1, 2. (a) Kodi timbadziwa tani kuti mpsakukwanisika wanthu kukhala pa uxamwali na Mulungu? (b) Kodi tin’fotokozerana ciyani mu nkhani ino?

KUYAMBIRA pomwe timbabadwa mpaka kufa, ifepano timbafuna kulatizidwa lufoyi. Wanthu ambafuna kukhala na axamwali wa pa mtima na walufoyi, sikuti kokha lufoyi lomwe limbakhala liripo pakati pa mwamuna na mkazi. Kuposa bzense, timbafunika lufoyi lakucokera kwa Yahova. Wanthu azinji ambakhulupira lini kuti angakhale pa uxamwali bwakulimba na Mulungu wa lufoyi, thangwe iye ngwakusaya kuwoneka na wamphanvu zense. Tsono ife timbadziwa cadidi!

² Bibliya limbalatiza kuti wanthu wakuperewera wadakhala pa uxamwali na Mulungu. Bziratizo bzawo bzingatithandize kuti tikhale pa uxamwali bwakulimba na Mulungu, comwe ni cinthu cakufunika kuciteweza pa moyo wathu. Ciratizo cabwino ca munthu omwe adakhala pa uxamwali wabwino na Mulungu ni Abalahamu. (Werengani Tiyago 2:23.) Kodi Abalahamu adacita ciyani kuti akhale pa uxamwali bwa kulimba na Yahova? Cinsinsi cikulu kuti uxamwali bwawo bukhale bwakulimba cikhali cikhulupiro. Tenepo, Bibliya limbacemera Abalahamu kuti ‘iye an’dzakhala baba wa wense womwe wana cikhulupiro.’ (War.  4:11) Tsapano, mbatiwoneni momwe cikhulupiro ca Abalahamu cidamuthandizira kukhala pa uxamwali bwakulimba na Mulungu. Ndipo ali-wense wa ifepano angabzibvunze kuti: ‘Kodi ndingatewezere tani cikhulupiro ca Abalahamu na momwe ndingalimbisire uxamwali bwangu na Yahova?’

3, 4. (a) Fotokozani mayezo makulu yomwe Abalahamu adagumana nayo pa kuyeza cikhulupiro cace. (b) N’thangwe ranyi Abalahamu akhafuna kupereka Izaki ninga nsembe?

³ Ndendemezerani kuti munkuwona mwamuna wacikulire omwe ankukwira phiri. Kwa iye, ulendo bumwebu n’bwakunesa kwene-kwene pa moyo wace. Sikuti thangwe ra msinkhu ndiwo omwe unkucitisa kuti ulendobo bukhale bwakunesa. Munthu omwe ankulewedwayu ni Abalahamu omwe pinango akhana magole 125 yakubadwa, koma iye akhana thupi lamphanvu. ^[1] Iye akhateweredwa na mulumbwana omwe pinango akhana magole 25 yakubadwa. Mulumbwanayo ni mwana wace Izaki, omwe akhadanyamula mtolo wa nkhuni. Abalahamu ana cisu na bzinthu bzakuphatizira moto. Yahova adamukumbira kuti apereke mwana wace nsembe!​—Ciy. 22:1-8.

⁴ Abalahamu adagumana na mayezo makulu ya kuyeza cikhulupiro cace. Wanthu winango ambalewa kuti Mulungu ngwakuipa pa kukumbira cinthu cakunesa kuna Abalahamu, ndipo winango ambalewa kuti kubvera kwa Abalahamu kukhali kwa kunyanyira ndipo akhalibe nsisi. Wanthu womwe ambakumbuka bzimwebzi alibe cikhulupiro ndipo ambabvesesa lini momwe cikhulupiroco cimbaphatira basa. (1 Wak. 2:14-16) Abalahamu alibe kubvera Mulungu pa ciri-cense. M’mbuto mwace, iye adabvera thangwe ra bzinthu bzomwe adawona na maso yace ya cikhulupiro cacadidi, iye adawona Baba wace wakudzulu, Yahova, kuti nthawe zense cipo acikumbira atumiki wace wakukhulupirika kucita bzinthu bzomwe pakumalizira pace bzingawapweteke. Abalahamu akhadziwa kuti penu angadabvera Yahova, iye angadamusimbe pabodzi na mwana wace wakufunidwa. Thangwe ranyi Abalahamu akhana cikhulupiro? Thangwe ra cidziwiso na bzinthu bzomwe adagumana nabzo pa moyo wace.

