1. Khuyini efika emkhumbulwenakho nawucabanga ngoJehova?

 KGHANI ukhe walinga ukucabanga ukuthi uJehova unjani? Nawukhuluma naye ngomthandazo, khuyini efika emkhumbulwenakho? Nanyana angabonakali, iBhayibheli limhlathulula ngeendlela ezinengi ezingafaniko. UJehova ubizwa ngokuthi “ulilanga nesiviko” begodu “umlilo otjhabalalisako.” (Rhu. 84:11; Heb. 12:29) Ukuba khona kwakhe kufaniswa njengelitje lesafire, isimbi ebenyezelako nezungu lekosi. (Hez. 1:​26-28) Ezinye iindlela uJehova ahlathululwa ngazo zingasenza sikareke khulu namkha sizizwe singasi lilitho.

2. Khuyini engavimba abanye ekutjhideleni kuJehova?

² Ngebanga lokuthi asikghoni ukubona uJehova, singakufumana kubudisi ukukholelwa ukuthi uyasithanda. Abanye bangacabanga ukuthi uJehova angeze abathanda ngebanga lezinto ezimbi ezenzeke ekuphileni kwabo esikhathini esidlulileko. Mhlamunye akhange babe nobaba obathandako. UJehova uyayizwisisa indlela esizizwa ngayo nokuthi isithinta njani. Bona asisize, usivezele ubuntu bakhe obuhle eliZwini lakhe.

3. Kubayini kufuze sihlolisise kuhle ithando lakaJehova?

³ Ibizo linye elihlathulula kuhle uJehova, lithando. (1 Jwa. 4:8) UJehova ulithando. Isisekelo sayo soke into ayenzako lithando. Ithando lakaJehova lifuthumele begodu linamandla kangangokuthi ulinikela nalabo abangamthandiko. (Mat. 5:​44, 45) Esihlokwenesi, sizokuqalisisa uJehova nethando lakhe. Nasisolo sifunda okungeziweko ngoZimethu, sizomthanda khulu.

UJEHOVA USITHANDA KHULU

4. Ithando lakaJehova likwenza uzizwe njani? (Qala nesithombe.)

⁴ “UJehova unethando khulu.” (Jak. 5:11) EBhayibhelini uzimadanisa nomma onethando. (Isa. 66:​12, 13) Cabanga ngomma  onethando otlhogomela umntwanakhe omncani. Uyamdunduzela bese akhulume naye ngephimbo elipholileko. Umntwana nakalilako namkha ezwa ubuhlungu, umma wenza isiqinisekiso sokuthi umnikela lokho akutlhogako. Nasizwa ubuhlungu, singathembela ethandweni lakaJehova. Umrhubi watlola wathi: “Ukugandeleleka nakungiqeda amandla, wangiduduza bese wangivuselela.”—Rhu. 94:19.

5. Ithando lakaJehova elithembekileko likwenza uzizwe njani?

⁵ UJehova uthembekile. (Rhu. 103:8) Akasilahleli izandla lokha nasenza intwembi. Isitjhaba sakwa-Israyeli sadanisa uJehova ngokubuyelelweko kodwana waveza ithando lakhe ngabantu bakhe abatjhugulukako ngamezwi alandelako: “Ube ligugu emehlwenami, wahlonitjhwa begodu ngakuthanda.” (Isa. 43:​4, 5) Ithando lakaZimu alikatjhuguluki. Singahlala sithembele kilo. Nanyana kungenzeka sikhe senza imitjhapho emikhulu ngaphambilini, uJehova akasilahli. Nasitjhugululako bese sibuyele kuJehova, sizozibonela thina ngokwethu ukuthi usasithanda. Usithembisa ukuthi ‘uzosilibalela ngokutjhaphulukileko.’ (Isa. 55:7) IBhayibheli lihlathulula ukulibalela kwakhe ‘njengeenkhathi zokuvuseleleka ezivela kuJehova ngokwakhe.’—IzE. 3:19.

6. UZakariya 2:8 usifundisani ngoJehova?

⁶ Funda uZakariya 2:8. Ngebanga lokuthi uJehova uyasithanda, unendaba khulu nokuthi sizizwa njani begodu ufuna ukusivikela ngehliziywakhe yoke. Uzwa ubuhlungu lokha nasizwa ubuhlungu. Yeke, singatjhaphuluka sithandaze sithi: “Ngivikela njengehlamvu yelihlo lakho.” (Rhu. 17:8) Ilihlo lizwela khulu begodu liyingcenye eligugu yomzimbethu. Yeke, uJehova nakasimadanisa nehlamvu yelihlo lakhe, kufana nokuthi uthi, ‘Nanyana ngubani onilimazako bantu bami, ulimaza okuligugu khulu kimi.’

