1. Ngimiphi eminye yemiraro esiqalana nayo? Alo kubayini uJehova athaba ngabakhulekeli bakhe? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

NAWE ungakufakazela ukuthi ukuphila kubudisi khulu ephasineli. Inengi lenu banakwethu nabodadwethu niqalene namalwele. Kuthi abanye benu baziluphalele banjalo nje batlhogomela iinhlobo zabo ezilupheleko. Abanye abakghoni ukutlhogomela imindenabo ngezinto ezitlhogako. Siyazi nokuthi anikaqalani nomraro munye nje kwaphela, kodwana niqalene neminengi ngesikhathi sinye. Lokhu kutlhoga isikhathi, amandla nemali enengi. Nanyana kunjalo, anilisi ukuthemba uZimu. Niyazi ukuthi izinto zizokuba ncono khulu esikhathini esizako. Ukukholwa kwenokho anazi bona kumthabisa kangangani uJehova!

2. Umtlolo ka-Isaya 40:29 usikhuthaza ngani, kodwana ngimiphi imitjhapho esingayenza?

² Inga-kghani unokuzizwa ngasuthi imiraro oqalene nayo angeze wakghona ukuyikghodlhelelela? Nakhibe unokuzizwa njalo kufuze wazi bona awusiwedwa. Nasifunda iBhayibheli sifumana ukuthi abanye babakhulekeli bakaZimu kukhe kwaba nesikhathi la baphelelwa mamandla khona. (1 Kho. 19:4; Job. 7:7) Kodwana kunokuthi balahle itewu, bathembela kuJehova. Akhenge baphele amandla, ngombana uZimu ‘umupha amandla, loyo obuthakathaka.’ (Isa. 40:29) Nokho kuyadanisa ukuthi abanye abantu bakaZimu kuthi nakuvela imiraro ekuphileni, ‘babone kuncono  ukuthi khebaphumule ekulotjheni uJehova.’ Yeke lokho kwenza kubonakale ngasuthi imisebenzethu yobuKrestu imithwalo, kunokobana ibe sibusiso. Balisa ukufunda iBhayibheli, bangasaya esifundweni nesimini. Benza khona lokho uSathana afuna bakwenze.

3. (a) Yini esingayenza ekuzivikeleni kuSathana? (b) Sizokukhuluma ngani esihlokwenesi?

³ Kazi uSathana uyazi ukuthi nange siphasi phezulu nemsebenzi kaJehova sizokuqina, okuyinto angafuni nokuyibona-ke leyo. Yeke nakwenzeka uzizwe uphela amandla namkha udiniwe, ungakucabangi nokukucabanga ukutjhiya uJehova. Kunokuthi wenze njalo linga ukutjhidelana naye, ngombana nawenza njalo ‘uzakuvuselela, akusekele, akuqinise abe akwakhe.’ (1 Pit. 5:10; Jak. 4:8) Esihlokwenesi sizokufunda ngezinto ezimbili ezingasenza singasamsebenzeli kuhle uZimu, besidembe neyokuthi iBhayibheli lingasisiza njani bona sikghodlhelele. Akhesithome ngokucoca ngokuthi kubayini sithi uJehova unawo amandla wokusisiza sikghodlhelele njengombana kuveziwe emtlolweni ka-Isaya 40:26-31.

4. Yini esingayifunda emtlolweni ka-Isaya 40:26?

⁴ Funda u-Isaya 40:26. Akekho umuntu okhewabala zoke iinkwekwezi. Abososayensi bakholelwa ukuthi umthala we-Milky Way uwodwa nje uneenkwekwezi ezimabhiloyini ama-400. Kodwana uJehova uzithiye zoke njalo amabizo. Alo sifundani-ke thina ngalokho? Nange uJehova atjheja izinto ezingaphiliko ngendlela le, akhucabange bona wena ukutjheja kangangani njengombana umlotjha. Begodu awumlotjhi ngombana uhlelwe bona wenze njalo kodwana kungebanga lokuthi uyamthanda. (Rhu. 19:2, 4, 15, [19:1, 3, 14, NW]) UBabethu lo ukwazi ukusuka nokuhlala. “Ngitjho neenhluthu ehlokwakho [uzibale] zoke.” (Mat. 10:30) Umrhubi usiqinisekisa ngamezwi naka: “USomnini uyawazi amalanga walabo abamsulwa.” (Rhu. 37:18) Uyazazi iinlingo ohlangabezana nazo, yeke uzakupha amandla wokubekezela.

