuthaze ukuthi senzeni ngenala yolwazi lweqiniso asinika lona lamuhla? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

¹¹ Thina sibusisiwe lamuhla ngoba silolwazi olunengi oluphathelane lendalo kaJehova kanye lokugcwaliseka kwenjongo yakhe. Abantu emhlabeni lo bakhuthaza imfundo ephezulu lokungezelela imfundo yabo emayunivesithi. Lanxa kunjalo okwenzakale kwabanengi kutshengisa ukuthi ukulandelela imfundo enjalo kujayele ukubangela ukuthi baphelelwe lukholo, bacine bengasamthandi uNkulunkulu. Kodwa iBhayibhili lisikhuthaza ukuthi singacini ngokuba lolwazi kuphela kodwa sizuze ukuhlakanipha lokuzwisisa. Lokhu kutsho ukufunda ukusebenzisa ulwazi uNkulunkulu asinike lona ukuze lusincede, luphinde luncede labanye. (Zaga. 4:5-7) UNkulunkulu ‘ufuna ukuba abantu bonke basindiswe njalo balazi iqiniso.’ (1 Tim. 2:4) Ngakho siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda kakhulu uJehova nxa sibatshela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso ngenhliziyo yonke njalo sibanceda ukuthi bazwisise lokho uNkulunkulu akuhlosileyo ngabantu.—Bala iHubo 66:16, 17.

12. Omunye osakhulayo watshengisa njani ukuthi uyakubonga lokho uJehova asinika khona?

¹² Abasakhulayo labo bangatshengisa ukuthi bayamthanda kakhulu uJehova ngokuqakathekisa konke abafundisa khona. UShannon usilandisela ukuthi lapho eleminyaka engu-11, yena lomnawakhe oyinkazana owayeleminyaka engu-10  bangena uMhlangano Wesabelo labazali babo owawulesihloko esithi “Godly Devotion” (“Ukuzinikela KuNkulunkulu”). Kwenye inkulumo, abasakhulayo bacelwa ukuthi bahlale endaweni ababeyigcinelwe. Wayengani uyesaba kodwa wahamba wayahlala khona. Wathaba wafa lapho bonke abasakhulayo ababelapho bephiwa ibhuku elihle kakhulu elithi Questions Young People Ask—Answers That Work. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi uShannon azizwe njani ngoJehova uNkulunkulu? Uthi: “Kulapho engabona khona ukuthi uJehova ukhona sibili lokuthi uyangithanda kakhulu.” Uphinda athi: “Kuyasithokozisa kakhulu ukuthi uNkulunkulu wethu omkhulu uJehova, usinika izipho ezinhle kangaka futhi ezipheleleyo!”

13, 14. Indlela esisamukela ngayo iseluleko esivela kuJehova itshengisa njani ukuthi siyamthanda?

¹³ IBhayibhili lisikhumbuza ukuthi: “UJehova ulaya labo abathandayo, njengoyise elaya indodana yakhe ayithandayo.” (Zaga. 3:12) Pho thina kumele senzeni nxa esilaya? Umphostoli uPhawuli wayeqinisile lapho esithi: “Akukho kulaywa okukhanya kukuhle ngalesosikhathi, kodwa kubuhlungu.” Kayisikho ukuthi uPhawuli lapha wayesitsho ukuthi ukulaya akuqakathekanga kangako kumbe ukuthi akuncedi, ngoba waqhubeka wathi: “Kodwa muva, kuletha isivuno sokulunga lokuthula kulabo abafundiswa yikho.” (Heb. 12:11) Nxa simthanda uJehova, kumele siqaphele ukuzithemba kakhulu sibone angani kasidingi ukwelulekwa njalo akumelanga sicaphuke lapho sinikwa iseluleko. Abanye bangakuthola kulijogwe elinzima lokhu. Kodwa ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kuzasinceda ukuthi sisamukele.

¹⁴ AmaJuda amanengi ayephila ngesikhathi sikaMalaki ayengasilaleli iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu. Ayewazi uMthetho owawuphathelane lokunikela ngemihlatshelo kodwa wona ayekela ngabomu ukuwulalela uJehova waze wawanika iseluleko esibuhlungu kakhulu. (Bala uMalaki 1:12, 13.) Kwakukubi kangakanani ayekwenza? Zwana ukuthi uJehova wathini kuwo: “Ngizaletha isiqalekiso phezu kwenu, njalo ngiziqalekise izibusiso zenu. Yebo, kuvele nje sengiziqalekisile ngokuba kalizimiselanga ezinhliziyweni zenu [ukulalela umthetho wami].” (Mal. 2:1, 2) Kusegcekeni ukuthi ukuba lomkhuba wokungalaleli ngabomu iseluleko sikaJehova esitshengisa ukuthi uyasithanda kungaba lempumela ebuhlungu kakhulu.

