1. Umphostoli uJohane wakhuthaza amaKhristu ukuthi enzeni, njalo kungani watsho njalo?

KUQAKATHEKE kakhulu ukuthi sicabangisise ngamazwi omphostoli uJohane aku-1 Johane 3:1. Lapho uJohane esithi “yeka ubukhulu bothando uBaba asinika lona” wayekhuthaza amaKhristu ukuthi acabangisise ngezindlela uNkulunkulu atshengisa ngazo ukuthi uyawathanda kanye lokuthi lukhulu kangakanani lolothando. Ukuluzwisisa ngalindlela uthando lukaJehova kungayijulisa sibili indlela esimthanda ngayo futhi kuqinise ubuhlobo bethu laye.

2. Kungani abanye bengakuzwisisi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyabathanda?

² Kodwa abanye kabakwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyabathanda abantu. Abakwaziyo kuphela yikuthi uNkulunkulu kumele esatshwe njalo ahlonitshwe. Mhlawumbe izimfundiso ezingamanga esezangena zagxila kubo zibenza bacabange ukuthi uNkulunkulu kalathando lokuthi akwenzeki ukumthanda. Kodwa bakhona abakholwa ukuthi uthando lukaNkulunkulu kalulamigoqo njalo uyabathanda kungelani lokuthi baphila njani. Lapho ufunda iBhayibhili wafunda ukuthi uthando yilo oluqakatheke kakhulu ezimpawini zobuntu bukaJehova njalo yilo olwamenza wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ukuze ibe lihlawulo labanengi. (Joh. 3:16; 1 Joh. 4:8) Kodwa indlela owakhuliswa ngayo lalapho  owakhulela khona kungenza ukuthi kube nzima ukukuzwisisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyakuthanda.

3. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi sizwisise ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyasithanda?

³ Manje uJehova utshengisa njani ukuthi uyasithanda? Impendulo siyithola ngokuzwisisa ubuhlobo obuphakathi kwethu loJehova uNkulunkulu. Siyakwazi ukuthi uJehova unguMdali wabantu bonke. (Bala iHubo 100:3-5.) Yikho iBhayibhili libiza u-Adamu ngokuthi ‘yindodana kaNkulunkulu,’ futhi uJesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuthi babize uNkulunkulu ngokuthi “Baba wethu osezulwini.” (Luk. 3:38; Mat. 6:9) UJehova unguBaba wethu ngoba nguye osinika ukuphila; ubuhlobo bethu laye bunjengobuhlobo obukhona phakathi kukababa labantwabakhe. Ngamazwi alula nje, uJehova usithanda ngendlela ubaba olothando athanda ngayo abantwabakhe.

4. (a) UJehova utshiyene njani labobaba abangabantu? (b) Sizahlolani esihlokweni lesi lakwesilandelayo?

⁴ Kodwa obaba abangabantu balesono, yikho lanxa bengazama sibili, ngeke benelise ukuthanda abantwababo ngendlela uBaba wethu uJehova asithanda ngayo. Phela abanye nxa bekhumbula indlela abakhula ngayo bazizwa befuthelwa kakhulu emoyeni ngenxa yokuhlukuluzwa ngoyise okwabatshiya belamanxeba ezinhliziyweni lasezingqondweni. Lokhu kubuhlungu, kuyadanisa futhi kuzwisa usizi. Kodwa uJehova ngeke akwenze lokhu kubantwabakhe. (Hubo. 27:10) Ukwazi ukuthi uJehova usithanda kangakanani lokuthi uyasikhathalela kungasenza sisondele kakhulu kuye. (Jak. 4:8) Esihlokweni lesi sizahlola izindlela ezine uJehova atshengisa ngazo ukuthi uyasithanda. Kwesilandelayo sizahlola lezinye ezine thina esingatshengisa ngazo ukuthi siyamthanda.

5. Umphostoli uPhawuli wabatshelani abantu base-Athene mayelana loNkulunkulu?

⁵ Lapho umphostoli uPhawuli ese-Athene eGirisi wananzelela ukuthi edolobheni lelo kwakungasizithombe zabonkulunkulu labonkulunkulukazi abantu ababekholwa ukuthi yizo ezazibanika ukuphila lezinto ababezidinga. Lokhu kwenza uPhawuli wathi kubo: “UNkulunkulu owenza umhlaba lakho konke okukuwo. . . upha bonke abantu impilo lomphefumulo lokunye konke . . . Ngokuba siphila kuye, sihambe silalame.” (ImiSeb. 17:24, 25, 28) Ngakho uJehova upha abantu “konke” abakudingayo empilweni ngenxa yokuthi uyabathanda. Ake sizinike isikhathi sokucabanga ukuthi amazwi la atshoni sibisibili.

