I PHASI lincancani khulu nelimadaniswa nendawo yoke. Eqinisweni, kuJehova, “uMbumbi wezulu nephasi,” iintjhaba zinjengethosi lamanzi ngethungeni. (AmaRhalani 115:15; Isaya 40:15) Nokho, iBhayibhili ithi: “UJehova useduze kibo boke abambizako, kilabo abambiza ngeqiniso. Uzokuzalisa ikhanuko yalabo abamsabako, begodu uzobezwa nalabo abalilela irhelebho lakhe.” (AmaRhalani 145:18, 19) Akhese ucabange bona kutjho ukuthini lokho! UMbumbi omninimandla woke useduze nathi begodu uzosizwa nengabe “simbiza ngeqiniso.” Qala bona kulilungelo elingangani ukukhuluma noZimu ngomthandazo!

² Nengabe sifuna uJehova alalele imithandazo yethu, kufuneka sithandaze kuye ngendlela ayamukelako. Singakwenza bunjani lokhu ngaphandle kobana sizwisise lokho iBhayibhili ekufundisako ngomthandazo? Kuqakathekile kithi ukwazi bona iMitlolo ithini ngendaba le, ngombana umthandazo usirhelebha bona sitjhidele eduze noJehova.

KUBAYINI KUFANELE SITHANDAZE KUJEHOVA?

³ Elinye ibanga eliqakathekileko elisenza bona sithandaze kuJehova kungombana usimema bona senze njalo. ILizwi lakhe liyasikhuthaza: “Ningatshwenyeki ngalitho, kodwana emithandazweni yenu bawani kuZimu enikutlhogako, nimbawe njalo ngeenhliziyo ezimhlophe. Ukuthula kwakaZimu okudlula loke ilwazi, kuzabulunga iinhliziyo zenu nemikhumbulo yenu iphephile kuKrestu uJesu.” (KwebeFilipi 4:6, 7) Eqinisweni angekhe safuna ukuthathela phasi ilungiselelo lomusa uMbusi Ophakemeko wendawo yoke asenzele lona!

⁴ Elinye ibanga elisenza bona sithandaze, kukobana ukuthandaza qobe kuJehova kuyindlela yokuqinisa itjhebiswano lethu naye. Abangani beqiniso abakhulumi kwaphela lokha nekunento abayitlhogako. Kunalokho, abangani abahle banekareko komunye nomunye, begodu ubungani babo buyaqina nebaveza amazizo wabo, nokukhathelelana ngokutjhaphulukileko. Ngenye indlela, yinto efanako nekuziwa endabeni yetjhibiswano lethu noJehova uZimu. Ngerhelebho lencwadi le, ufunde okunengi ngalokho iBhayibhili ekufundisako ngoJehova, ubuntu bakhe neemnqopho yakhe. Umazi njengomuntu wamambala. Umthandazo ukunikela ithuba lokuveza imikhumbulo yakho namazizo wakho atjhingileko ngoYihlo wezulwini. Ukwenza kwakho njalo, kukutjhidelisa hlanu kwakaJehova.—KaJakobosi 4:8.

NGIZIPHI IIMFUNEKO OKUFUNEKA SIHLANGABEZANE NAZO?

⁵ UJehova uyilalela yoke imithandazo na? Cabangela lokho akutjela ama-Israyeli ahlubukako eenkhathini zomporofidi u-Isaya, wathi: “Ngitjho namtjhana nenza imithandazo eminengi, angizoyilalela; izandla zenu zizele iingazi.” (Isaya 1:15) Ngalokho, ezinye izenzo zingabangela bona uZimu angayilaleli imithandazo yethu. Bona imithandazo yethu izwiwe nguZimu, kunezinye iimfuneko ezisisekelo okufuneka sihlangabezane nazo.

⁶ Ifuneko eqakathekileko kukobana sibe nekholo. (Markosi 11:24) Umpostoli uPowula watlola: “Kodwana umuntu nanganakukholwa, uZimu angekhe athaba ngomuntu loyo, ngombana loyo oya kuZimu, kufanele akholwe bona ukhona nokobanyana uyabavuza labo abamfunako.” (KumaHebheru 11:6) Ukuba nekholo leqiniso kungaphezu kokwazi bona uZimu ukhona, uzwa begodu aphendule nemithandazo. Ikholo lifakazelwa zizenzo zethu. Kufanele sinikele ubufakazi obukhanyako bekholo lethu ngendlela esiphila ngayo ilanga nelanga.—KaJakobosi 2:26.