7. Kubayini kufuze siqiniseke ngethando lakaJehova?

⁷ UJehova ufuna siqiniseke ukuthi uthanda ngamunye wethu. Kodwana uyazi ukuthi ngebanga lezinto ezenzeke ekuphileni kwethu esikhathini esidlulileko, kungenzeka sizibuze ukuthi kghani usithanda kwamambala na. Kwanje, kungenzeka siqalene nobujamo obusenza singaqiniseki ngethando lakaJehova. Khuyini engaqinisa ithemba esinalo  ethandweni lakaJehova? Singafunda ukuthi uJehova ulitjengise njani ithando lakhe kuJesu, kilabo abazesiweko nakithi soke.

INDLELA UJEHOVA ATJENGISA NGAYO ITHANDO LAKHE

8. Kubayini uJesu bekaqiniseka ngethando lakaYise?

⁸ Sele kusikhathi eside khulu uJehova neNdodanakhe batjhidelene begodu bathandana. Itjhebiswano labo ngelakade khulu ukudlula nanyana yini ekhona ephasini nezulwini. UJehova waveza indlela amthanda ngayo uJesu njengombana kutlolwe kuMatewu 17:5. Bekangavele athi, ‘Lo ngiloyo engimamukeleko.’ Nanyana kunjalo, bekafuna sazi ukuthi umthanda kangangani uJesu, wambiza ngokuthi “Ndodanami, engiyithandako.” UJehova bekazikhakhazisa khulu ngoJesu, khulukhulu njengombana bekazimisele ukunikela ngokuphila kwakhe. (Efe. 1:7) NoJesu bengazazi ukuthi uYise uyamthanda. Bekaqiniseka khulu ngokuthi uJehova uyamthanda. Kube namahlandla amanengi lapha uJesu aveza khona ukuthi uYise uyamthanda.—Jwa. 3:35; 10:17; 17:24.

9. Ngimaphi amezwi ahlathulula indlela uJehova athanda ngayo abazesiweko? Hlathulula. (Roma 5:5)

⁹ UJehova uveza indlela abathanda ngayo abazesiweko. (Funda kwebeRoma 5:5.) Tjheja amezwi athi “lithululelwe.” Enye incwadi ihlathulula amezwi la ngokuthi “liza kithi njengamanzi agelezako.” Umfanekiso lo utjengisa kuhle ukuthi uJehova ubathanda kangangani abazesiweko! Abazesiweko bayazi ukuthi ‘bathandwa nguZimu.’ (Jud. 1) Umpostoli uJwanisi uveza indlela abazizwa ngayo lokha nakatlola athi: “Qalani bona likhulu kangangani ithando uBaba asithande ngalo ukuthi kufuze sibizwe ngokobana sibantwana bakaZimu!” (1 Jwa. 3:1) Kghani ithando lakaJehova liphelela kilabo abazesiweko kwaphela? Awa, uJehova utjengisile ukuthi usithanda soke.

10. Ngiyiphi indlela ephuma phambili uJehova asithanda ngayo?

¹⁰ Khuyini esenza siqiniseke ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda? Sihlengo—isenzo esiphuma phambili ephasini nezulwini sokutjengisa ithando! (Jwa. 3:16; Rom. 5:8) UJehova wanikela ngeNdodanakhe eligugu, wayivumela ukuthi ifele boke abantu ukwenzela bona izono zethu zilitjalelwe nokuthi sibe bangani bakaJehova. (1 Jwa. 4:10) Nasisolo sicabangisisa ngenani uJehova noJesu abalibhadeleko, sizokuzwisisa kuhle ukuthi basithanda kangangani ngamunye wethu. (Gal. 2:20) Isihlengo akhange sibhadelwe ngebanga lokuthi uJehova ufuna kube nobulungiswa kwaphela. Sisipho sethando. UJehova utjengisile ukuthi uyasithanda ngokuthi adele okuligugu khulu kuye—uJesu. UJehova wavumela iNdodanakhe bona izwe ubuhlungu beyihlongakale ngebanga lethu.