5. Kodi Abalahamu adapfunza tani bza Yahova, ndipo cidziwiso cidamuthandiza tani kulimbisa cikhulupiro cace?

⁵ Cidziwiso. Napo Abalahamu adakulira ku Uri mzinda wa Akaldeu, womwe wanthu azinji akhanamata bzifanikiso, iye akhana cidziwiso pakulewa bza Yahova. Tsono, bzidakwanisika tani iye kukhala na cidziwiso pakulewa bza Yahova, napo baba wace Tera, akhanamata bzifanikiso? (Djos. 24:2) Bibliya limbalewa lini bwino-bwino nkhani imweyi, koma limbatiuza kuti Abalahamu akhali wa m’badwo wacipfemba kucokera pa Semu, m’bodzi mwa wana wa Nowe, ndipo akhali mwamuna wa cikhulupiro cakulimba. Semu adakhala na moyo magole 150 Abalahamu akanati kubadwa. Tikudziwa lini bwino-bwino penu Abalahamu adapfunza bza Yahova kucokera kwa Semu. Koma tina citsimikizo kuti Semu adapfunzisa banja lace pa bzomwe iye akhadziwa pakulewa bza Yahova. Bzinkuwonekeratu kuti cidziwiso comwe Abalahamu akhanaco cidatokonya mtima wace. Iye adafika pa kumufuna Mulungu acipfunza bza iye, ndipo cidziwiso cidamuthandiza kulimbisa cikhulupiro cace.

6, 7. Kodi bzakugumana nabzo bza Abalahamu bzidalimbisa tani cikhulupiro cace?

⁶ Bzakugumana nabzo. Kodi mpsakugumana nabzo bziponi bzomwe bzidalimbisa cikhulupiro ca Abalahamu kwa Yahova? Bzimwebzi bzimbalewedwa kuti nzeru zimbacitisa kuti munthu akumbuke ndipo akakumbuka ambacita bzinthu mwakubverana na bzomwe wakumbukabzo. Bzomwe Abalahamu adapfunza kwa Yahova bzidamupasa makumbukidwe ya mantha na ulemu bukulu, thangwe rakuti ‘Yahova ni Mulungu Mkululetu, Mulengi wa kudzulu na wa dziko la pansi.’ (Ciy. 14:22) Bibliya limbalewa kuti, kugopa Mulungu ndico cinthu cakufunika kwene-kwene kuti tilimbise uxamwali bwathu na Mulungu. (Waheb. 5:7; Psal. 25:14) Ndipo kugopa Mulungu kumweku ndiko kudacitisa Abalahamu kuti acite cinthu.

⁷ Mulungu adatsogolera Abalahamu na Sara kucoka mu mzinda wa Uri, kuyenda ku dziko lacirendo. Pa moyo wawo wense angadayamba kukhala  m’matendi. Thangwe ra kubvera, Abalahamu adafungula njira yakuti Yahova amusimbe na kumukhotcerera. Mwa ciratizo, Abalahamu akhacita mantha thangwe ra kudeka kwa mkazi wace Sara, ndipo akhakumbuka kuti wanthu angadamutengera mkazi waceyo, acipha Abalahamuyo. Iye akhana mantha kwene-kwene, koma alibe kulekerera kuti mantha yaceyo yamutazise kubvera Yahova. Yahova adakhotcerera Abalahamu na Sara kazinji kense, mwakucita cakudabwisa. (Ciy. 12:10-20; 20:2-7, 10-12, 17, 18) Bzakugumana nabzo bzimwebzi bzidalimbisa cikhulupiro ca Abalahamu.