⁷ UJehova godu ufuna bona labo abeza kuye ngomthandazo benze njalo ngokuzithoba nangokuthembeka. Sinebanga elizwakalako lokuzithoba nesikhuluma noJehova. Abantu nebafumana ithuba lokukhuluma nekosi namtjhana umongameli, kanengi bakwenza ngehlonipho, batjheja isikhundla sakhe esiphakemeko. Kufuneka sibe nehlonipho ekulu nesikhuluma noJehova. (AmaRhalani 138:6) Ngaphezu kwalokho, “nguZimu uMninimandla woke.” (Genesisi 17:1) Nesithandaza kuZimu, indlela esikhuluma ngayo naye kufanele itjengise bona ngokuzithoba siyasitlogomela isikhundla sethu phambi kwakhe. Ukuzithoba okunjalo kuzosenza bona sithandaze ngokusuka ehliziyweni ngokuthembeka, sibalekela ukubuyelela imithandazo.—Matewu 6:7, 8.

⁸ Enye ifuneko yokuzwiwa nguZimu kukobana senze ngokuvumelana nemithandazo yethu. UJehova ulindele bona senze koke okusemandleni wethu bona siberegele kilokho esikuthandazelako. Isibonelo, nesithandaza sithi: ‘Usiphe namhlanjesi ukudla kwethu esikutlhogako,’ kufanele siberege budisi kunanyana ngimuphi umberego esiwufumanako esingawenza. (Matewu 6:11; 2 KwebeTesalonika 3:10) Nengabe sithandazela irhelebho lokuhlula ubuthakathaka obuthileko benyama, kufanele sitjheje bona sibalekela nanyana ngibuphi ubujamo obungasidosela esilingweni. (KwebeKholose 3:5) Ukungezelela eemfunekweni ezisisekelwezi, kuneembuzo ekutlhogeka bona siyiphendule malungana nomthandazo.

UKUPHENDULA EMINYE IIMBUZO MALUNGANA NOMTHANDAZO

⁹Singathandaza kubani? UJesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe bona bathandaze ku “Baba wethu osezulwini.” (Matewu 6:9) Ngalokho-ke imithandazo yethu, kufanele inqophiswe kuJehova uZimu kwaphela. Namtjhana kunjalo, uJehova ufuna bona siyelele isikhundla seNdodanakhe ekukuphela kwayo, uJesu Krestu. Njengombana sifundile eSahlukweni-5, uJesu wathunyelwa ephasini bona abe sihlengo sokusitjhaphulula esonweni nekufeni. (Jwanisi 3:16; KwebeRoma 5:12) Ukhethwe bona abe Mpristi Ophakemeko noMahluleli. (Jwanisi 5:22; KumaHebheru 6:20) Kungalokho iMitlolo ithi kufuneka sidlulise imithandazo yethu ngoJesu. Yena ngokwakhe wathi: “Mina ngiyindlela, neqiniso, nokuphila; akakho noyedwa ozakuya kuBaba ngaphandle kwami.” (Jwanisi 14:6) Bona imithandazo yethu izwiwe, kufanele sithandaze kuJehova kwaphela ngeNdodanakhe.

¹⁰Kufanele sibe sendaweni ethileko namtjhana ebujamweni obuthileko bomzimba nesithandazako? Awa, akusinjalo. UJehova akafuni bona sibe sebujamweni obukhethekileko, kungaba ngezandla namtjhana ngomzimba. IBhayibhili ifundisa bona kwamukelekile ukuthandaza ngeendlela ezinengi ezihlukahlukeneko. Lokhu kuhlanganisa ukuhlala phasi, ukukhothama, ukuguqa nokujama. (1 Imilando 17:16; Nehemiya 8:6; Danyela 6:10; Markosi 11:25) Okuqakathekileko akusibo ubujamo obukhethekileko obubonwa ngabanye, kodwana yihliziyo elungileko. Eqinisweni, nesenza iimberego yethu yelanga nelanga namtjhana nesiqalene nobudisi, singathandaza buthule kunanyana ngiyiphi indawo esikiyo. UJehova uyayizwa imithandazo enjalo namtjhana labo abasibhodileko bangekhe babone bona siyathandaza.—Nehemiya 2:1-6.

