1, 2. Kubayini kungakafaneli bona sisole uJehova ngemiraro yabantu? Fanekisa.

KHESITHI uyindoda esele ineminyaka eminengi isemtjhadweni othabisako. Kodwana langelinye newufika kwakho, ufumana izinto zitjharagene. Kuphulwe ifenitjhara, kwaphadlhwa izitja, kanti nomada wonakele kangangobana angeze usalunga. Indlwakho ethandekako seyibe yindawo yehlekelele. Inga-kghani uzokuthi, “Umkami ukwenzeleni lokhu?” Namtjhana bewungatjhigamela khulu ekubuzeni ukuthi, “Ngubani owenze lokhu?” Akunakuzaza bona umbuzo wesibili ngiwo ozokufika mantanzi engqondwenakho. Kubayini? Ngombana uyazi bona isithandwa sakho besingeze senza umonakalo omumbi kangako.

² Namhlanjesi, sibona ikhaya labantu lonakaliswe kusilaphala, yinturhu nokuziphatha okumbi. Njengabafundi beBhayibheli, siyazi bona uJehova akasingunobangela wemiraro le. Wabumba iphaseli bona libe yipharadesi elithabisako. (Gen. 2:8, 15) UJehova unguZimu wethando. (1 Jwa. 4:8) Ukutaditjha kwethu imiTlolo kusisize sabona unobangela wamambala weminengi yemiraro yephasi. Kungaba ngubani ngaphandle kwakaSathana uDeveli, “umbusi wephaseli.”—Jwa. 14:30; 2 Kor. 4:4.

3. Ukucabanga kwethu kungahlanekelwa njani?

³ Nokho, akukafaneli sisole uSathana ngayo yoke imirarwethu. Kubayini? Ngombana eminye yemirarwethu ibangelwa mitjhapho yethu. (Funda uDuteronomi 32:4-6.) Nanyana singavumelana neqiniswelo, ukungapheleli kwethu kungahlanekela ukucabanga kwethu kusenze siswaphelise ngokukhamba endleleni erholela ehlekeleleni. (IzA. 14:12) Kungenzeka njani lokho? Esikhundleni sokuzisola thina namkha uSathana ngomraro othileko, singathoma ukusola uJehova. Singafikela neqophelweni ‘lokulwisana noJehova.’—IzA. 19:3.

4, 5. UmKrestu ‘angalwisana njani noJehova’?

 ⁴ Kungenzeka kwamambala na bona ‘silwisane noJehova’? Ngokuqinisekileko ukwenza njalo bekungaba lilize. (Isa. 41:11) Besingathi sifuna ukuzuzani? Enye imbongi kheyathi: “Umkhonwakho mfitjhani khulu bona ungalwisana noZimu ngamaguduva.” Kungenzeka singasivezi ngokuzwakalako isinghonghoyilo sethu ngoJehova. Kodwana IzAga 19:3 zithi ubudlhadlha bomuntu ‘buhlakaza indlelakhe, ngalokho ihliziywakhe ilwisana [noJehova].” Kwamambala, umuntu angakwatela uZimu ehliziywenakhe. Ukucabanga okunjalo kungaziveza ngeendlela ezibhacileko. Kungaba ngokuthi umuntu abe ngasuthi ubambele uJehova amavunda. Ngebanga lalokho, umuntu loyo angalisa ukuhlanganyela nebandla namkha angasasekeli ngokuzeleko amalungiselelo wokukhulekela uJehova.

⁵ Khuyini engasenza ‘silwisane noJehova’? Singasibalekela njani isithiyweso? Kuqakathekile bona sazi iimpendulo zemibuzo leyo. Ngombana indaba le ithinta ubuhlobo bethu noJehova uZimu!

6, 7. Kubayini ama-Israyeli ngesikhathi sakaMosi athoma ukunghoghoyila ngoJehova?

⁶ Khuyini engenza ihliziyo yenceku kaJehova ethembekileko ithome ukunghonghoyila ngoZimakhe? Khesicabangele amaphuzu amahlanu begodu sihlaziye iimbonelo zeBhayibheli ezitjengisa bona esikhathini esidlulileko abanye bawela njani esithiywenesi.—1 Kor. 10:11, 12.

