1, 2. (a) Yintoni esenokubonakala ingenakuze yenzeke kwabaninzi, kodwa iBhayibhile isiqinisekisa ngantoni? (b) Wayeyintoni uAbraham kuYehova, yaye ngoba?

 UBUYA kuvakalelwa njani ukuba uMdali wezulu nomhlaba ubenokuthi ngawe, “Ngumhlobo wam lo”? Kwabaninzi, kusenokubonakala kungenakuze kwenzeke oko. Ngapha koko, umntu unokuba nabo njani ubuhlobo noYehova uThixo? Kanti ke, iBhayibhile iyasiqinisekisa ukuba sinako ngokwenene ukusondela kuThixo.

² UAbraham wamandulo wayengomnye wabo banandipha ubuhlobo obusenyongweni ngolo hlobo. UYehova wambiza loo solusapho ngokuthi “umhlobo wam.” (Isaya 41:8) Ewe, uYehova wayemgqala uAbraham njengomhlobo wakhe. Into eyamenza uAbraham wasondelelana ngolo hlobo naye kukuba “wakholwa kuYehova.” (Yakobi 2:23) Nanamhlanje, uYehova ukhangela amathuba okwakha ubuhlobo obusondeleyo nabo bamkhonzayo ‘nawokubathanda.’ (Duteronomi 10:15) ILizwi lakhe libongoza lisithi: “Sondelani kuThixo, naye uza kusondela kuni.” (Yakobi 4:8) Kula mazwi sifumana isimemo kwakunye nesithembiso.

3. Sisiphi isimemo uYehova asidlulisela kuthi, yaye sisiphi isithembiso esihambisana naso?

³ UYehova uyasimema ukuba sisondele kuye. Ukulungele ukusamkela njengabahlobo. Kwangaxeshanye, usithembisa esithi ukuba sithabatha amanyathelo okusondela kuye, naye uya kwenza ngokufanayo. Uya kusondela kuthi. Ngoko sinokufumana into exabiseke ngokwenene—ukuba “ngabahlobo bakhe abasondeleyo.” (INdumiso 25:14) Amazwi athi ‘abahlobo abasondeleyo’ asinika umfanekiso womntu othetha iimfihlo zakhe kumhlobo okhethekileyo.

4. Unokumchaza njani umhlobo osondeleyo kuwe, yaye uYehova unguye njani umhlobo onjalo?

 ⁴ Ngaba unaye umhlobo osondeleyo onokuthetha kuye iimfihlo zakho? Umhlobo onjalo ngonenkathalo ngawe. Uyamthemba, kuba uye wanyaniseka kuwe. Uye wonwabe kakhulu xa nincokola ngezinto ezikwenza wonwabe. Ukuphulaphula kwakhe ngovelwano kuyenza lula intlungu yakho. Naxa kungekho namnye oziqondayo iimvakalelo zakho, yena uyaziqonda. Ngokufanayo, xa usondela kuThixo, uya kuba noMhlobo okuxabisa ngokwenene, okukhathalela ngokunzulu, noziqonda ngokupheleleyo iimvakalelo zakho. (INdumiso 103:14; 1 Petros 5:7) Uziva ukhululekile ukuphalazela kuye imbilini yakho, kuba uyazi ukuba unyanisekile kwabo banyanisekileyo kuye. (INdumiso 18:25) Noko ke, le nyhweba sinayo yokuba nobuhlobo noThixo siyifumana kuphela ngenxa yokuba siyinikwe kwanguye.

5. Yintoni awayenzayo uYehova ukuze asivulele indlela yokusondela kuye?

⁵ Ngaphandle koncedo, thina njengaboni besingenakuze sikwazi ukusondela kuThixo. (INdumiso 5:4) “Kodwa uThixo ubonise ukuba uyasithanda ngokuthi uKristu asifele ngoxa sasisengaboni,” wabhala watsho umpostile uPawulos. (Roma 5:8) Ewe, uYehova walungiselela ukuba uYesu “anikele ngobomi bakhe ukuze kuhlawulelwe abaninzi.” (Mateyu 20:28) Ukuba nokholo kwethu kwelo dini lentlawulelo kwenza sikwazi ukusondela kuThixo. Ekubeni uThixo “wasithanda kuqala,” wabeka isiseko sokuba sakhe ubuhlobo naye.—1 Yohane 4:19.

