1, 2. UJehova usifundise njani ukumthanda?

INDLELA ehle ubaba angafundisa ngayo umntwanakhe, kukuthi yena ngokwakhe abe sibonelo salokho akufundisako. Ukuthanda abantwabakhe, nabo kubafundisa ukuthanda. Akakho umuntu okhe wasithanda ngendlela uBabethu uJehova asithanda ngayo. Yeke singatjho sithi sifunde ukuthanda nje, “ngombana yena wasithanda qangi.”—1 Jwanisi 4:19.

² Alo sikutjho ngaliphi ukuthi uJehova ‘usithande qangi’? IBhayibheli lithi: “Sithe sisesezizoni, uKrestu wasifela.” (Roma 5:8) UBabethu unethando uJehova wanikela ngeNdodanakhe bona ibe sihlengo, ukwenzela bona isisindise esonweni nekufeni. Isiphwesi ngiso esenza kwakghonakala ukobana sitjhidele kuJehova nokuthi sikghone ukumthanda. Ngesenzweso uJehova wasibekela isibonelo. Wasifundisa bonyana nasinethando kufuze singazicabangeli thina sisodwa, wasifundisa nokuthi kufuze siphane.—1 Jwanisi 4:10.

3, 4. Singatjengisa njani ukuthi siyamthanda uJehova?

³ Ithando likhamba phambili ebuntwini bakaJehova. Lokho kusenza sizwisise kuhle bonyana kubayini uJesu athi umyalo oqakatheke khulu ngothi: “Kufanele uthande [uJehova] uZimakho ngehliziywakho yoke, ngomphefumulwakho woke,  ngomkhumbulwakho woke nangamandlakho woke.” (Markosi 12:30) UJehova ufuna simthande ‘ngehliziywethu yoke.’ Kungayilimaza ihliziyo kaJehova nange kungaba nomuntu namkha into esiyithanda ukudlula yena. Ithando esimthanda ngalo akukafaneli libe semazizweni kwaphela. Phela-ke uJehova ulindele bona simthande ‘ngomkhumbulwethu woke’ sibuye simthande ‘nangamandlethu woke.’ Lokho kutjho ukuthi izinto esizenzako nezinto esizicabangako kufuze kutjengise bona siyamthanda uJehova.—Funda uMikha 6:8.

⁴ UJehova kufuze simthande ngakho koke esingikho nangakho koke esinakho. Singamtjengisa bona simthanda kangangani ngokuthi simbeke endaweni yokuthoma emaphilwenethu. Esihlokweni esigadungileko sicoce ngeendlela ezine uJehova atjengisa ngazo bona ubathanda kangangani abantwabakhe. Njenganje akhesibone ukuthi thina-ke singamtjengisa njani uJehova bona siyamthanda nokuthi singalizikisa njani ithando lethu ngaye.

5. Yini esifuna ukuyenza nasicabanga ngakho koke uJehova asenzela khona?

⁵ Angithi umuntu nakasipha okuthileko vane sithokoze, akusinjalo? Ngemva kwalokho-ke sisisebenzise isiphweso ngombana siqakathekile kithi. UJakopo watlola wathi, “Zoke izipho ezilungileko nazo zoke iimphiwo ezipheleleko zivela phezulu; zehla zivela kuBaba wokukhanya okungekho kuye ukuhlanuka ngitjho nesithunzi esitjhugulukako.” (Jakopo 1:17) Siyamthokoza uJehova ngokuthi asiphe koke esikutlhogako ukwenzela bona siphile besithabe. Lokhu kusenza sibone ukuthi usithanda kangangani, yeke nathi sifuna ukumtjengisa indlela esimthanda ngayo. Inga-kghani nawe uzizwa ngaleyo ndlela?

6. Yini ebekufuze yenziwe ma-Israyeli nakafuna uJehova aragele phambili nokuwabusisa?

⁶ Zinengi izinto ezihle uJehova azipha ama-Israyeli. Kwaphela amakhulu weminyaka asolo awanikela imithethwakhe, awanikela nayo yoke into ebewayitlhoga bona aphile. (Duteronomi 4:7, 8) Nakuma-Israyeli wona, bekathokoza uJehova ngokuthi alalele imithetho leyo. Ngokwesibonelo, bekuthi nawanikela kuJehova, bekufuze, ‘alethe njalo imikhiqizo yokuthoma’ yalokho abakutjalileko. (Eksodusi 23:19) Ama-Israyeli bekazi kuhle nje ukuthi nange angalalela uJehova uzokuragela phambili nokuwabusisa.—Funda uDuteronomi 8:7-11.