⁷ Ikulumo embi yabanye ingaba nomthelela kithi. (Funda uDuteronomi 1:26-28.) Ama-Israyeli bekasand’ ukutjhatjhululwa ebukghobeni beGibhide. UJehova bekalethe amatshwenyeko alitjhumi esitjhabeni esigandelelakweso begodu ngemva kwalokho warhayila uFaro nebutho lakhe eLwandle Elibomvu. (Eks. 12:29-32, 51; 14:29-31; Rhu. 136:15) Abantu bakaZimu besele bakulungele ukungena eNarheni yesiThembiso. Kodwana, ngesikhathi esiqakathekilekweso, ama-Israyeli athoma ukunghonghoyila ngoJehova. Khuyini eyababangela bona angabi nekholo? Angenwa mamanzi emadolweni nekezwa umbiko omumbi owalethwa ngezinye iinhloli ezathunyelwa bona ziyokuhlola inarha. (Num. 14:1-4) Waba yini umphumela? Isizukulwana soke azange sivunyelwe ukungena ‘enarheni ehle.’ (Dut. 1:34, 35) Kungenzeka ngathi na bona ngezinye iinkhathi ikulumo embi yabanye ibogabogise ikholo lethu begodu isibangele bona singhonghoyile ngendlela uJehova asebenzelana ngayo nathi?

8. Khuyini eyenza abantu bakaZimu ngesikhathi saka-Isaya bathoma ukusola uJehova ngobujamo babo?

⁸ Ubudisi bungasidanisa. (Funda u-Isaya 8:21, 22, NW.) Ngesikhathi saka-Isaya, isitjhaba sakwaJuda sazifumana sisebudisini obukhulu. Bebabhodwe manaba. Ukudla bekuyindlala. Abanengi bebaphethwe yiphango. Kodwana okuqakatheke khulu, bebaphethwe yindlala engokomoya. (Amo. 8:11) Nokho, esikhundleni sokubawa isizo lokuqalana nobudisobu kuJehova, bathoma ‘ukuthuka’ ikosabo noZimabo. Iye, basola uJehova ngemirarwabo. Nesiqalene nebangamatlhuwo namkha imiraro yomuntu mathupha, kungenzeka na bona nathi eenhliziyweni zethu sithi, ‘Bekakuphi uJehova nengimtlhogako?’

9. Kubayini ama-Israyeli ngesikhathi sakaHezekiyeli aba nombono omumbi?

⁹ Asazi woke amaqiniso. Ngebanga lokungazi woke amaqiniso, ama-Israyeli ngesikhathi sakaHezekiyeli aba namazizo wokuthi indlela kaJehova ‘ayikalungi.’ (Hez. 18:29) Bekunjengokungathi azenza abahluleli bakaZimu, abeka zawo iinkambiso zokulunga ngaphezu kwezakaJehova begodu amahlulela ngokusekelwe elwazini lawo elingakapheleli ngezinto egade zenzeka. Nengabe  ngezinye iinkhathi asikuzwisisi ngokuzeleko ukulandisa kweBhayibheli okuthileko namkha indlela izinto ezenzeka ngayo ekuphileni kwethu, kungenzeka na ehliziywenethu sizizwe ngasuthi indlela kaJehova ‘ayikalungi’?—Job. 35:2.

10. Umuntu angasilandela njani isibonelo saka-Adamu esimbi?

¹⁰ Sisola abanye ngezono namkha imitjhapho yethu. Ekuthomeni komlando wabantu, u-Adamu wasola uZimu ngesono sakhe. (Gen. 3:12) Ngitjho nanyana u-Adamu eqa umthetho kaZimu ngabomu begodu azi kuhle bona umphumela uzokuba yini, wasola uJehova. Eqinisweni, bekathi uJehova umnikele umfazi omumbi. Kusukela ngesikhatheso, abanye balandele isibonelo saka-Adamu sokusola uZimu ngemitjhapho bona abayenzako. Senza kuhle ngokuzibuza, ‘Kungenzeka na bona ukudana nokutjharaganiswa mitjhapho yami kungenze bona nginganeliswa mithethokambiso kaJehova?’

11. Ngisiphi isifundo esingasifunda kuJona?

¹¹ Ukuzicabangela ngokudluleleko. Umphorofidi uJona waba nomraro ngesiqunto sakaJehova malungana neNiniva. (Jona 4:1-3) Kubayini? Kubonakala ngasuthi bekatshwenyeke khulu ngokulahlekelwa sithunzi sakhe lokha isimemezelo sakhe sokutjhatjalaliswa singafezeki. UJona wavumela ukutshwenyeka ngedumo lakhe bona kusithibeze nanyana ngisiphi isirhawu ebekufuze abe naso ngabantu beNiniva abatjhugulukileko. Kungenzeka na bona nathi sizicabangele ngokudluleleko kangangobana ‘silwisane noJehova’ ngokobana usengakalethi isiphelo? Nengabe sesinamatjhumi weminyaka sitjhumayela ukuthi ilanga lakaJehova litjhidele, kungenzeka na sithome ukuphelela uJehova ihliziyo abanye nebasinyefulako ngokutjhumayela lokho iBhayibheli ekutjhoko?—2 Pit. 3:3, 4, 9.