6. Umhlaba utshengisa njani ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyasithanda? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁶ Cabanga ngomhlaba, uJehova uMenzi ‘awunike umuntu.’ (Hubo. 115:15, 16) Abezesayensi sebesebenzise inqwaba yezimali bendiza emkhathini bedinga amanye amapulanethi anjengomhlaba. Lanxa sebathola amapulanethi amanengi, sebabhudula bayiswela ipulanethi elezinto ezitshiyeneyo ezinjengalezo ezitholakala emhlabeni, ezenza senelise ukuphila kuwo. Ayikho enye ipulanethi enjengomhlaba kuyo yonke indalo kaNkulunkulu. Kuyamangalisa ukuthi phakathi kwamapulanethi esingeke siwabale siwaqede atholakala emthaleni okuthiwa yi-Milky Way lakweminye etshiyeneyo, uJehova wadala umhlaba waba yiyo yodwa indawo enhle kakhulu, okumnandi ukuhlala kuyo futhi evikelekileyo! (Isaya. 45:18) Konke lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda okwamagama.—Bala uJobe 38:4, 7; IHubo 8:3-5.

7. Indlela uNkulunkulu asidale ngayo itshengisa njani ukuthi uyasithanda kakhulu?

⁷ Lanxa uJehova wasenzela ikhaya elihle kakhulu, uyakwazi ukuthi ukuze sithokoze futhi sisuthiseke kulokunye esikudingayo ngaphandle kwezinto asinika zona. Umntwana uzizwa evikelekile nxa ebona ukuthi abazali bakhe bayamthanda futhi balendaba laye. UJehova wadala abantu ngomfanekiso wakhe wabenza benelisa  ukubona ukuthi uyabathanda futhi uyabakhathalela. Kanti njalo wabenza benelisa ukutshengisa ukuthi labo bayamthanda. (Gen. 1:27) UJesu wathi: “Babusisiwe abampofu emoyeni.” (Mat. 5:3) NjengoBaba olothando, uJehova ‘usinika kakhulu konke okwentokozo yethu,’ okugoqela esikudingayo ukuze siphile kanye lokunengi okusiqinisa ukholo.—1 Tim. 6:17; Hubo. 145:16.

8. Kungani siqiniseka ukuthi ‘uNkulunkulu weqiniso’ uyasithanda?

⁸ Obaba bayabathanda abantwababo njalo bafuna ukubavikela ukuze bangaqilwa loba bakhohliswe. Kodwa abazali abanengi bayehluleka ukubalaya kuhle abantwababo ngoba bona ngokwabo kabazange bazamukele izimiso ezitholakala eLizwini likaNkulunkulu. Lokhu kudala ukungahlaliseki lokungezwani ezimulini. (Zaga. 14:12) Kodwa uJehova yena ‘unguNkulunkulu weqiniso.’ (Hubo. 31:5) Uyabathanda abantwabakhe njalo kuyamjabulisa ukubakhanyisela iqiniso ukuze libakhokhele kukho konke abakwenzayo empilweni, ikakhulu ezintweni eziphathelane lokukhonza. (Bala iHubo 43:3.) Yiliphi iqiniso uJehova asivezele lona njalo lokhu kutshengisa njani ukuthi uyasithanda?

9, 10. UJehova utshengisa njani ukuthi uyasithanda ngokusivezela iqiniso (a) eliphathelane laye? (b) eliphathelane lathi?

⁹ Okokuqala uJehova uveza iqiniso ngaye. Usitshela ibizo lakhe elitholakala kanengi eBhayibhilini ukwedlula loba yiliphi elinye. Le yiyo indlela uJehova asondela ngayo kithi ukuze simazi. (Jak. 4:8) UJehova uphinda asivezele ubuntu bakhe lokuthi ungumuntu onjani. Lanxa indalo isitshengisa amandla kanye lokuhlakanipha kukaJehova, uphinda asebenzise iMibhalo ukuze asitshengise ukuthi ungumahluleli omuhle lokuthi ulothando olungelamkhawulo. (Rom. 1:20) Kayisuye baba olamandla lokuhlakanipha kuphela kodwa ungubaba ophatha bonke abantu ngendlela efananayo futhi olothando, okwenza kube lula ukuthi abantwabakhe babe lobuhlobo obuseduze laye.

