1. Thina simfuze njani uZimu njengombana sibunjwe ngomfanekiswakhe nje?

“IKOVU imila ethangeni,” atjho njalo amaNdebele. Isagesi siqinisile ngombana inengi labantwana lifuze ababelethi balo ngamaratha. Vele, angithi ifuzo yinto umuntu abelethwa nayo, ngikho kuthiwa “ufuze uyihlo,” namkha “ufuze unyoko.” Owenze koke lokhu nguJehova, omthombo wokuphila. (Rhu. 36:10, [36:9, NW]) Nathi njengombana sibabantu sinje, simfuzile. Ngikho sinekghono lokwenza iinqunto nelokwakha ubungani besibuqinise ngombana sibunjwe ngomfanekiswakhe.—Gen. 1:26.

2. Sakhiwa yini isikhozi phakathi kwethu noJehova?

² UJehova angaba Mnganethu omkhulu. Isikhozesi sakhiwa lithando nekholo esinalo ngoZimu nangeNdodanakhe. UJesu wakhe wathi: “Mbala uZimu walithanda kangaka iphasi, wabe wanikela ngeNdodanakhe ebelethwe yodwa, khona kuzakuthi loyo okholwa kiyo angabhubhi, kodwana abe nepilo engapheliko.” (Jwa. 3:16) Zinengi khulu iimbonelo zabantu ebebanesikhozi esikhulu noJehova. Yeke, akhe sithi fahlafahla ngababili babo.

3, 4. Nesikhuluma ngobungani noJehova, u-Abrahamu uhluke njani eenzukulwaneni zakhe?

³ UJehova bekabiza ukhokho wama-Israyeli ngokuthi ‘umnganami u-Abrahamu.’ (Isa. 41:8) Kweyesi-2 iinKronike 20:7 nakhona u-Abrahamu ubizwa ngokuthi mngani kaZimu. Kanti u-Abrahamu  othembekileko lo noMdali wakhe bebahlanganiswa yini? Akukho okhunye ngaphandle kwekholo laka-Abrahamu.—Gen. 15:6; funda uJakopo 2:21-23.

⁴ Iinzukulwana zaka-Abrahamu, isitjhaba sama-Israyeli besithatha uJehova njengoYise nanjengoMngani. Okudanisako kukuthi baqeda isikhozi sabeso noZimu. Kubayini kanti benza njalo? Bebangasakholelwa eenthembisweni zakaJehova.

5, 6. (a) Wena-ke usakhe njani isikhozi sakho noJehova? (b) Ngimiphi imibuzo okufuze sizibuze yona?

⁵ Nawusolo ufunda ngoJehova, ikholo lakho liqina khulu, asisayiphathi-ke yethando lakho ngaye. Uyakhumbula ngesikhathi usathoma ukufunda ngoZimu, bewumthatha njengomuntu wamambala angitjho, umthatha nanjengomuntu ongakha isikhozi naye, akusinjalo? Bewafunda nokuthi soke sazalwa sinesono, ngebanga lokutlhoga indlebe kwaka-Adamu. Wazwisisa nokuthi woke umuntu ukude noZimu ngebanga lesonwesi. (Kol. 1:21) Nanyana kunjalo walemuka bona uBabethu wezulwini akakasilahli, kodwana uyasithanda. Koke lokhu kwafulelwa yifundiso yesihlengo somhlatjelo kaJesu owayifundako, wabanekholo emhlatjelweni lo, kwakwenza wathoma ukwakha isikhozi noZimu.

⁶ Nange usakukhumbula lokho, zibuze naku umbuzo: ‘Sinjani isingani sami noZimu, siyathuthuka na? Ikholo lami nokumthemba kwami kuyakhula na qobe langa? Kunomunye umuntu naye owaphila kade ugubudu asadla ubulongwe, obekamngani omkhulu kaJehova. Loyo-ke nguGidiyoni. Akhesibone ukuthi singafundani esibonelweni sakhesi.

7-9. (a) UGidiyoni wehlakalelwa yini, begodu kwaba namuphi umphumela? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.) (b) Sibuqinisa njani ubungani bethu noJehova?