7. Singawusebenzisa njani ‘umnonwethu’ ukutjengisa uJehova bona siyamthanda?

⁷ Nathi singatjengisa indlela esimthanda ngayo uJehova ngokuthi sinikele ‘ngomnonwethu.’ (IzAga 3:9) Lokho-ke singakwenza ngokuthi sisebenzise esinakho senze intandwakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, singanikela, sifake isandla sisekele umsebenzakhe emabandleni wangekhethu, nasemabandleni asephasini mazombe. Asinandaba bona siregile namkha simibodlhana, soke sisebenzisa esinakho ekutjengiseni uJehova bona siyamthanda. (2 Korinte 8:12) Zikhona nezinye iindlela esingatjengisa ngazo ithando esinalo ngoJehova.

8, 9. Ngiyiphi enye indlela esingatjengisa ngayo uJehova ukuthi siyamthanda? UMike nomndenakhe benzani ukutjengisa bona bathanda uJehova?

⁸ UJesu wasifundisa ukuthi sibeke qangi umBuswakhe silise ukutshwenyeka ngokudla nangezambatho. Angithi phela  uBabethu usithembise ukusinikela koke esikutlhogako. (Matewu 6:31-33) Siyamthemba uJehova begodu siyazi nokobana uzosizalisa isithembisweso. Ukungezelela kilokho, nawumthandako umuntu kufuze umthembe! Kuhlekuhle, nasiragela phambili sithemba uJehova sisuke sitjengisa bona siyamthanda. (IRhubo 143:8) Naku umbuzo esingazibuza wona: ‘Izinto engizihlelako ngengomuso lami, indlela engiberegisa ngayo isikhathi sami, nendlela engiberegisa ngayo amandlami iyatjengisa na bona ngimthanda kwamambala uJehova? Inga-kghani ngithembele kuJehova malanga woke na bona angitlhogomele?’

⁹ UMike nomndenakhe bathembela kuJehova. UMike nakaselisokana bekasolo afuna ukuyokutjhumayela kwenye inarha. Ngitjho nanyana sele atjhadile begodu anabantwana ababili, bekasolo anesifisweso. Wafunda ngokuthi kunabodade nabazalwana abakhonza lapha kunetlhogeko ekulu khona, abaphungule iindleko ezinengi zokuphila. Bafese bathengisa indlwabo uMike nomndenakhe bayokuhlala kencazana. UMike wanciphisa nabantu ebekabahlwengisela ngebubulo lakheli, wafuna iindlela angakghona ngazo ukulilawula asebenzisa i-inthanethi akenye inarha. Lokho kwabenza bakghona ukufudukela kenye inarha, bakuthabela khulu ukutjhumayela lapho. UMike uthi, “Sakubona ngala wethu ukuzaliseka kwamezwi kaJesu akuMatewu 6:33.”

10. Kubayini nathi kufuze senze njengeKosi uDavida, sizindle ngalokho esikufundako ngoJehova?

¹⁰ IKosi uDavida yakhe yatlola yathi, “Isibhakabhaka sibika iphazimulo kaZimu iye, umkayi umemezela umsebenzi wezandla zakhe.” Wangezelela ngokuthi, “UMthetho [kaJehova] uphelele, uvuselela ipilo. Ubufakazi [bakaJehova] buthembekile, bunikela ubuhlakani kabangenalwazi.” Bekuthi uDavida angazindla ngokuhlakanipha komthetho kaJehova, abuye azindle nangendalwakhe ehle, atjhidelane naye khulu bekabaseleke bona amthande khulu. Wabe wathi, “Sengathi amezwi wamlomami nemikhumbulo yehliziywami ingamukeleka kuwe [Jehova], Dwala lami nomHlengami.”—IRhubo 19:2, 8, 15; [19:1, 7, 14; NW]

11. Singalisebenzisa njani ilwazi uJehova asinikela lona ukuthi simtjengise ithando esinalo ngaye? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