6, 7. (a) Sazi njani ukuba uYehova akangoThixo ozifihlayo nongaziwayo? (b) UYehova uzityhile ngaziphi iindlela?

⁶ UYehova uye wathabatha nelinye inyathelo: Uye wazityhila kuthi. Kubo nabuphi na ubuhlobo, ukusondelelana kusekelwe ekumazini ngokwenene umntu, uzixabise iimpawu neendlela zakhe. Ngoko ukuba uYehova ebenguThixo  ozifihlayo nongaziwayo, besingenakuze sisondele kuye. Kodwa, kunokuba azifihle, ufuna ukuba simazi. (Isaya 45:19) Ngaphezu koko, uzityhila kubantu bonke, nakwabo bajongelwa phantsi kweli hlabathi.—Mateyu 11:25.

⁷ Uzityhile njani uYehova kuthi? Indalo yakhe isifundisa into eninzi ngeempawu zakhe, ngokomzekelo indlela anamandla ngayo, anobulumko ngayo, nendlela oluninzi ngayo uthando lwakhe. (Roma 1:20) Kodwa uYehova akazityhili ngendalo yakhe kuphela. Kaloku yena akaxakwa yindlela yokunxibelelana nabantu, uye watyhila okuninzi ngaye esebenzisa iLizwi lakhe elibhaliweyo, iBhayibhile.

8. Kutheni kunokuthiwa iBhayibhile ngokwayo ibubungqina bokusithanda kukaYehova?

⁸ IBhayibhile ngokwayo ibubungqina bokusithanda kukaYehova. ELizwini lakhe, uzityhila ngokusebenzisa amagama esinokuwaqonda—nto leyo engebubo nje ubungqina bokusithanda kwakhe kodwa ekwabonisa ukuba ufuna simazi size simthande. Oko sikufundayo kule ncwadi ixabisekileyo kusenza sikwazi ukusondela kuye. (INdumiso 1:1-3) Makhe sixubushe ngezinye iindlela ezibangel’ imincili uYehova azityhila ngazo eLizwini lakhe.

9. Chaza ezinye izibhalo ezizichaza ngokungqalileyo iimpawu zikaThixo?

⁹ Zininzi iindawo apho iBhayibhile izichaza khona ngokungqalileyo iimpawu zikaThixo. Phawula imizekelo embalwa. “UYehova uthanda ubulungisa.” (INdumiso 37:28) UThixo “unamandla agqwesileyo.” (Yobhi 37:23) “‘Ndithembekile,’ utsho uYehova.” (Yeremiya 3:12) “Unobulumko.” (Yobhi 9:4) ‘UnguThixo onenceba novelwano, ongakhawuleziyo ukucaphuka, ophuphuma luthando olungagungqiyo nenyaniso.’ (Eksodus 34:6) “Wena Yehova, ulungile futhi usoloko ufuna ukuxolela.” (INdumiso 86:5) Futhi njengoko kubonisiwe kwisahluko esingaphambili, olona phawu  lubalaseleyo lolokuba: “UThixo uluthando.” (1 Yohane 4:8) Njengoko ucingisisa ngezi mpawu zithandekayo, ngaba akuziva utsalelekile na kulo Thixo ungenakuthelekiswa nanto?

10, 11. (a) Ukusinceda sibubone ngokucace ngakumbi ubuntu bakhe, yintoni uYehova aye wayiquka eLizwini lakhe? (b) Nguwuphi umzekelo oseBhayibhileni osincedayo ukuba sibe nombono wokusebenzisa kukaThixo amandla akhe?

¹⁰ Ukongezelela ekusixeleleni ngeempawu zakhe, uYehova uye waquka eLizwini lakhe imizekelo engqalileyo yendlela azibonakalisa ngayo ezi mpawu. Ezo ngxelo zisinika imifanekiso-ngqondweni engacimiyo esinceda simqonde bhetele uYehova ukuba unguThixo onjani. Oko kuyasinceda ukuba sisondele kuye. Khawuphawule umzekelo woku.