¹⁰ Kanti njalo uJehova uveza iqiniso elimayelana lathi, ukuthi thina singena njani enjongweni yakhe. Lokhu kwenza kube lokuthula lokumanyana kuzo zonke izidalwa zakhe. IBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi lapho abantu bedalwa kabazange banikwe ilungelo lokuzibusa, ukuthi baphile bengelaye uNkulunkulu. Ukuphikisana laleliqiniso eliqakathekileyo kwenza kube lempumela ebuhlungu kakhulu. (Jer. 10:23) Ukukunanzelela lokhu kuqakatheke kakhulu ukuze kusihambele kuhle. Ukuzithoba ngaphansi kobukhosi bukaNkulunkulu yikho kuphela okungenza sibe lokuthula lokumanyana. UJehova uyasithanda sibili ngoba engasithandi ubengeke asivezele iqiniso leli eliqakatheke kangaka!

11. Kuyini uJehova asithembise khona okutshengisa ukuthi uyasithanda futhi uyasikhathalela?

¹¹ Ubaba olothando uyakhathazeka ngekusasa labantwabakhe ngoba ufuna baphile impilo enhle futhi elenjongo. Kodwa okudanisayo yikuthi abanengi kabakwazi ukuthi ikusasa liphetheni. Baqeda isikhathi sabo esinengi begijimisana lezinto ezizaphelela emoyeni. (Hubo. 90:10) Sonke esingabantwana bakaNkulunkulu sizizwa sithandwa kakhulu ngoba uJehova usithembisa ikusasa elihle okumangalisayo. Lokhu kwenza ukuphila kwethu kube lenjongo.

12. Iseluleko uJehova asinika uKhayini loBharukhi sitshengisa njani ukuthi wayebathanda njalo ebakhathalela?

¹² “Uzondeleni na? Kungani ubuso bakho buhlobile? Kambe ungaze wenze okulungileyo, kawuyikwamukelwa yini? . . . Kodwa kumele usahlule [isono].” (Gen. 4:6, 7) Lesi kwakuyiseluleko esasifike ngesikhathi futhi sasizamnceda uKhayini ukuthi enze okulungileyo.  Ngakho uJehova waxwayisa uKhayini lapho sekusegcekeni ukuthi wayesekhasela eziko. Okudanisayo yikuthi uKhayini wephulela izigodo endlebeni njalo wathola isijeziso esibuhlungu. (Gen. 4:11-13) Lapho uBharukhi, umabhalani kaJeremiya ekhathala njalo ephelelwa lithemba, uJehova wamnika iseluleko ukuze amncede ananzelele ukuthi uhlupho ayeselalo lwalungamfaka engozini engakanani. Kodwa uBharukhi kazange enze njengoKhayini, wamlalela uJehova njalo lokhu kwasindisa ukuphila kwakhe.—Jer. 45:2-5.

13. Kungani uJehova wavumela ukuthi izinceku zakhe ezazithembekile zehlelwe yizinhlupho?

¹³ UPhawuli wabhala wathi: “INkosi ilaya labo ebathandayo, ijezise wonke emamukela njengendodana.” (Heb. 12:6) Kodwa ukulaya kakutsho ukujezisa kuphela, kungenziwa langezindlela ezitshiyeneyo. IBhayibhili lilezibonelo ezinengi zabantu ababethembekile abahlangana lezinhlupho ezazingaphezu kwamandla abo, okungenzakala ukuthi zaziyindlela yokubalaya lokubaqeqetsha. Abanye babo nguJosefa, uMosi loDavida. IBhayibhili lisitshela okunengi ngokuphila kwabo futhi likuchaza ngendlela ecacileyo. Nxa singafunda ngokuthi uJehova wabaphathisa njani kukho konke abahlangana lakho lokuthi wacina esebanika imisebenzi emangalisayo, kasisoze sikuthandabuze ukuthi uJehova uyazithanda sibili izinceku zakhe lokuthi ulendaba lazo.—Bala iZaga 3:11, 12.

14. Singakubona njani ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda nxa esilaya?

¹⁴ Ukulaywa nguJehova kusinceda ukuthi sibone enye indlela asithanda ngayo. Nxa abantu abenze isono bengalaywa nguJehova besebephenduka, ‘uzabathethelela ngesihle.’ (Isaya. 55:7) Kutshoni lokhu? UDavida watsho amazwi athinta inhliziyo ngendlela uJehova athethelela  ngayo, wathi: “Othethelelayo zonke izono zakho akusilise zonke izifo zakho, ohlenga impilo yakho egodini akwethese uthando lesihawu. Njengobukhatshana bempumalanga kuyo intshonalanga kanjalo ususile iziphambeko zethu kithi.” (Hubo. 103:3, 4, 12) Kasizimiseleni ukulalela nxa uJehova eseluleka loba esilaya futhi silungisise masinyane lapho esiyabe siphambanise khona ngoba nxa esenza njalo uyabe etshengisa ukuthi uyasithanda kakhulu.—Hubo. 30:5.

15. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi abantu bakaJehova baligugu kuye?

¹⁵ Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi loba nguphi ubaba uyakuqakathekisa kakhulu ukuvikela imuli yakhe kuloba yini engafuna ukuyilimaza. UJehova uBaba wethu osezulwini laye unjalo. Umhubi wathi ngaye: “Uyazilinda izimpilo zabathembekileyo bakhe abakhulule esandleni sababi.” (Hubo. 97:10) Cabanga ngokuthi amehlo akho aligugu kangakanani kuwe. Indlela aligugu ngayo yiyo kanye indlela uJehova azizwa ngayo ngabantu bakhe. (Bala uZekhariya 2:8. *) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu baligugu elimangalisayo kuye!

16, 17. Chasisa izindlela uJehova avikele ngazo abantu bakhe endulo lasesikhathini sethu.

¹⁶ Enye indlela uJehova avikela ngayo abantu bakhe yikusebenzisa izingilosi. (Hubo. 91:11) Ngesinye isikhathi ingilosi eyodwa yabhubhisa amasotsha angu-185 000 ngobusuku obubodwa ukuze isindise abaseJerusalema ekuhlaselweni ngabase-Asiriya. (2 AmaKho. 19:35) Umphostoli uPhetro lomphostoli uPhawuli kanye labanye labo bake bakhululwa yizingilosi ejele. (ImiSeb. 5:18-20; 12:6-11) Isandla sikaJehova silokhu singasifitshane. Omunye umzalwane ongummeli wamawofisi ethu amakhulu owavakatshela elinye igatsha elise-Africa wabika ukuthi ilizwe lelo laligcwele izingxabano zezombusazwe lezenkolo. Kwakulwiwa, impahla zabantu zintshontshwa, abantu bebanjwa iganyavu njalo bebulawa, okwabangela isiphithiphithi lokuvukela elizweni lelo. Kodwa kakho umzalwane loba udadewethu owafayo lanxa inengi labo lalahlekelwa yimpahla yabo yonke lalokho ababeziphilisa ngakho. Abafowethu labodadewethu laba bathi bebuzwa ukuthi banjani, bonke babobotheka bathi: “Konke kuhamba kuhle, siyambonga uJehova!” Bakubona ukuthi uJehova uyabathanda.

¹⁷ Kulezikhathi lapho uJehova avumele khona ukuthi izitha zakhe zibulale abantu bakhe, njengalokho okwenzakala kuStefane. Lanxa kunjalo, uNkulunkulu uyabavikela abantu bakhe ngokubanika izixwayiso ngesikhathi esifaneleyo ukuze bamelane lamacebo kaSathane obuqili. (Efe. 6:10-12) Usebenzisa iLizwi lakhe lamabhuku asekelwe eBhayibhilini adindwa yinhlanganiso yakhe ukuze asincede sibone ukuthi kuyingozi kangakanani ukuthanda inotho, ukuzilibazisa ngezinto ezilokuziphatha okubi lodlakela, ukusebenzisa kubi i-Inthanethi kanye lokunye okunjalo. Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi uJehova unguBaba olothando ngoba uyabavikela sibili abantu bakhe futhi ulendaba lenhlalakahle yabo.

18. Uzizwa njani ngendlela uJehova akuthanda ngayo?

¹⁸ Njengoba sesixoxe ngezindlela ezilutshwana uJehova asitshengisa ngazo ukuthi uyasithanda, lathi sesizizwa njengoMosi owathi ekhumbula konke ayekwenzele uJehova okwempilo yakhe yonke wathi: “Sisuthise ekuseni ngothando lwakho olungaphuthiyo, ukuze sihlabelele ngentokozo sijabule zonke izinsuku zethu.” (Hubo. 90:14) Ukuzwisisa uthando lukaJehova lokubona indlela asithanda ngayo ngesinye isibusiso esikhulu kakhulu esingaba laso lamuhla. Lathi sizizwa sifuna ukutsho amazwi akhulunywa ngumphostoli uJohane athi: “Yeka ubukhulu bothando uBaba asinika lona!”—1 Joh. 3:1.