¹¹ Kunengi namhlanjesi uJehova asifundisa khona ngaye ngokwakhe, ngehloswakhe, ngendalwakhe nangeliZwi lakhe. Iphasi esiphila kilweli likhuthaza abantu bona bathuthukise iimfundo zabo, kodwana kanengi lenza abantu baphelelwe lithando labo ngoZimu. Kodwana uJehova uhlukile, ngani ngoba ufuna sibe nelwazi nokuhlakanipha. Ufuna sisebenzise esikufundako bona kuzuze thina nokuthi sisize nabanye ngakho. (IzAga 4:5-7) Ngokwesibonelo ufuna sabelane nabanye ‘ilwazi leqiniso’ sibasize basindiswe. (1 Thimothi 2:4) Sisuke sitjengisa uJehova ithando esinalo ngaye, ngokuthi sifundise abantu abanengi  ngendlela esingakghona ngayo ngomBuswakhe, sibafundise nangokuthi umBuso kaZimu uzosenzelani.—Funda IRhubo 66:16, 17.

12. Udadwethu osesemutjha wathini ngesipho uJehova amupha sona?

¹² Nabatjha nabo bangazindla ngalokho uJehova abanikele khona nabafundise khona. UShannon usayikhumbula kuhle nje indlela azizwa ngayo emhlanganweni aya kiwo nakaneminyaka eyi-11, udadwabo nakana-10. Kwathi emHlanganweni wesiFunda onesihloko esithi “Godly Devotion”, loke ilutjha naye nodadwabo bakhonjelwa bona bahlale eenhlalweni ezikhethekileko. Nakusathomako bekathukiwe. Kodwana kwamrara nakabona woke umuntu omutjha anikelwa incwadi ethi, Questions Young People Ask—Answers That Work. Alo wazizwa njani ngoJehova ngesipho esihlesi amnikele sona? Nakazikhulumelako uthi: “Ngalemuka mhlokho ukuthi uJehova ukhona nokuthi ungithanda kwamambala. Kuyasithabisa ukuthi uJehova uZimethu omuhle usipha simahla izipho ezihle kangaka!”

13, 14. Kufuze sizizwe njani uJehova nasiyalako?

¹³ IBhayibheli liyasikhumbuza lithi, “[UJehova] uyamkhalima amthandako, njengobaba endodanenakhe ayithandako.” (IzAga 3:12) Nasimvumela uJesu asikhalime, simvumele asibandule, sisuke sifunda ukuthi khuyini okulungileko besifumana nokuthula. Khona kuliqiniso bona, “ukukhalinywa kubonakala kubuhlungu.”  (Hebheru 12:11) Alo-ke kufuze senzeni lokha uJehova nasikhalimako? Akukafuzi nakancani sisibethise mthalazeni isiyalo sakaJehova namkha siragele phambili sidanile nangabe asikuthandi esikuzwako. Siyamthanda uJehova, yeke siyamlalela senze namatjhuguluko lapha atlhogeka khona.

¹⁴ Ngesikhathi kusaphila uMalaki, amaJuda amanengi bekangamlaleli uJehova. Bekungawatshwenyi nakancani ukuthi umnikelwawo bewungamthabisi uZimu. UJehova wabakhalima kabuhlungu ngendaba le. (Funda uMalaki 1:12, 13.) Kuhlekuhle uJehova besele kukade awakhalima, kodwana indlebe do. Yeke wawatjela wathi, “ngizokuthumela amanikelela phezu kwenu begodu ngifelelise iimbusiso zenu.” (Malaki 2:1, 2) Kusemtarini-ke kwanje ukuthi nasisolo singalaleli iseluleko sakaJehova, namkha sisiqala njengento engakaqakatheki, sizokulahlekelwa singani naye.