12, 13. Nengabe eenhliziyweni zethu sithoma ukusola eminye yemisebenzi kaJehova, yini ekufuze singayiliseleli?

¹² Singenzani nengabe ihliziyo yethu enesono ithoma ukuzaza eminye yemisebenzi kaJehova? Khumbula ukuthi akusikuhlakanipha  ukwenza lokho. Enye itjhugululo yezAga 19:3 ithi: “Ukungazi komuntu kutjharaganisa imisebenzi yakhe bese yena ahlasele uJehova.” (Byington) Sinalokho engqondweni, nje asicabangele izinto ezihlanu ezingasisiza bona singathomi sivumele amatshwenyeko wokuphila asenze sisole uJehova.

¹³ Singaliseleli ubuhlobo bethu noJehova. Singakhandela imikghwa yokungapheleli bona isenze silwisane noZimu ngokubulunga ubuhlobo obuhle naye. (Funda IzAga 3:5, 6.) Kufuze sithembele kuJehova. Godu kutlhogeka sibalekele ukuzibona njengabahlakaniphileko emehlwenethu nofana sibe ngabazicabangela ngokudluleleko. (IzA. 3:7; UmTj. 7:16) Ngalokho kuzokuba namathuba amanengi wokobana singasoli uJehova nekwenzeka izinto ezimbi.

14, 15. Yini engasisiza singalinyazwa ziinkulumo zabantu ezimbi?

¹⁴ Ungavumeli iinkulumo ezingakhiko zikulimaze. Ama-Israyeli wangesikhathi sakaMosi bekanesizathu sokukholelwa bona uJehova uzowafikisa eNarheni yesiThembiso. (Rhu. 78:43-53) Nasizindla ngemisebenzi kaJehova, sikhumbule zoke izinto ezihle asenzele zona, sizokuqinisa ubuhlobo bethu naye. Lokho, kuzosenza singavumeli iinkulumo zabanye ezingakhiko zakhe iboda hlangana nathi noJehova.—Rhu. 77:12, 13 [77:11, 12, NW].

¹⁵ Kuthiwani nangabe sinombono omumbi ngabakhulekeli esikunye nabo? Ngaphasi kobujamo obunjalo, ubuhlobo bethu noJehova bungalimala. (1 Jwa. 4:20) Lokha ama-Israyeli asola ukukhethwa nesikhundla saka-Aroni, uJehova waqala isenzweso njengokububula ngokujamelene naye. (Num. 17:10) Ngokufanako, nasingathoma ukusilingeka nokuvukela labo uJehova abasebenzisako bona anqophise ingcenye esephasini yehlangano yakhe, isiphetho singaba kukuthi singhonghoyila ngoJehova.—Heb. 13:7, 17.

16, 17. Khuyini esitlhoga ukuyikhumbula nesiba nemiraro?

¹⁶ Khumbula bona imirarwethu ayibangelwa nguJehova. Nanyana ama-Israyeli wangesikhathi saka-Isaya amtjhiya uJehova, bekasafuna ukuwasiza. (Isa. 1:16-19) Kungakhathaliseki bona siqalana namiphi imiraro, singatjhiriyeka ngokwazi bona uJehova unendaba nathi begodu ufuna ukusisiza. (1 Pit. 5:7) Eqinisweni, uthembisa ukusinikela amandla atlhogekako bona siragele phambili sikghodlelela—1 Kor. 10:13.

¹⁷ Nangabe siqalane nokungabi nobulungiswa—njengobana kwenzeka endodeni ethembekileko uJobho—kufuze sizikhumbuze bona uJehova akasingunobangela wemirarwethu. UJehova uyakuhloya ukungabi nobulungiswa, uthanda ukulunga. (Rhu. 33:5) Kwanga njengomngani kaJobho u-Elihu, singavuma ukuthi: “Kukude noZimu ukwenza okumbi, kukude noSabekako ukwenza okuphambeneko.” (Job. 34:10) Kunokubangela imirarwethu, uJehova usinikela “zoke izipho ezilungileko nazo zoke iimphiwo ezipheleleko.”—Jak. 1:13, 17.