5. Yini esenza siqiniseke bona uJehova angasipha amandla wokukghodlhelela?

⁵ Funda u-Isaya 40:28. UJehova umthombo wamandla. Akhucabange ngamandla aselangeni. Omunye umrhubhululi wesayensi uDavid Bodanis wathi: “Amandla ilanga eliwakhiphako ngomzuzwana alingana neenthuthumbisi ze-atomic ezimabhiloyoni.” Omunye umrhubhululi uthi yena, “Umtjhiso welanga . . . ngomzuzwana nje, ungasiza abantu ngezinto abazitlhogako iminyaka engaba zii-200 000”! UZimu nguye ofake amandla la elangeni, alo utjho bona angabhalelwa na ukusipha amandla wokukghodlhelelela imiraro esiqalana nayo?

6. Sikutjhwiso yini ukuthi ijogi lakaJesu lilula, begodu ukwazi lokho kufuze kusithinte njani?

⁶ Funda u-Isaya 40:29. Ukulotjha uJehova kuthabisa khulu. UJesu wathi ebafundini bakhe: “Thathani ijogi lami.” Waraga wathi: ‘nizozifumanela ukuphumula ngombana ijogi lami ngelomusa nomthwalo wami ulula.’ (Mat. 11:28-30) Amezwi la aliqiniso! Phela ngezinye iinkhathi ngaphambi kokuthi siye esifundweni namkha esimini khesizizwe sidinwe khulu. Umbuzo uthi nasibuyako sizizwa njani? Sizizwa sincono khulu, begodu silungele nokuqalana nemiraro yepilo. Kuliqiniso ukuthi ijogi lakaJesu lilula!

7. Akhusicocele ngesibonelo esitjengisa ukuthi amezwi akuMatewu 11:28-30 kwamambala aliqiniso.

⁷ Omunye udade esisombiza ngo-Kayla waqalana nomraro wokuhlala adiniwe, ukugandeleleka khulu nokuphathwa yihloko engapheliko. Lokho bekwenza kube budisi  ukuthi aye esifundweni. Kodwana kwathi ngelinye ilanga, walinga ngamandla bona aye esifundweni. Watlola wathi: “Ikulumo yamhlokho beyikhuluma ngomraro wokuphela amandla. Umnakwethu obekasibekela ikulumo ngelangelo wayibeka kuhle, ngombana bekanezwela. Lokho kwenza bona ngilile iinyembezi. Ngakhunjuzwa ukuthi kuqakathekile ukuba khona esifunweni.” Kwamthabisa khulu udadwethu lo ukuthi wenza koke angakwenza bona aye esifundweni!

8, 9. Umpostoli uPowula bekatjho ukuthi nakathi: “Nangibogabogako, kulapho-ke nginamandla khona”?

⁸ Funda u-Isaya 40:30. Kungakhathaliseki bona sinamakghono angangani, kunezinto esingekhe sakghona ukuzenza ngamandlethu. Soke kufuze sikufunde lokho. UPowula bekanekghono lokwenza izinto ezinengi, kodwana zikhona izinto ebengeze akghona ukuzenza ngitjho nanyana afuna. Watjela uZimu ukuthi uzizwa njani. UZimu wamphendula wathi: “Amandlami enziwa aphelele ekubogabogeni.” UPowula wakuzwisisa kuhle khulu lokho, kungebangelo athi: “Nangibogabogako, kulapho-ke nginamandla khona.” (2 Kor. 12:7-10) Bekatjho ukuthini kuhlekuhle uPowula?

⁹ UPowula walemuka ukuthi zimbalwa khulu izinto angazenza ngamandlakhe. Kodwana ummoya kaZimu ngiwo ebewungamupha amandla awatlhogako. Bewungamsiza enze imisebenzi ebengeze avuka ayenzile ngewakhe amandla. Kungenzeka lokho nakithi. Nange uJehova angasipha amandlakhe, nakanjani sizokuqina!

10. UJehova wamsiza njani uDavida bona akghodlhelelele imiraro aqalana nayo?

¹⁰ Umrhubi uDavida wakuveza kanengi ukuthi ummoya kaZimu unamandla kanganani. Wabhina wathi: “Ngesizo lakho ngingathelekela ibutho, ngoZimami ngingeqa umthangala wedorobho.” (Rhu. 18:30, [18:29, NW]) Kuneminye imiraro efana nomthangala omude, angeze sakghona ‘ukuyeqa’ ngamandlethu, sitlhoga ukusizwa nguJehova.

11. Akhusihlathululele bona ummoya ocwengileko udlala yiphi indima ekusisizeni siqalane nemirarwethu.

¹¹ Funda u-Isaya 40:31. Ikhozi naliphaphako alisebenzisi amandlalo kwaphela. Kodwana libuye lifumane amandla avela emmoyeni ofuthumeleko bona uzoliphakamisa, lokho kulongela amandla. Yeke nawuqalene nomraro ongaphezu kwamandlakho, ukhumbule ikhozi. Bawa uJehova akuphakamise ‘ngomsizi, ummoya ocwengileko.’ (Jwa. 14:26) Kuyathabisa ukwazi ukuthi singabawa uJehova nanyana kunini nasitlhoga ummoyakhe ocwengileko, kungakhathaliseki bona kusebusuku namkha emini. Singambawa khulukhulu nange sidaniswa mnakwethu namkha udadwethu. Kanti kuhlekuhle kubayini kunande kuba nokudosisana?