⁷ Phela umrholi uGidiyoni bekaphila esikhathini la u-Israyeli ebekakwelimagade ahlabako khona ngemva kokungena eNarheni yesiThembiso. Neyilandisako, incwadi yabaKhokheli 6 ithi ingilozi kaJehova yakweriyela uGidiyoni e-Ofira. Phela ngesikhatheso ama-Israyeli bekayinyamana kakatsu kumaMidiyani. Ngikho ebekwenza uGidiyoni athi nakabhula ikoroyi, ayibhulele ngesidiribeni kunokuthi ayibhulele endaweni evulekileko, ukwenzela bona akghone ukuyifihla nekungavuka irawurawu. Wathukwa wapheze waduleka phasi uGidiyoni nakezwa ingilozi imbiza ngengorho, bewayibuza bona kghani uJehova owatjhaphulula ama-Israyeli eGibhide uzowatjhaphulula na nagadesi. Ikhulumela uJehova, ingilozi yamqinisekisa uGidiyoni ukuthi ngambala uJehova unaye.

⁸ Indaba le yamrara uGidiyoni, wasolo azibuza ukuthi kghani kuyakghonakala na bona kube nguye osindisa u-Israyeli “esandleni samaMidiyani.” Ingilozi khenge igwagwanise neyimphendulako: “Ngebanga lokobana nginawe, uzakumadlha amaMidiyani inga umadlha umuntu munye.” (Khok. 6:11-16) Nanyana kunjalo, uGidiyoni khenge ayidle kuhle indaba le, yeke, wathi uZimu akamtjengise isibonakaliso. Nawungayitjheja kuhle ingcoco le, angekhe wangabaza bona uGidiyoni bekathatha uJehova njengomuntu wamambala.

⁹ Okwenzeka ngemva kwalokho, kwaqinisa ikholo lakaGidiyoni, kwamtjhideza kuJehova. Khenge asariyada uGidiyoni, wavele wabamba iimpoto, waphekela ingilozi ukudla. Kuthe ngemva kokuthi ingilozi iqubule umlilo yatjhisa ukudlokha koke, kwakhani kusuka ikungu emehlweni kaGidiyoni, wabona ukuthi kwamambala ingilozi beyivela kuJehova. Wathi nasele ababaza uGidiyoni wathi: “Maye mina Somnini Somandla! Qala-ke sele ngibonene nengilozi kaSomnini ubuso nobuso!” (Khok. 6:17-22) Kghani isehlakalwesi sakha umthangala ohlukanisa uGidiyoni noZimu? Awa! Kunalokho, kwenzeka okuhlukileko. Ngendlela uGidiyoni ebekaqala ngayo uJehova njengomuntu wamambala,  wanyekele wazizwa anokuthula naye. Lokhu sikutjhwiso kukuthi i-aldari uGidiyoni alakha mhlokho walibiza ngokuthi “Jehova-shalomi,” namkha “UJehova ukuthula.” (Funda abaKhokheli 6:23, 24.) Nesizindla ngalokho uZimu asenzela khona ilanga nelanga, kulapho-ke sibona khona ukuthi uJehova umnganethu wamambala. Nesisolo sithandaza kuye, sizizwa sinokuthula, nobungani bethu naye buyaqina.

10. NgokweRhubo 15:3, 5, ziimfuneko bani ezenza umuntu abe mngani noJehova?

¹⁰ Nesifuna ukuba bangani bakaJehova, kunemigomo nemibandela okufuze sikhambisane nayo. Njengombana kutlolwe eRhubweni 15, uDavida wabhina ngeemfuneko zokuba ‘ngetendeni’ lakaJehova, okutjho ukuba mngani kaJehova. (Rhu. 15:1) Akhe sicoce ngezimbili zeemfunekwezi—ukubalekela ihlebo, nokuthembeka kikho koke esikwenzako. Malungana nalokho, uDavida nakakhuluma ngeemfuneko zokuba ngetendeni lakaJehova uthi umuntu onjalo kufuze abe ‘ngongahlebi abanye . . . nongafunjathiswa bona alahle onganamlandu.’—Rhu. 15:3, 5.

11. Kubayini kanti kufuze sikubalekele ukuhleba ngabanye?

¹¹ Kwelinye irhubo uDavida wayelelisa wathi: “[Ofuna ukuba mngani noJehova] akalonde ilimi lakhe ekukhohlakaleni.” (Rhu. 34:14; [34:13, NW]) Nange singabhalelwa kulalela isiluleko esivela kuZimesi, singaziraranisa noBabethu wezulwini ngombana akazwani nomuntu ogida ngethambo lomunye. Eqinisweni, isitha sakaJehova uSathana ngiso esidume ngehlebo. Kwalona ibizo lesiGirigi elithi ‘Develi’ litjho ‘umhlebi’ ngesiNdebele. Yeke, nangabe sifuna ukutjhidelana noJehova, kufuze sibale amagamethu nesikhuluma ngabanye abantu. Isilulekwesi sisebenza khulukhulu nangabe kuditjhwe ngabadala bebandla.—Funda amaHebheru 13:17; Juda 8.