8. Kodi n’kuponi komwe tingagumane cidziwiso comwe cingalimbise uxamwali bwathu na Yahova?

⁸ Kodi mpsakukwanisika ifepano kukhala pa uxamwali na Yahova? Inde mpsakukwanisika! Cidziwiso na bzakugumana nabzo bza wanthu winango mpsakufunika kuti tilimbise uxamwali bwathu na Mulungu. Abalahamu akhadziwa mbali ing’ono-ng’ono ya cidziwiso cizinji comwe ciripo lero m’Bibliya. (Dan. 12:4; War. 11:33) Fala la Mulungu Bibliya mudadzala na cidziwiso ca kubisika comwe cingatithandize kukhala na cidziwiso cakuzika pakulewa bza Mulengi omwe adalenga kudzulu na dziko la pansi ndipo cingatithandizembo kukulisa ulemu na lufoyi kwa iye. Makumbukidwe yamweya yambatithandiza kubvera Mulungu, ndipo timbadziwa bzizinji pa moyo pakuti kubverako kumbatithandiza kuwona momwe iye ambacitira bzinthu. Ndipo ifepano timbakhulupira kuti malango yace yambatikhotcerera, iye ambatisimba na kutilimbisa. Ifepano timbapfunza kuti kutumikira Mulungu na mtima wathu wense kumbatibweresera mtendere na cikondweso. (Psal. 34:8; Mim. 10:22) Tsono ifepano tikakulisa cidziwiso, cikhulupiro cathu kwa Yahova na uxamwali bwathu kwa iye bzin’dzakhala bzinkukula bwino.

9, 10. (a) Kuti uxamwali bukhale bwakulimba pambafunika ciyani? (b) Kodi n’ciyani cinkulatiza kuti Abalahamu akhalemekeza na kulimbisa uxamwali bwace na Yahova?

⁹ Uxamwali ni cinthu cakufunika kwene-kwene. (Werengani Mimwani 17:17.) Tsono uxamwali bun’funika lini kukhala ninga cinthu cakusaya moyo comwe tingacigule n’kucikoya cicidzalidwa na pfumbi. Uxamwali bun’funika kuwonedwa ninga cinthu camoyo comwe cin’funika kucidyesa na kucisamalira kuti cikhale cakulimba na kuti cipitirize kukula. Abalahamu adalimbisa na kucitisa kuti uxamwali bwace na Yahova bukhale bwakulimba. Kodi iye adacita tani bzimwebzo?

¹⁰ Abalahamu akhabzibva lini kuti akhambagopa Mulungu na kumubvera mwakukwanira. Iye na banja lace likulu wadayenda kukakhala ku Kanani, ndipo Abalahamu akhambalekererambo kuti Yahova amutsogolere pa bzakusankhula bzace, bzing’ono napo bzikulu. Kutasala gole libodzi kuti Izaki abadwe, pomwe Abalahamu akhana magole 99 yakubadwa, Yahova adatonga kuti amuna wense wa pa mui pa Abalahamu acite mgwatidwe. Kodi Abalahamu adayang’ana njira ya kufuna kulamba kucita bzomwe adauzidwabzo? Ne na pan’onopo, m’mbuto mwace iye adakhulupira Mulungu na kumubvera ‘nsiku imweyire.’​—Ciy. 17:10-14, 23.

11. Kodi thangwe ranyi Abalahamu akhana thupo kwene-kwene na mizinda ya Sodoma na Gomora, ndipo Yahova adamuthandiza tani?

¹¹ Kodi thangwe ranyi Abalahamu adabvera Yahova napo pa cakusankhula cakuwoneka ninga  cing’ono? Thangwe ndakuti Abalahamu akhafuna kuti uxamwali bwace na Mulungu bukhale bwakulimba na kuti bupitirize kukula. Iye akhabzipereka kwa Yahova na mtima wace wense, ndipo akhakumbirambo thandizo pa mibvunzo yomwe ikhambamunesa kwene-kwene. Mwa ciratizo, pomwe iye atabva kuti mizinda ya Sodoma na Gomora in’pfudzidwa, Abalahamu adakhala na thupo kwene-kwene ndipo akhafuna kudziwa kuti penu wanthu wabwino angadapfudzidwa pabodzi na wanthu wakuipa. Pinango Abalahamu akhacitira thupo mzukulu wace Loti na banja lace, womwe wakhakhala ku Sodoma. Abalahamu adacita mibvunzo mwa kubzicepswa na mwa kukhulupira Mulungu omwe ni ‘Muyeruzi wa dziko lense lapansi.’ Yahova mwakudeka mtima adathandiza Abalahamu kuti mwa nsisi zace iye, ambadziwa bzomwe bziri mu mtima ndipo ambapsaga wanthu wa mitima yabwino kuti awasunge na moyo napo pa nthawe ya ciyeruzo.​—Ciy. 18:22-33.