¹¹Khuyini esingayithandazela? IBhayibhili iyahlathulula: “Ngombana siyazi bona [uJehova] uyasizwa nasimbawa nayini emalungana nentando yakhe.” (1 KaJwanisi 5:14) Ngalokho singathandazela nanyana yini evumelana nentando kaZimu. Kuyintando yakhe na bona sithandaze ngezinto ezisitshwenyako? Iye kunjalo! Ukuthandaza kuJehova kufana nokukhuluma nomngani oseduze. Singakhuluma ngokutjhaphulukileko, ‘sithululele iinhliziyo zethu’ kuZimu. (AmaRhalani 62:8) Kuyafaneleka ngathi ukubawa umoya ocwengekileko, ngombana uzosirhelebha bona senze okulungileko. (Luka 11:13) Singabawa nesinqophiso bona senze iinqunto ezihlakaniphileko sibawe namandla wokukghodlhelela ubudisi. (KaJakobosi 1:5) Nesonileko, kufanele sibawe ukulitjalelwa ngesisekelo somhlatjelo kaKrestu. (Kwebe-Efesu 1:3, 7) Yiqiniso, izinto zomuntu mathupha akusizo kwaphela okufanele sizithandazele. Imithandazo yethu kufanele ibandakanye nabanye abantu—umndeni nabantu esikhulekela nabo.—IZenzo 12:5; KwebeKholose 4:12.

¹² Iindaba ezimalungana noJehova uZimu kufanele kubengizo eziza phambili emthandazweni yethu. Eqinisweni sinamabanga wokumdumisa ngokusuka ehliziyweni simthokoze ngabo boke ubuhle bakhe. (1 Imilando 29:10-13) UJesu wenza umthandazo osibonelo otlolwe kuMatewu 6:9-13, lapho afundisa khona bona ibizo lakaZimu licwengiswe okutjho bona liphathwe njengelicwengekileko. Ngokulandelako wathi uMbuso kaZimu uze nentando yakhe yenziwe ephasini njengombana yenziwa ezulwini. Kwaba ngemva kokuhlanganisa izinto eziqakathekilekwezi ngoJehova lapho uJesu athi kuthandazelwe izinto zomuntu mathupha. Nesinikela uZimu indawo eqakathekileko emithandazwenethu, sitjengisa bona asikarekeli ihlalakuhle yethu kwaphela.

¹³Kufanele ibe mide kangangani imithandazwethu? IBhayibhili ayitjho bona imithandazo yethu yangerhorhomejeni neyenengini kufuneka bona ibe mide kangangani. Singenza imithandazo emifitjhani ngaphambi kokudla nemithandazo yangerhorhomejeni emide lapho sithulula iinhliziyo zethu kuJehova. (1 Samuweli 1:12, 15) Nokho, uJesu uyabasola abantu abazenza abalungileko abenza imithandazo emide, imithandazo yokubukisa kwabanye. (Luka 20:46, 47) Imithandazo enjalo ayimthabisi uJehova. Okuqakathekileko, kuthandaza ngosuka ehliziyweni. Ubude bemithandazo emukelako buyahluka kuye ngeenthlogo nobujamo bezinto.

¹⁴Kufanele sithandaze kangaki? IBhayibhili isikhuthaza bunje “thandazani njalo,” “ninyamezele ekutlhageni kwenu,” “nithandaze ngeenkhathi zoke.” (Matewu 26:41; KwebeRoma 12:12; 1 KwebeTesalonika 5:17) Lokhu akutjho bona kufuneka sithandaze kuJehova ilanga loke. Kunalokho, iBhayibhili isikhuthaza bona sithandaze qobe, siragele phambili sithokoza uJehova ngobuhle bakhe kithi begodu sibawe ukunqophiswa nguye, induduzo namandlakhe. Akududuzi na ukwazi bona uJehova akatjho bona imithandazo yethu ibe mide kangangani namtjhana sithandaze kangaki kuye? Nengabe kwamambala siyalithabela ilungelo lokuthandaza, sizokuba namathuba amanengi wokuthandaza kuBaba wethu wezulwini.