12, 13. (a) Kubayini kufuze sithembeke kiko koke esikwenzako? (b) Ukuthembeka kubathinta njani abanye abantu?

¹² Iinceku zakaZimu zibonakala ngokuthembeka, ingasi ngokutjhatjhanisa. Umpostoli uPowula wathi: “Yeniragele phambili nisithandazela, ngombana siyaqiniseka bona sinesazela esimsulwa ngombana sifisa ukuthembeka kikho koke esikwenzako.” (Heb. 13:18, NW) Ngebanga lokuthi “sifisa ukuthembeka kikho koke esikwenzako,” angekhe sathoma sidlale ngabanakwethu ngombana bamaKrestu. Ngokwesibonelo, nengabe sineensebenzi ezibazalwana, kufuze sibaphathe kuhle, sibabhadele ngendlela esivumelena ngayo nabo. SimaKrestu sinje kufuze sithembeke ebantwini esibaqatjhileko nakiwo woke umuntu. Nengabe siqatjhwe mKrestu esikunye naye, akufaneli sidlale ngaye, sifune ukuzanyelwa sithi ngombana uhlanganyela nathi.

¹³ Kukanengi sizwa bona abanye babantu abangasimaKrestu abawuvali umlomo ngebanga lokusebenzelana kuhle naboFakazi bakaJehova! Ngokwesibonelo, umphathi wegontraga ekulu wakhe watjho bona aboFakazi bayasihlonipha isivumelwano. Wathi: ‘Abasiphuli isifungo nanyana sibuhlungu.’ (Rhu. 15:4) Ukuziphatha okunjalo kuqinisa isikhozi sethu noJehova. Ngaphezu kwalokho kudumisa ibizo lakaBabethu wezulwini.

14, 15. Emsebenzinethu wokutjhumayela, singabasiza njani abanye babe bangani bakaJehova?

¹⁴ Ngitjho nanyana abantu esitjhumayela kibo bakholelwa ukuthi uZimu ukhona, abamthathi njengomuntu abangakha naye isikhozi. Sibasiza njani-ke abanjalo? Cabanga ngeenqophiso uJesu azitjela abafundi bakhe abama-70 nekabathuma ngababili emsebenzini wokutjhumayela, athi: “Naningena  kinanyana ngimuphi umuzi nithome ngokuthi: ‘Ukuthula akube nekhayeli.’ Nakube lapho kunendoda yokuthula, kuzakuhlala phezu kwayo. Nakungasinjalo ukuthula kuzakubuyela kini.” (Luk. 10:5, 6) Nathi-ke kufuze siphuthuluke, sibe nobungani nesicoca nabanye ngeqiniso. Kungasisiza nokobana sehlise nelaka lomuntu osiphikisako, senzela ukuthi nangomuso asamukele.

¹⁵ Ngitjho nanyana kungathiwa abantu esibatjhumayezako bangene ngehloko ekolweni yamala namkha emasikweni, kusafuze sibe nobungani nokuthula nesicoca nabo. Kufuze sibamukele nemihlanganwenethu abantu abanesifiso sokulotjha uZimu ngebanga lokubhebhedlha kokukhohlakala emphakathini abaphila kiwo lo. Iinhloko ezikumagazini lo ezithi “IBhayibheli Litjhugulula Amaphilo” zineembonelo ezihle ezinengi zabantu abanjalo.

16. Kubayini kuthiwa sibangani bakaJehova? Kubayini sibizwa ngeensebenzi ezibambisene noZimu?

¹⁶ Abantu abasebenza ndawonye, abahlukani njengomncamo nerhara. Woke umuntu ozinikele kuJehova unelungelo lokusebenza naye nelokuba mnganakhe. (Funda 1 Korinte 3:9.) Kuliqiniso ukuthi nesikhuthalela ukwenza umsebenzi wokwenza abafundi, simila ubuntu obuthi abufane nebakaBabethu wezulwini. Sibona nendlela umoyakhe osisiza ngayo sikghone ukutjhumayela.