18, 19. Kubayini kufuze singazazi uJehova? Hlathulula.

¹⁸ Singazazi uJehova. UZimu uphelele, imicabangwakhe iphakeme kuneyethu. (Isa. 55:8, 9) Ngalokho ukuthobeka nesizotha kufuze kusisize samukele bona silinganiselwe ekuzwisiseni kwethu. (Rom. 9:20) Akusikanengi sazi koke okubandakanyekileko ebujamweni obuthileko. Ngokunganakuzaza, ukhe waqalana nomphumela wesagesi: “Obika indabakhe ntangi ubonakala aseqinisweni bekufike lapha omunye amfaka khona imibuzo.”—IzA. 18:17.

¹⁹ Nengabe sinomngani esimthembako owenza into okungenzeka singayizwisisi ekuthomeni nofana ebonakala ingakajayeleki, singarhaba na ukumsola bona wenze okumbi? Nofana singazimisela na ukuthemba umnganethu, khulukhulu nengabe  sekuminyaka simazi? Nasisebenzelana nabangani bethu abangakapheleli ngethando elinjalo, kufuze sizimisele kangangani ukuthemba uBabethu wezulwini, loyo imicabango neendlela zakhe eziphakeme khulu kunezethu!

20, 21. Kubayini kufuze sisole umuntu ofaneleko?

²⁰ Sola umuntu ofaneleko. Kubayini kufuze senze njalo? Singaba bonobangela beminye yemirarwethu. Nekunjalo, kutlhogeka silivume iqiniswelo. (Gal. 6:7) Ungalingi ukusola uJehova ngemiraro leyo. Kubayini ukwenza njalo kungaba kungacabangeli? Cabangela isibonelwesi: Ikoloyi ingakghona ukukhamba ngebelo elikhulu. Cabanga umtjhayeli asidlula kude khulu isilinganiso esibekwe bona kukhanjwe ngaso nakakhamba endleleni ebhodako, bese uyatjhayisa. Inga-kghani kufuze kusolwe abenzi bekoloyi ngengozi le? Awa! Ngokufanako, uJehova wasibumba sinokuzikhethela. Kodwana wasinikela izeluleko zokobana singazenza njani iinqunto ezihle. Ngalokho kubayini singasola umBumbethu ngemitjhaphwethu?

²¹ Kwamambala, akusiyo yoke imiraro emiphumela yeemphoso zethu zomuntu mathupha nezenzo zethu ezingakalungi. Ezinye izenzakalo zenzeka ngombana ziimpumela wokobana “isikhathi nethuba kubehlela boke.” (UmTj. 9:11) Emaswapheleni, singalahlekelwa liqiniso lokobana uSathana uDeveli ngokuyihloko nguye unobangela wobumbi. (1 Jwa. 5:19; IsAm. 12:9) Nguye inaba—ingasi uJehova!—1 Pit. 5:8.

²² Nawuqalene nobujamo ubumbi nobubudisi, khumbula isibonelo sakaJotjhuwa noKalebi. Ngokungafani nezinye iinhloli ezilitjhumi, amadoda amabili athembekileko la abuya nombiko omuhle. (Num. 14:6-9) Aba nekholo kuJehova. Nanyana kunjalo, kwatlhogeka azulazule emangweni iminyaka ema-40 nawo woke amanye ama-Israyeli. Inga-kghani uJotjhuwa noKalebi banghonghoyila nofana bakwata, bacabanga bona lokhu bekungabafaneli? Awa. Bathembela kuJehova. Babusiswa? Akubuzwa! Ngesikhathi isizukulwana soke sifa emangweni, amadoda amabili la ngokukhamba kwesikhathi angena eNarheni yesiThembiso. (Num. 14:30) Ngokufanako, sizokufumana isibusiso esivela kuJehova nengabe ‘asidinwa’ ukwenza intandwakhe.—Gal. 6:9; Heb. 6:10.

22, 23. Yini ekufuze siyikhumbule nengabe siphelelwa mamandla ngebanga lemirarwethu?

²³ Nengabe uphelelwa mamandla ngebanga lemiraro, ukungapheleli kwabanye, nofana kwakho ukungapheleli, yini ekufuze uyenze? Dzimelela eemfanelweni ezihle zakaJehova. Libone ngamehlo wengqondo ithemba uJehova akunikela lona. Zibuze, ‘Ngathana ngikuphi ngaphandle kwakaJehova?’ Ngasosoke isikhathi hlala uhlanu kwakhe, begodu ungavumeli ihliziywakho ilwisane naye!