¹¹ Kuyenye into ukufunda ukuba uThixo ‘unamandla amangalisayo.’ (Isaya 40:26) Kanti kuyenye into ukufunda ngendlela awamhlangula ngayo uSirayeli ngokumweza kuLwandle Olubomvu waza walunika yonke into olwaluyidinga olo hlanga kangangeminyaka eyi-40 entlango. Unokuba nombono wezo zantyalantyala zamanzi zisahlukana phakathi. Unokuba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wolo hlanga—olwalungabantu abamalunga ne-3 000 000—luhamba emhlabeni owomileyo elwandle, luphahlwe ngamanzi afana neendonga eziphakamileyo macala omabini. (Eksodus 14:21; 15:8) Izicacele indlela uThixo awabakhusela nawabakhathalela ngayo abantu bakhe entlango. Kwaphuma amanzi eliweni. Kwavela ukutya emhlabeni, okwakufana nembewu emhlophe. (Eksodus 16:31; Numeri 20:11) Apha uYehova akatyhili  nje kuphela amandla akhe kodwa kwanokuba uwasebenzisa ekuncedeni abantu bakhe. Ngaba akukhuthazi na ukwazi ukuba imithandazo yethu iya kuThixo owomeleleyo ‘oyindawo yokubalekela namandla ethu, uncedo olufumaneka ngokukhawuleza xa sisentlungwini’?—INdumiso 46:1.

12. UYehova usinceda njani ukuba “simbone” ngendlela esinokuyiqonda?

¹² UYehova, onguMoya, wenze okungakumbi ukusinceda simazi. Njengabantu sibona kuphela izinto ezibonakalayo yaye asikwazi ukubona kummandla womoya. Ukuba uThixo ebenokuchaza ubume bakhe bomoya, oko bekuya kufana nokuzama ukuchaza imbonakalo yakho, njengebala lamehlo okanye lamachokoza asemzimbeni wakho, kumntu ozelwe eyimfama. Kunoko, uYehova ngobubele uyasinceda ukuba “simbone” ngendlela esinokuyiqonda. Maxa wambi, usebenzisa intetho ebusafobe nemizekeliso, azifanise nezinto esizaziyo. Ude azichaze njengoneempawu ezithile zabantu. a

13. Nguwuphi umfanekiso-ngqondweni asizobela wona uIsaya 40:11, yaye ukwenza uzive njani wena?

¹³ Phawula indlela achazwa ngayo uYehova kuIsaya 40:11: ‘Uza kuwukhathalela umhlambi wakhe njengomalusi. Ngengalo yakhe, uza kuwaqokelela amatakane, uza kuhamba nawo ewabeke esifubeni.’ Apha uYehova ufaniswa nomalusi othwala amatakane ‘ngengalo yakhe.’ Oku kubonisa amandla kaThixo okubakhusela nokubaxhasa abantu bakhe, kwanabona babuthathaka. Sinokuziva sikhuselekile kwiingalo zakhe ezomeleleyo, kuba ukuba sinyanisekile kuye, akasoze asishiye. (Roma 8:38, 39) UMalusi Omkhulu  uwathwala “esifubeni” amatakane, igama elithetha ilaphu lesambatho sangasentla, umalusi awayefunqula ngalo itakane elisanda kuzalwa ngamany’ amaxesha. Ngoko siyaqinisekiswa ukuba uYehova usixabisile yaye uyasithantamisa. Ngoko kuyinto ezenzekelayo ukuba sifune ukusondela kuye.

14. Kutheni kunokuthiwa uYehova uziveza ngendlela ecacileyo ngokusebenzisa uYesu?

¹⁴ ELizwini lakhe, uYehova uziveza ngendlela ecacileyo ngokusebenzisa uNyana wakhe oyintanda, uYesu. Akukho namnye obenokusibonisa iingcinga neemvakalelo zikaThixo ngokucace ngakumbi kunokuba uYesu wenzayo. Ngapha koko, loo Nyana wamazibulo wabakho ecaleni kukaYise ngaphambi kokudalwa kwezinye izidalwa zomoya kunye nendalo ebonakalayo. (Kolose 1:15) UYesu wayeqhelene kakuhle gqitha noYehova. Kungenxa yoko le nto wakwazi ukuthi: “Akekho umntu omaziyo uNyana ngaphandle kukaTata, engekho nomntu owaziyo ukuba ngubani uTata ngaphandle koNyana,  nalowo uNyana athanda ukumxelela ngaye.” (Luka 10:22) Xa wayesemhlabeni njengomntu, uYesu wamtyhila uYise ngeendlela ezimbini ezibalulekileyo.