11. Sifundani kuJoromiya 31:3?

¹¹ Njengombana sibonile, uJehova akasifihleli ukuthi uzizwa njani ngathi kodwana uyasitjengisa. (Funda uJoromiya 31:3.) UJehova usidosele kuye ngombana uyasithanda. (Madanisa noDuteronomi 7:​7, 8.) Ukunanto namkha umuntu ongasihlukanisa nethandwelo. (Rom. 8:​38, 39) Ithandweli likwenza uzizwe njani? Funda iRhubo 23, ubone ukuthi indlela uJehova bekathanda bewatlhogomela ngayo uDavida yamthinta njani nokuthi wena ingakuthinta njani.

ITHANDO LAKAJEHOVA LIKWENZA UZIZWE NJANI?

12. Ungalirhunyeza uthini iRhubo 23?

¹² Funda iRhubo 23:​1-6. IRhubo 23 yingoma ekhuluma ngokuthembela ethandweni nekutlhogomeleni kwakaJehova. UDavida,  uhlathulula ubuhlobo obuqinileko ebebukhona hlangana kwakhe noMelusakhe uJehova. UDavida wazizwa avikelekile ngokuvumela uJehova amnqophise begodu bekathembele ngokupheleleko kuye. Bekazi ukuthi bekazokuhlala alizwa ithando lakaJehova ukuphila kwakhe koke. Khuyini eyamenza waqiniseka kangaka?

13. Kubayini uDavida bekaqiniseka ngethando lakaJehova?

¹³ “Angekhe ngitlhoge litho.” UDavida wazizwa atlhogomeleke kuhle ngombana uJehova bekahlala amnikela lokho akutlhogako. Godu bekathabela ukuba mngani kaJehova nokuthandwa nguye. Kungebangelo bekaqiniseka ukuthi nanyana kungenzekani esikhathini esizako, uJehova uzokuragela phambili amtlhogomela. Ukwazi kwakaDavida ukuthi uJehova uyamthanda, kwamqinisa khulu ukudlula ukutshwenyeka kwakhe bekwamnikela ukwaneliseka nethabo.—Rhu. 16:11.

14. UJehova angasitlhogomela njani ngendlela enethando?

¹⁴ UJehova usitlhogomela ngethando, khulukhulu lokha nakwenzeka izinto ezimbi ekuphileni kwethu. U-Claire, a osele asebenze e-Bethel iminyaka engaphezu kwama-20, akhenge azi ukuthi awusize njani umndeni wekhabo lokha nawuqalana nemijeje yemiraro emikhulu. Ubabakhe wabetjhwa kugula okubulala ihlangothi, udadwabo omunye wasuswa ekuhlanganyeleni nomdenekhabo walahlekelwa lirhwebo nomzabo. UJehova wabatlhogomela njani? U-Claire uthi: “UJehova wenza isiqinisekiso sokuthi umndenekhaya bewuhlala unakho koke okutlhogako qobe lilanga. Esikhathini esinengi, uJehova  bekasinikela okungaphezu kwalokho ebesikutlhoga! Ngihlala ngicabanga indlela uJehova asithanda ngayo begodu angeze ngikulibale lokho. Ukucabanga ngalokho kungisiza ngilotjhe uJehova ngethabo nanyana ngiqalene neentjhijilo.”

15. Kubayini uDavida azizwa avuselelekile? (Qala nesithombe.)

¹⁵ “Uvuselela umphefumulwami.”  Ngezinye iinkhathi, uDavida bekazizwa agandelelekile ngebanga lemiraro neentjhijilo ebekaqalana nazo. (Rhu. 18:​4-6) Nanyana kunjalo, ithando nokutlhogonyelwa nguJehova kwamvuselela. UJehova wasa umnganakhe odiniweko “emadlelweni ahlaza” ‘neendaweni zokuphumula ezinamanzi amanengi.’ Lokho kwamqinisa uDavida begodu wakghona ukuragela phambili alotjha uJehova.—Rhu. 18:​28-32.

16. Likuvuselele njani ithando lakaJehova?

¹⁶ Nanamhlanjesi, “kungebanga lethando elithembekileko lakaJehova bona singakaqedwa” nasiqalene nemiraro yokuphila neenlingo. (IsiL. 3:22; Kol. 1:11) Cabanga ngesibonelo saka-Rachel. Wezwa ubuhlungu khulu lokha indodakhe imtjhiya beyatjhiya noJehova hlangana nesindabelaphi i-COVID-19. Khuyini uJehova amenzela yona? Uthi: “UJehova wenze isiqinisekiso sokuthi ngizizwa ngithandwa. Wanginikela abangani ebebazipha isikhathi sokuba nami, bangilethele ukudla, bangithumele imilayezo ekhuthazako, bamomotheke nami begodu bahlala bangikhumbuza ukuthi uJehova unendaba nami. Ngihlala ngithokoza uJehova ngokunginikela umndeni omkhulu onethando.”