12, 13. (a) Kubayini amaKrestu aba nokungaboni ngalihlo linye ngasikhathi? (b) Umlando kaJosefa lo usifundisani ngoJehova?

¹² Iye khona ngasikhathi khesingaboni izinto ngalihlo linye. Kubangelwa yini lokho? Sinesono. Kuzokuba nesikhathi lapho sizokusilingwa mamezwi namkha izenzo zomnakwethu nofana udadwethu. Kanti nathi singabasilinga abanye abantu ngezinye iinkhathi. Lokho kungaba silingo tle! Kodwana kungasinikela ithuba lokutjengisa ukuthi sithembeke kangangani kuJehova. Sizokufunda ukusebenza ngebumbano nabanakwethu nabodadwethu. Sikhumbule ukuthi uJehova uyabathanda ngitjho nanyana banesono banjalo, yeke nathi kuzokufuze sibathande.

¹³ UJehova akabavikeli abakhulekeli bakhe bona bangalingwa, lokho sikubona kuhle khulu endabeni kaJosefa. Kwathi asesemsanyana, abanakwabo ngebanga  lokumfela umona bamthengisa bona ayokuba sigqila eGibhide. (Gen. 37:28) UJehova wakubona koke okwenzekako begodu siyazi ukuthi wabuzwa tle ubuhlungu bokubona umnganakhe, indoda ezilungeleko iphathwa ngaleyo ndlela. Nanyana kunjalo, uJehova akunalitho alenzako. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, uJosefa wanindwa ngomlandu wokulinga ukukata umkaPothifara, wabe wayokuvalelwa ngesikhungweni. Nalapho uJehova akunalitho alenzako. Alo inga-kghani lokho kutjho ukuthi uZimu besele alibele ngoJosefa? IBhayibheli lithi: “USomnini wamphumelelisa kinanyana yini agade ayenza.”—Gen. 39:21-23.

14. Kusisiza ngani ukubalekela ukuba nelaka?

¹⁴ Omunye owaba sibonelo nguDavida. Abasibanengi abantu abakhe baphathwa kumbi njengoDavida. Nanyana kwezeka koke lokho akhenge abe mumuntu onelaka. Kungebangelo atlola wathi: “Lisa ukuhluthuleka, utjhide elakeni, ungathakasi ngabenzi bobumbi.” (Rhu. 37:8) Ibanga eliqakatheke khulu ‘lokulisa’ ukuba nelaka kukuthi sifuna ukulingisa uJehova, ngombana “akasiphathi njengokufanele izono zethu.” (Rhu. 103:10) Kunezinye godu izinto esizozifumana nasibalekela ukuba nelaka. Nasinelaka sizibeka emathubeni wokufumana amagulo anjenge-high blood pressure namalwele wehliziyo. Kungasibangela imiraro yesibindi, ipancreas (okukugula okungakubangela itjhukela ngokukhamba kwesikhathi) nemiraro yendeni engagayi kuhle. Phela nasisilingekile asikghoni ukucabanga kuhle. Ngasikhathi ukuba nelaka kubangela ukugandeleleka kwesikhathi eside. Kungebangelo iBhayibheli lithi: “Ihliziyo enokuthula ikuphila komzimba.” (IzA. 14:30) Alo sizokubona senzeni nange umnakwethu namkha udadwethu asizwise ubuhlungu, begodu singakwenza njani ukuthula nabafowethu? Ukusebenzisa iseluleko seBhayibheli kungasisiza khulu.

15, 16. Nange kunomnakwethu namkha udadwethu okuphethe kumbi, ungayilungisa njani indaba?

¹⁵ Funda be-Efesu 4:26. Abantu abangamlotjhiko uJehova nabakuphatha kumbi awurareki. Kodwana kuyahluka-ke lokha nasiphathwa babantu bemakhaya, umnakwethu namkha udadwethu kumbi kungaba ngezenzo namkha amagama, lapho-ke sivele sidane khulu. Kanengi asikulibali lokho. Inga-kghani uzokuhlala unelaka? Kghani uzokulalela lokho okutjhiwo liBhayibheli ngokulungisa iindaba msinyana? Kufuze sazi ukuthi nange siriyada ukulungisa indaba leyo, kuzokuba budisi khulu ukwenza ukuthula.