15, 16. Ziziphi iindlela ezimbini uYesu awamtyhila ngazo uTata wakhe?

¹⁵ Okokuqala, iimfundiso zikaYesu ziyasinceda ukuba simazi uTata wakhe. UYesu wamchaza uYehova ngamazwi achukumis’ intliziyo. Ngokomzekelo, ekuchazeni kwakhe uThixo onenceba nobamkelayo aboni abaguqukayo, uYesu wamfanisa uYehova notata oxolelayo ochukunyiswa ngokunzulu kukubona unyana wakhe wolahleko obuyileyo kangangokuba ade abaleke ukuya kunyana wakhe, amange aze amphuze. (Luka 15:11-24) Kwakhona uYesu umchaza uYehova njengoThixo ‘obatsalela’ kuye abantu abantliziyo zilungileyo ngenxa yokuba ebathanda. (Yohane 6:44) Uyazi kwanaxa ungqatyana omncinane ewela emhlabeni. UYesu wachaza wathi: “Sanukoyika; nixabiseke ngaphezulu lee kunezo ntaka.” (Mateyu 10:29, 31) Ngokuqinisekileyo siziva sitsalelekile kuThixo onenyameko ngolo hlobo.

¹⁶ Okwesibini, umzekelo kaYesu uyasibonisa uhlobo lomntu uYehova alulo. UYesu wafana nesipili esimveza kakuhle uTata wakhe kangangokuba wathi: “Lowo undibonileyo mna umbonile noTata.” (Yohane 14:9) Ngoko, xa sifunda ngoYesu kwiincwadi zeVangeli—indlela awayevakalelwa ngayo nendlela awayebaphatha ngayo abanye—kuba ngathi sibona uTata wakhe. Le yeyona ndlela ebhetele uYehova asibonise ngayo ukuba unjani. Kutheni sisitsho?

17. Zekelisa oko uYehova akwenzileyo ukuze asincede siqonde uhlobo lomntu alulo.

¹⁷ Ngokomzekelo: Khawuzithelekelele nje uzama ukucacisa ukuba buyintoni ububele. Unokubuchaza ngamazwi. Kodwa ukuba ukhomba umntu othile owenza ububele uze uthi, “Nguwo ke lowa umzekelo wobubele,” igama elithi “ububele” licaca ngakumbi lize liqondeke ngokulula. UYehova wenze okufanayo ukuze asincede siqonde uhlobo lomntu  alulo. Uzichaze ngamazwi, waza wasinika nomzekelo ophilayo woNyana wakhe. KuYesu sibona ukusebenza kweempawu zikaThixo. Eneneni, ngeengxelo zeVangeli ezichaza uYesu, uYehova uthi: ‘Yindlela endiyiyo ke leya.’ Ingxelo ephefumlelweyo imchaza njani uYesu ngoxa wayesemhlabeni?

18. UYesu walubonakalisa njani uphawu lwamandla, ubulungisa nobulumko?

¹⁸ Iimpawu ezine ezibalaseleyo zikaThixo zibonakala kakuhle kuYesu. Wayenamandla okuphelisa izifo, indlala, kwanokufa. Sekunjalo, ngokungafaniyo nabantu abawasebenzisa kakubi amandla abo, akazange enze imimangaliso yamandla ukuze azincede yena okanye enzakalise abanye. (Mateyu 4:2-4) Wayebuthanda ubulungisa. Wayefanele ukucaphuka xa wabona abarhwebi abangamaqhophololo bexhaphaza abantu. (Mateyu 21:12, 13) Wabaphatha ngobubele abantu ababengamahlwempu nababecinezelwa, ebanceda ukuba ‘bahlaziyeke.’ (Mateyu 11:4, 5, 28-30) UYesu, ‘owayemkhulu kunoSolomon,’ wabonisa ubulumko obungathethekiyo kwiimfundiso zakhe. (Mateyu 12:42) Kodwa uYesu akazange aqhayise ngobulumko bakhe. Amazwi akhe afikelela iintliziyo zabantu abaqhelekileyo, kuba iimfundiso zakhe zazicacile, zilula, yaye zisebenziseka.