15. Ngiyiphi indlela yokucabanga ekufuze siyibalekele?

¹⁵ Iphasi lakaSathaneli lifundisa abantu bona bazikhakhazise begodu bacabange ngezinto ezithinta bona kwaphela. Abantu abanengi abafuni ukutjelwa namkha ukulungiswa nabatjhaphileko. Abanye balalela iseluleko ngombana bakatelelekile bona benze njalo. Thina akukafaneli sibe babantu abanjalo. Angithi phela neBhayibheli liyatjho bona: “Ningaziphathi njengokwemikhuba yephaseli.” Kunokwenza njalo thina kufuze sizwisise bona uJehova ulindeleni kithi, nokuthi yini emthabisako. (Roma 12:2) Usebenzisa ihlanganwakhe bona isilungise ngesikhathi esifaneleko. Ngokwesibonelo, siphele sikhunjuzwa bona nawumumuntu wengubo namkha wembaji kufuze uziphathe njani kwabanye abantu, sikhunjuzwe nokobana kufuze sibakhethe njani abangani, nangokuthi yini esingayenza nasiphumulile namkha sizigedlile. Nasizikhethela ukulalela uJehova senze namatjhuguluko amthabisako, sisuke simtjengisa  ukuthi siyakuthokoza ukusibuyisa kwakhe endleleni, nokuthi simthanda kwamambala.—Jwanisi 14:31; Roma 6:17.

16, 17. (a) Kubayini kufuze sifumane ukuthi uJehova uthini ngaphambi kobana sithathe igadango elithileko? (b) Ama-Israyeli enzani kunokuthi athembele kuJehova?

¹⁶ Angithi abantwana basame ebabelethini babo bona babavikele. Ngezinye iinkhathi ngitjho nabantu esele bakhulile kungenzeka nabo babawe isizo ebabelethini babo. Bayazi ukuthi nanyana bangazenza iinqunto zabo kodwana ababelethi babo bangabanikela isiluleko esihle. UBabethu uJehova uyasivumela bona sizenzele zethu iinqunto. Kodwana ngebanga lokuthi siyamthemba begodu siyamthanda, qobe ngaphambi kobana sithathe isiqunto sifuna isizo lakhe besenze koke okusemandlenethu bona sifumane bona yena uJehova ucabangani ngesiqunto esizosenza. Nasiziseka ngoJehova yena uzosipha umoyakhe ocwengileko usisize senze okulungileko.—Filipi 2:13.

¹⁷ Ngeenkhathi zakaSamyela, ama-Israyeli akhenge athumbe nakalwa namaFilista. Kunokobana abuze uJehova bona yini okufuze ayenze nasekunje, nakaya athi: “Nambani siyokuthatha umfaji wesivumelwano [sakaJehova] eTjhilo bona ube nathi bewusisindise esandleni sezitha zethu.” Nawucabangako yini eyenzeka ngemva kwalokho? “Ukurhadlwa phasi kwama-Israyeli kwaba kukhulu khulu. Aloba amabutho aziinkulungwana ezimatjhumi amathathu. Umfaji kaZimu wathunjwa.” (1 Samyela 4:2-4, 10, 11) Nakanje ama-Israyeli la bekadlumbana bona nakangathatha umfaji kaJehova uzowavikela. Kodwana akhenge babuze kuye, afumane bona yena ucabangani. Kunalokho, enza lokho iinhloko zawo eziwatjela bona kulungile, kwababulalisa kabuhlungu khulu lokho.—Funda IzAga 14:12.

18. Yini iBhayibheli ekufundisa yona ngokuthembela kuJehova?

¹⁸ Umrhubi obekamthanda tle uJehova begodu athembele kuye watlola wathi: “Angiqalelele kuZimu ngombana ngizamdumisa godu, yena omsindisami noZimami . . . ngalokho ngiyakukhumbula.” (IRhubo 42:6, 7; [42:5, 7 NW]) Inga-kghani nawe uzizwa njalo ngoJehova? Uzizwa utjhidelene naye na, ukumthemba khona uyamthemba? Kazi ungafunda ukumthemba khudlwana. IBhayibheli likhuluma nathi lithi: “Themba [uJehova] ngehliziywakho yoke, ungeyami ekwazini kwakho. Nawazisa [uJehova] kizo zoke iindlela zakho, yena uzakwenza imizilakho ilelezeke.”—IzAga 3:5, 6.

19. Ungamtjengisa njani uJehova ukuthi uyamthanda?

¹⁹ UJehova wasifundisa ukuthi singamthanda njani, ngokuthi asithande qangi. Akhesithathe isikhathi sethu sicabange ngalokho uJehova asenzele khona, nendlela asithanda ngayo. Kwanga nathi singamtjengisa ukuthi simthanda ngehliziywethu yoke, umphefumulwethu woke, ingqondwethu yoke, nangamandlethu woke.—Markosi 12:30.