12, 13. (a) Kodi cidziwiso na bzakugumana nabzo pa moyo bzidathandiza tani Abalahamu? (b) Kodi n’ciyani cikulatiza kuti Abalahamu akhana cikhulupiro kwa Yahova?

¹² Tin’kupenukira lini kuti cidziwiso comwe akhanaco na bzakugumana nabzo pa moyo bzidathandiza Abalahamu kupitiriza kukhala pa uxamwali bwapafupi na Yahova. Patsogolo pace, iye adagumana na mayezo, pomwe Yahova adamukumbira kuti apereke mwana wace Izaki ninga nsembe. Abalahamu akhadziwa makhalidwe yomwe Xamwali wace wakudzulu akhanayo. Tsapano bwerani tiwone momwe mwamuna wakukhulupirikayu adacitira ulendo bwace mpaka ku dziko la Moriya. Kodi iye akhakhulupira kuti Yahova angadacinja makhalidwe yace acileka kukhala na nsisi? Abalahamu akhalibe makumbukidwe yamweyo. Kodi tikudziwa tani bzimwebzi?

¹³ Pomwe akhagoneka atumiki wace womwe wakhamuperekeza wale, Abalahamu adalewa kuti: ‘Bakasalani pano na buluyu, inepano na mwananguyu tinkuyenda kukanamata, tinkugumanani tsapanopa.’ (Ciy. 22:5) Kodi Abalahamu akhathandauza ciyani na mafala yamweya? Kodi Abalahamu akhanamiza atumiki wace, pa kuwauza kuti Izaki angadabwerera naye pomwe, acidziwa kuti akuyenda kamupereka nsembe? Ne. Bibliya limbatithandiza kudziwa bzomwe Abalahamu akhakumbuka. (Werengani Wahebereu 11:19.) Abalahamu akhadziwa kuti ‘Mulungu akhana mphanvu za kumulamusa [Izaki] kwa anyakufa.’ Inde, Abalahamu akhakhulupira kuti Izaki angadalamusidwa. Iye akhadziwa kuti Yahova akhadabwezera mphanvu yace ya kubereka na ya mkazi wace Sara napo wakhali wakukalamba. (Waheb. 11:11, 12, 18) Abalahamu akhadziwa kuti palibe cinthu comwe Yahova angatazire kucita. Tenepo, iye akhakhulupira kuti ciri-cense comwe cingacitike pa nsiku imweyire, mwana wace angadzabwerera pomwe acikhala na moyo ndipo mapiciro yense ya Yahova yangadakwansika. Thangwe race tin’kupenukira lini kuti Abalahamu akhacemeredwa ‘baba wa wense womwe wana cikhulupiro.’

14. Kodi ni mabvuto yaponi yomwe timbagumana nayo pa kutumikira Yahova, ndipo ciratizo ca Abalahamu cimbatithandiza tani?

¹⁴ Apa tani ifepanombo? N’cadidi kuti nsiku zino Mulungu angatikumbire lini kucita bzinthu ninga momwe adacitira na Abalahamu. Koma iye angatikumbire kuti timubvere napo pa bzinthu bzomwe bzingawoneke ninga bzakunesa kubziteweza ayai tin’kudziwa lini thangwe ra kucitira  bzimwebzo. Kodi imwepo mumbawona kuti bzinthu bzinango bzomwe Mulungu ambatikumbira kuti ticite bzidanesa kubziteweza? Kwa winango, basa lakupalizira cingakhale cinthu cakuwanesa. Pinango thangwe ra manyazi, bzimbawanesa kupalizira bzipsa bzabwino kwa wanthu wacirendo. Kwa winango, bzimbawanesa kukhala wanthu wakusiyana na anzawo wa kuxikola ayai wa kubasa. (Kuf. 23:2; 1 Wat. 2:2) Kodi imwepo mudabva kale ninga momwe Abalahamu adabvera, kukhala ninga mun’kukwira phiri la Moriya, mucipasidwa basa lomwe linkuwoneka kuti mun’kwanisa lini kulicita? Penu n’tenepoyo, khalani wakulimba mtima pa kutewezera cikhulupiro ca Abalahamu. Kukumbukira bziratizo bza amuna na akazi wakukhulupirika, bzin’dzatithandiza kuwatewezera ndipo tin’dzafendererana na Yahova omwe ni Xamwali wathu.​—Waheb. 12:1, 2.