17. Esikufundiswa emihlanganweni emincani nemikhulu kusitjengisa njani bona uJehova Mnganethu?

¹⁷ Nasisolo simajadu ngomsebenzi wokwenza abafundi, kulapho-ke sitjhidelana noJehova. Ngokwesibonelo akhesifunde okuthileko endleni uJehova atjharaganisa ngayo labo abamphikisako. Akhewuqale emva emlandweni weminyaka edlulileko. Kghani uyayibona na indlela uJehova ebesolo asinqophisa ngayo? Lokho asifundisa khona kwanje kuyikarisomraro. Uthini ngemihlangano emincani nemikhulu esenza sizwisise bona uJehova wazi imiraro yethu ukusuka nokuhlala? Omunye umndeni watlola incwadi, uthokoza ngokuba semhlanganweni omkhulu wathi: “Ebekufundiswa emhlanganweni kusizuzise kwamambala. Silemukile bona uJehova usithanda ngehliziywakhe yoke nokuthi ufuna siphumelele.” Ngemva kokuba semhlanganweni okhethekileko we-Ireland, abanye abatjhadi abavela eJarimani, bathokoza ngendlela abamukelwe bebatlhogonyelwa ngayo, bathi: “Anazi bona simthokoza kangangani uJehova neKosi ebekwe nguye uJesu Krestu. Ngibo abasibizele bona sizokuba nyanda yinye nabanakwethu beentjhaba zoke. Asisolo sibethisa amazinyo ngomoya sithi sikhuluma ngobunye. Kunalokho vele siphila phakathi kwabantu abanobunye. Ukuba kwethu semhlanganweni  okhethekileko eDublin kuzasolo kusikhumbuza ngelungelo esinalo lokulotjha uZimu nani noke banakwethu.”

18. Ngimiphi imibuzo esingazibuza yona emalungana nokukhulumisana kwethu noJehova?

¹⁸ Abantu baqinisa isikhozi sabo ngokukhulumisana kuhle. Amalanga la abantu bakhulumisana ngama-sms nangama-Whatsapp, nezinye iindlela zetheknoloji ze-Inthanethi. Nesikhuluma ngesikhozi sethu noJehova, kunjani ukukhulumisana phakathi kwethu naye? Siyavuma, uZimu ‘uyayizwa imithandazo.’ (Rhu. 65:3; [65:2, NW]) Kodwana umbuzo kukuthi sikhuluma naye kangakhi?

19. Ngiliphi isizo esingalifumana nange kungababudisi ukuthululela iimfuba zethu kuBabethu wezulwini?

¹⁹ Akusibulula kwezinye iinceku zakaZimu ukuthulula iimfuba zazo, zikhulume ngamazizwazo. Nanyana kunjalo, uJehova ufuna siveze amazizwethu, sikukhiphe koke okungendeni nesithandaza kuye. (Rhu. 119:145; IsiL. 3:41) Ngitjho nanyana kubudisi ukuphimisela lokho esifuna ukumtjela khona, angekhe ahlale angasisizi. Nakatlolela amaKrestu weRoma uPowula wathi: “Ngokunjalo umoya uyasisiza ebuthakathakeni bethu ngombana asikwazi ekumele sikuthandazele. Kodwana umoya ngokwakhe usithandazela ngokububula okungekhe kwahlathululwa ngamezwi. UZimu uhlola iinhliziyo, uyakwazi okusemkhumbulweni kamoya ngombana umoya uthandazela abacwengileko ngokwentando kaZimu.” (Rom. 8:26, 27) Nesingazindla ngamezwi aseencwadini ezinjengoJobho, amaRhubo, nezAga singasizakala bona sithululele amazizwethu azikileko kuJehova.

20, 21. Athini amezwi kaPowula aduduzako kwebeFilipi 4:6, 7?

²⁰ Nangabe sizithola sihlangana nelitje nembokodo, kuhle bona silalele isiluleko sakaPowula esiphefumulelweko asitlolela beFilipi: “Ningakhathazeki ngalitho kodwana kikho koke, iimbawo zenu azaziwe nguZimu ngomthandazo nangokuncenga okunokuthokoza.” Nesikhuluma noMkhozethu omkhulu ngalendlela, siyaduduzeka sitjhiriyeke, njengombana kunaba uPowula: “Ukuthula kwakaZimu okudlula koke ukuzwisisa, kuzakubulunga iinhliziyo zenu nemikhumbulwenu kuKrestu Jesu.” (Flp. 4:6, 7) Kwanga “ukuthula kwakaZimu” kungalonda iinhliziyo zethu nemikhumbulwethu.

²¹ Umthandazo usirhobelo esakha ubungani noJehova. Yeke, ‘asithandazeni singalisi.’ (1 Thes. 5:17) Kwanga isifundwesi singabuqinisa ubungani bethu noZimu nokunamathela kwethu ekambiswenakhe elungileko. Akhesiziphe isikhathi sokucabanga ngalokho uJehova, uZimethu, uBabethu, noMnganethu asenzela khona.