17. Kubayini uDavida azizwa ‘angasabi litho’?

¹⁷ “Angisabi litho, ngombana wena unami.” Ukuphila kwakaDavida bekuhlala kusengozini begodu bekanamanaba amanengi ayingozi. Nanyana kunjalo, ithando lakaJehova lamenza wazizwa avikelekile begodu aphephile. UDavida bekakghona ukubona ukuthi uJehova bekanaye kibo boke ubujamo begodu lokho kwamqinisa. Yeke, wabhina wathi: “[UJehova] wangihlenga kikho koke engikusabako.” (Rhu. 34:4) UDavida bekasaba ngezinye iinkhathi kodwana wakuhlula ukusaba kwakhe ngombana bekazi ukuthi uJehova uyamthanda.

18. Ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uyakuthanda kungakuqinisa njani nawuthukiweko?

¹⁸ Ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda kusiqinisa  njani nasiqalene nobujamo obusisabisako? U-Susi oliphayona uhlathulula indlela yena nendodakhe ebebazizwa ngayo lokha indodanabo nayizibulalako, uthi: “Nakwenzeka isehlakalo esitsirimezako, sikutjhiya ubogaboga begodu unganathemba. Kodwana ithando lakaJehova lisenze sazizwa sivikelekile begodu siphephile.” U-Rachel, ekukhulunywe ngaye phambilini, uthi: “Ngobunye ubusuku, ngezwa ubuhlungu ehliziyweni, ngitshwenyekile begodu ngithukiwe, ngathandaza kuJehova. Khonokho, ngezwa ukuthi uJehova uthoba ihliziywami, ngehlisa umoya begodu ngabanjwa buthongo. Angeze ngisikhohlwe isikhatheso.” Umdala webandla obizwa ngo-Tasos wahlala iminyaka emine ejele ngebanga lokwala ukuya epini. Walibona njani ithando nokutlhogonyelwa nguJehova? Uthi: “UJehova wanginikela koke ebengikutlhoga nokungaphezu kwakho. Lokho kwangiqinisekisa ukuthi ngingathembela kuye ngokupheleleko. UJehova wanginikela ithabo ngomoyakhe nangisejele nanyana bengisendaweni egandelelako. Lokhu kwangiqinisekisa ukuthi nangithembela kuJehova, kulapho ngizokubona khona ukuthi uyangithanda. Yeke, ngathoma ukuba liphayona lesikhathi esizeleko ngisejele.”

TJHIDELA KUZIMAKHO ONETHANDO

19. (a) Ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda kungayithinta njani indlela esithandaza ngayo? (b) Ngiyiphi ihlathululo yethando lakaJehova ekukghwatha khulu? (Funda ibhoksi elithi “ Amezwi Angakusiza Uzwe Ithando Elifuthumeleko LakaJehova.”)

¹⁹ Koke lokhu okwenzeke ebantwini esikhulume ngabo kutjengisa ukuthi uJehova, “uZimu wethando,” unathi! (2 Kor. 13:11) Unendaba nomuntu ngamunye. Siyaqiniseka ukuthi ‘sibhodwe lithando lakhe.’ (Rhu. 32:10) Nasisolo sicabangisisa ngendlela asitjengise ngayo ukuthi uyasithanda, ithando lakhe liba ngelamambala kithi begodu sitjhidelana naye. Singathandaza kuye ngokutjhaphulukileko bese simtjele ukuthi silitlhoga kangangani ithando lakhe. Singamtjela izinto ezisitshwenyako siqiniseke ukuthi uyazwisisa nokuthi ufuna ukusisiza.—Rhu. 145:​18, 19.

20. Ithando lakaJehova lisitjhideza njani khulu kuye?

²⁰ Nakumakhaza, sifuna ukuba semlilweni ofuthumeleko, yeke nathi sifuna ukuba sethandweni lakaJehova elifuthumeleko. Ithando lakaJehova linamandla kodwana akasiphathi ngesandla esiqinileko. Yeke, yamukela ithando elifuthumeleko lakaJehova ekuphileni kwakho. Kwanga soke singalamukela ithando lakaJehova ngokuthi sithi: “Ngiyamthanda uJehova”!—Rhu. 116:1.