15. Thangwe ranyi tin’kutsimikiza kuti Abalahamu alibe kudandaula thangwe ra kukhulupirika kwace kwa Yahova?

¹⁵ Kodi imwepo munkukumbuka kuti Abalahamu adadandaula thangwe ra kubvera kwace Yahova? Onani bzomwe Bibliya limbafotokoza pakulewa bza kumamaliziro kwa moyo wace kuti: ‘Abalahamu adafa pomwe akhali nkhalamba kwene-kwene, pambuyo pakukhala na moyo utali na wabwino.’ (Ciy. 25:8) Pomwe Abalahamu akhana magole 175 yakubadwa, iye akhalibe mphanvu thangwe ra kukalamba, koma adakwanisa kukumbukira bza kumbuyo ndipo adawona kuti adakhala na moyo wabwino kwene-kwene. Iye akhana moyo omwe udamuthandiza kupitiriza kukhala pa uxamwali na Yahova Mulungu. Na tenepo, tikambawerenga kuti Abalahamu akhana ‘moyo utali na wabwino,’ bzin’funa lini kulewa kuti moyo wace ukhali wakukwanira, mwakuti akhafuna lini kudzakhala na moyo unango kutsogolo.

16. Kodi m’Paraizo Abalahamu an’dzakondwa thangwe ra kudziwa ciyani?

¹⁶ Pakulewa bza Abalahamu, Bibliya limbati: ‘Iye akhadikhira mzinda wakukhala na aliserse ya cadidi, mzinda omwe udamangidwa ucikonzedwa na Mulungu.’ (Waheb. 11:10) Abalahamu akhakhulupira kuti nsiku inango iye angadadzawona mzinda omwe ni Umambo bwa Mulungu bun’kutonga dziko lense ndipo iye an’dzawona kufuna kwa Mulungu kunkucitika. Kodi mungakwanise kukumbukira momwe Abalahamu an’dzakhalira wakukondwa akadzakhala pomwe na moyo m’Paraizo pansi pano aciyamba pomwe kukhala pa uxamwali bwakulimba na Yahova? Iye an’dzakondwa kwene-kwene akadzadziwa kuti ciratizo cace ca kukhulupirika cidathandiza atumiki wa Yahova kwa magole mazinji iye atafa! Mu Paraizo iye an’dzapfunza kuti njira yomwe adaiphatisa basa pakufuna kupereka nsembe Izaki ikhali ‘yakuyezezera’ ndipo ikhana thandauzo likulu kwene-kwene. (Waheb. 11:19) Ndipo iye an’dzadziwambo kuti kuwawidwa komwe adabva ninga baba pa kukonzekera kupereka nsembe Izaki, kudathandiza wanthu azinji wakukhulupirika kukumbukira momwe Yahova adawawidwira pa kucita makonzedwe ya kupereka mwana wace Jezu Kristu nsembe ninga cakulombera. (Ju. 3:16) Ciratizo ca Abalahamu cimbathandiza tensenefe kutenda kwene-kwene mphaso ya cakulombolera, yomwe ni makonzedwe makulu kwene-kwene ya lufoyi pa mbiri yense ya wanthu.

17. Kodi imwepo mwatsimikiza kucita ciyani, ndipo tin’dzacezerana ciyani mu nkhani inkubwerayi?

¹⁷ Ali-wense wa ifepano an’funika kukhala wakutsimikiza kutewezera cikhulupiro ca Abalahamu. Tin’funika kupitiriza kumudziwa bwino Yahova, ticikhala wakukhulupirika kwa iye. Tikacita tenepo, tin’dzadziwa bzizinji ndipo tin’dzakhala na bzisimbo tikapitiriza kumutumikira mwakukhulupirika. (Werengani Wahebereu 6:10-12.) Yahova an’dzakhala Xamwali wathu nthawe zense! Nkhani yomwe inkubwerayi, in’dzafotokoza bziratizo bzinango bzitatu bza wanthu wakukhulupirika womwe adakhala pa uxamwali bwakulimba na Mulungu.