¹⁵Kubayini kufanele sithi “Ameni” ekupheleni komthandazo? Ibizo “ameni” litjho bona “ngokuqinisekileko,” namtjhana “akube njalo.” Iimbonelo zeMitlolo zitjengisa bona kufanelekile ukuthi “Ameni” nesiphetha imithandazo yethu mathupha neyenengini. (1 Imilando 16:36; AmaRhalani 41:13) Ngokuthi “Ameni” ekuphetheni imithandazo yethu mathupha, siyaqiniseka bona lokho esikutjhoko kuthembekile. Nesithi “Ameni”—kungaba buthule namtjhana ngokuzwakalako—ekuphetheni komthandazo wenengini, sitjengisa bona sivumelana nalokho okukhulunyiweko.—1 KwebeKorinte 14:16.

INDLELA UZIMU AYIPHENDULA NGAYO IMITHANDAZO YETHU

¹⁶ Kwamambala uJehova uyayiphendula imithandazo na? Iye, uyayiphendula! Sinesisekelo esiqinileko sokuthemba bona “uMuzwi wemithandazo” uyayiphendula imithandazo eyenziwa ziingidi zabantu. (AmaRhalani 65:2) UJehova angaphendula imithandazo yethu ngeendlela ezihlukahlukeneko.

¹⁷ UJehova uberegisa iingilozi zakhe neenceku zakhe zephasini ukuphendula imithandazo yethu. (KumaHebheru 1:13, 14) Kube neenkhathi ezinengi lapho abantu bathandaza kuZimu bona abarhelebhe bazwisise iBhayibhili, msinyana ngemva kwalokho bavakatjhelwa ngenye yeenceku zakaJehova. Izinto ezinjengalezi zinikela ubufakazi besinqophiso seengilozi emsebenzini wokutjhumayela ngoMbuso. (ISambulo 14:6) Ukuphendula imithandazwethu eyenziwa ngesikhathi seentlhogo zethu zamambala, uJehova angenza omunye umKrestu bona asirhelebhe.—Iziyema 12:25; KaJakobosi 2:16.

¹⁸ UJehova uZimu godu uberegisa umoyakhe ocwengekileko neLizwi lakhe, iBhayibhili ukuphendula imithandazo yeenceku zakhe. Angaphendula imithandazo yethu ngokusirhelebha bona sikghodlhelele iinlingo ngokusinikela isinqophiso namandla ngomoyakhe ocwengekileko. (2 KwebeKorinte 4:7) Esikhathini esinengi iimpendulo zemithandazo yethu yokubawa isinqophiso ivela eBhayibhilini, lapho uJehova asinikela khona irhelebho lokwenza iinqunto ezihlakaniphileko. Imitlolo erhelebhako singayifumana nesenza isifundo somuntu mathupha seBhayibhili nalokha sifunda iincwadi zobuKrestu ezinjengencwadi le. Amaphuzu weMitlolo okufanele siwacabangele angavezwa kilokho okutjhiwa emihlanganweni yobuKrestu namtjhana ngalokho okutjhiwa ngumdala ositjhejako ebandleni.—KwebeGalatiya 6:1.

¹⁹ Nengabe kubonakala ngasuthi uJehova uyariyada ekuphenduleni imithandazo yethu, lokhu akutjho bona ubhalelwa ukuyiphendula. Kunalokho kufanele sikhumbule bona uJehova uphendula imithandazo ngentando yakhe nangesikhathi asibekileko. Wazi iintlhogo zethu nokobana angazitlhogomela njani ngaphezu kwethu. Kanengi usilisa bona siragele phambili, ‘sibawa, sifuna, sikokoda.’ (Luka 11:5-10) Ukukghodlhelela okunjalo kutjengisa uZimu bona ikhanuko yethu itjhingile begodu nokobana ikholo lethu ngelamambala. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova angaphendula imithandazo yethu ngendlela thina engekhe siyibone. Isibonelo, angaphendula umthandazo wethu malungana nesilingo esithileko, ingasi ngokususa ubudisi, kodwana ngokusinikela amandla bona sikghodlhelele isilingweso.—KwebeFilipi 4:13.

²⁰ Singathokoza kangangani ngombana uMbumbi wendawo yoke ekulu uhlanu kwabo boke abambiza ngokunqophileko ngomthandazo! (AmaRhalani 145:18) Kufuze sithandaze kuJehova qobe ngombana kulilungelo elikhethekileko kithi ukwazi ukuthandaza kuye. Nengabe senza njalo, sizokuba nethemba elithabisako lokutjhidela eduze khulu noJehova, uMuzwi wemithandazo.