15. Kuyini okwenziwa ngabantu lamuhla okumele sikuqaphele?

¹⁵ Emhlabeni lo olabantu abaqakathekisa okufunwa yibo kuphela, kakulula ukunika umuntu iseluleko, singasabali ukusamukela. Lalabo abakhanya angani bayakwamukela ukwelulekwa loba ukulaywa bakwenza bekhonona. Kodwa-ke amaKhristu wona akhuthazwa ukuthi ‘angavumi ukulingisa umhlaba lo.’ Sikhuthazwa ukuthi siyazi ‘intando kaNkulunkulu epheleleyo’ njalo siyilandele. (Rom. 12:2) UJehova usebenzisa inhlanganiso yakhe ukuze asinike iseluleko esisincedayo ekuphileni kwethu kwansuku zonke.  Usinika iseluleko ngesikhathi esifaneleyo esiphathelane lokuthi kumele siziphathe njani nxa silalabo esingatshadanga labo njalo siyasinceda ukuthi sikhethe kuhle abangane lezokuzilibazisa. Nxa singazimisela ukulalela izeluleko ezinjalo futhi sizisebenzise, siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi siyambonga uJehova njalo siyamthanda ngenhliziyo yethu yonke.—Joh. 14:31; Rom. 6:17.

16, 17. (a) Kungani kumele siqale sicabange ngokuthi uJehova uthini singakenzi izinqumo? (b) Ama-Israyeli atshengisa njani ukuthi ayengasamthandi uJehova lokuthi ayengasamethembi?

¹⁶ Kusegazini ukuthi abantwana babalekele kubazali babo nxa bebona angani sebesengozini. Njengoba bekhula, kancane kancane bayafunda ukuzibonela lokuzenzela izinqumo. Kuvele kukhulwa njalo. Kodwa labo abangamathe lolimi labazali babo bakhululekile ukudinga umbono wabo lokubacela ukuthi babacebise bengakenzi isinqumo. Kunjalo lasekukhonzeni kwethu. UJehova usinike umoya wakhe osenza ‘sifune njalo senze okumthokozisayo.’ Kodwa nxa singenza izinqumo singazange sizihluphe ngokuthi uNkulunkulu uthini siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi kasimthandi njalo kasimethembi.—Flp. 2:13.

¹⁷ Ngesikhathi sikaSamuyeli, ama-Israyeli ake anqotshwa kabuhlungu ngamaFilisti. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu baqalisa ukukudinga ngabomvu ukuncediswa lokuvikelwa. Benzani? Beluka icebo bathi: “Kasiyenithatha ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaJehova eShilo, ukuze lihambe lathi lisisindise esandleni sezitha zethu.” Ukwenza njalo kwabanceda yini? Indaba iqhubeka isithi: “Ababulawayo babebanengi kakhulu; u-Israyeli walahlekelwa ngamabutho ezinyawo ayizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amathathu. Ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaJehova lathunjwa.” (1 Sam. 4:2-4, 10, 11) Kwakungakhanya angani ukuhamba lebhokisi lesivumelwano kwakuyindlela yama-Israyeli yokucela ukuthi uJehova awancedise. Kodwa iqiniso yikuthi ayengazange asidinge isiqondiso sakhe; azenzela okwakuvela emakhanda awo njalo kwawabangela incithakalo.—Bala iZaga 14:12.

18. Kumele sizizwe njani ngokuthembela kuJehova ukuthi asincedise?

¹⁸ Umhubi watshengisa ukuthi wayemthanda ngenhliziyo yonke uJehova ngesikhathi ebhala ukuthi: “Beka ithemba lakho kuNkulunkulu, ngoba ngisezakumdumisa, uMsindisi wami loNkulunkulu wami. Umphefumulo wami wephukile ngaphakathi kwami; ngakho ngizakukhumbula.” (Hubo. 42:5, 6) Wayemthanda ngokusuka enhliziyweni sibili uJehova! Wena uyamthanda futhi uyamethemba ngalindlela yini uBaba wethu osezulwini? Lanxa ungaphendula usithi ‘Ye,’ ungenelisa ukuthuthukisa indlela omethemba ngayo uNkulunkulu ngokulandela amazwi la esiwatshelwa liBhayibhili: “Themba kuJehova ngenhliziyo yakho yonke, ungathembi okwakho ukuzwisisa; mvume kuzo zonke izindlela zakho, yena uzaqondisa zonke izindlela zakho.”—Zaga. 3:5, 6.

19. Uzimisele ukumtshengisa njani uJehova ukuthi uyamthanda?

¹⁹ UJehova wasitshengisa ukuthi singamthanda njani ngokuthi yena asithande kuqala. Ngakho kasihlaleni sisikhumbula isibonelo sakhe esikhulu ukwedlula zonke. Kanti njalo kasizimiseleni ukutshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda ‘ngenhliziyo yethu yonke langomphefumulo wethu wonke langengqondo yethu yonke langamandla ethu wonke.’—Mak. 12:30.