¹⁶ Izokuthiwani-ke nange umnakwethu namkha udadwethu akuphethe kumbi, begodu  awukghoni ukulisa ukucabanga ngayo? Yini ongayenza bona wenze ukuthula? Kokuthoma nje, thandaza. Ubawe uJehova akusize bona ikulumwakho nomnakwenu namkha udadwenu iphethe kuhle. Ungalibali ukuthi ukhuluma nomngani kaJehova. (Rhu. 25:14) UZimu uyamthanda. UJehova uphatha abakhulekeli bakhe ngomusa, yeke ufuna nathi senze soneso. (IzA. 15:23; Mat. 7:12; Kol. 4:6) Ngemva kokuthi wenze koke lokho, thoma uhlele ukuthi uzokuthini. Ungazitjeli ukuthi umnakwenu namkha udadwenu ukulimaze ngehloso. Mhlamunye sekwenzeke ubutjhapho nje. Begodu ukwamukele ukuthi nawe kungenzeka kunendima oyidlalileko endabeni le. Ungathoma ngokuthi: “Ungangizwa kumbi kungenzeka ukuthi ngikhubeka msinya, sekukuthi indlela okhulume ngayo nami kizolo ingenze ngazizwa . . . ” Nange kungakhambi ngendlela ebewucabanga ukuthi kuzokhamba ngayo, yenza elinye ithuba lokwenza ukuthula. Kodwana wena ungalisi ukuthandezela umnakwenu, ubawe uJehova bona ambusise. Umbawe uZimu akusize ubone izinto ezihle kumnakwethu namkha udadwethu. Kungakhathaliseki bona izinto zikhamba njani, qiniseka bona uJehova uthaba khulu ngokuthi wenze okusemandlenakho bona wenze ukuthula nomngani kaJehova.

17. Ngiziphi izinto uJehova azisebenzisako bona asisize sibuyisane naye nasenze isono, begodu kubayini kufuze sizisebenzise kuhle izintwezo?

¹⁷ Abanye bazibona bangakufanelekeli ukulotjha uJehova ngebanga lokuthi benze izono ezikulu. Ukuzizwa umlandu kungakuqedela ukuthula, ithabo kuqede namandla. IKosi uDavida nayo yakhe yalwisana nokuzizwa imlandu, yathi: “Kwathi nangithulileko, umzimbami wanyefa ngokububula kwami ilanga loke ngombana ubusuku nemini isandla sakho besinzima phezu kwami.” Nokho okuthabisako kukuthi uDavida waba nesibindi sokwenza intando kaJehova. Watlola wathi: “Ngasivuma isono sami kuwe wena wathethelela icala lesono sami.” (Rhu. 32:3-5) Nakhibe wenze isono esikhulu, uJehova uzimisele ukukusiza ulungise. Kufuze umvumele akusize ngebandla lakhe. (IzA. 24:16; Jak. 5:13-15) Ungathomi uriyade! Ngombana indaba le ibandakanya ithemba lakho lokuyokuphila ephasini elitjha. Alo ithiwani nange usazizwa umlandu ngesono owasenzeko ngitjho nanyana sesadenjwa?

18. Indaba kaPowula ibasisiza njani labo abalwisana namazizo wokuzizwa bangasililitho?

¹⁸ Nompostoli uPowula naye kukhe kwaba nesikhathi lapho azizwa agandelelwa zizono azenzako. Wathi: “Ngombana ngingomncani ebapostolini, begodu akukangifaneli ukubizwa ngokuthi ngimpostoli, ngombana ngahlunguphaza ibandla lakaZimu. Kodwana ngomusa omkhulu kaZimu ngingilokhu engingikho.” (1 Kor. 15:9, 10) UJehova bekathanda uPowula njengombana bekanjalo, begodu bekafuna uPowula akwazi lokho. Nange uphenduke ngeqiniso bewazivuma izono zakho, qiniseka bona uJehova uzokwenzela umusa. Mkholwe uJehova nakathi ukulibalele.—Isa. 55:6, 7.

19. Sithini isihloko somnyaka ka-2018, begodu kubayini sifanele?

¹⁹ Njengombana iphaseli liya ekupheleni, kufuze silindele ubudisi obukhulu. Uwakholwe amezwi athi uZimu “odiniweko umupha amandla, aqinise khulu amandla waloyo obuthakathaka.” Yeke nawe angakupha amandla wokukghodlhelela. (Isa. 40:29; Rhu. 55:22; 68:20, [55:23, 68:19, NW]) Ngomnyaka ka-2018 lo, qobe nasiya esifundweni sizokukhunjuzwa amezwi naka amtlolo womnyaka: “Abaqalelela [“kuJehova, NW”] bazakufumana amandla amatjha.”—Isa. 40:31.