19, 20. (a) UYesu waba nguwo njani umzekelo obalaseleyo wothando? (b) Njengoko sifunda yaye sicingisisa ngomzekelo kaYesu, sifanele sikhumbule ntoni?

¹⁹ UYesu wayengumzekelo obalaseleyo wothando. Ngalo lonke ixesha lokushumayela kwakhe emhlabeni, wabonisa uthando ngeendlela ezininzi. Enye yezo ndlela kukuba novelwano. Xa ebona abantu besehlelwa zizinto ezibuhlungu, wayesiba nosizi. Kodwa amaxesha amaninzi wayengapheleli nje ekubasizeleni. Wayeye enze into aze abancede. (Mateyu 14:14) Nangona waphilisa abagulayo waza wondla abalambileyo, uYesu wabonisa uvelwano ngendlela ebaluleke ngakumbi. Wanceda abanye ukuba  bayazi, bayamkele, yaye bayithande inyaniso ephathelele uBukumkani bukaThixo, obuya kuzisela abantu iintsikelelo ezingasoze ziphele. (Marko 6:34; Luka 4:43) Ngaphezu koko, uYesu wabonisa uthando lokuzincama ngokuthi anikele ngobomi bakhe ngenxa yethu.—Yohane 15:13.

²⁰ Ngendlela uYesu awayenothando novelwano ngayo, kuyaqondakala ukuba kutheni le nto abantu bazo zonke iintlobo babefuna ukusondela kuye. (Marko 10:13-16) Noko ke, njengoko sifunda yaye sicingisisa ngomzekelo kaYesu, masihlale sikhumbula ukuba kulo Nyana sibona umfanekiso ocacileyo kaTata wakhe.—Hebhere 1:3.

21, 22. Kubandakanya ntoni ukufuna uYehova, yaye le ncwadi iza kusinceda njani?

²¹ Ngokuzityhila kwakhe ngokucace kangaka eLizwini lakhe, uYehova wenza kucace ukuba ufuna sisondele kuye. Kwangaxeshanye, akasinyanzeli ukuba sibe ngabahlobo bakhe. Kuxhomekeke kuthi ukumfuna uYehova “ngoxa esafumaneka.” (Isaya 55:6) Ukufuna uYehova kubandakanya ukwazi iimpawu neendlela zakhe njengoko zityhilwe eBhayibhileni. Le ncwadi oyifundayo ngoku yenziwe ngenjongo yokukunceda wenze kanye loo nto.

 ²² Uza kuphawula ukuba le ncwadi yahlukaniswe ngokwamacandelo eempawu ezine eziyintloko zikaYehova: amandla, ubulungisa, ubulumko nothando. Candelo ngalinye liqalisa ngokucacisa uphawu. Izahluko ezimbalwa eziphantsi kwelo candelo zixubusha ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo uYehova alubonakalisa ngayo olo phawu. Candelo ngalinye likwaqulethe izahluko ezibonisa indlela uYesu awalubonisa ngayo olo phawu, kunye nesahluko esibonisa indlela thina esinokulubonisa ngayo ebomini bethu.

23, 24. (a) Chaza icandelo elikhethekileyo elithi “Imibuzo Onokucingisisa Ngayo.” (b) Ukucingisisa kusinceda njani sisondele ngakumbi kuThixo?

²³ Ukususela kwesi sahluko, kukho icandelo elikhethekileyo elinomxholo othi “Imibuzo Onokucingisisa Ngayo.” Ngokomzekelo, jonga  kwibhokisi ekwiphepha 24. Izibhalo nemibuzo elapho asiyompinda yesi sahluko. Kunoko, injongo yayo kukukunceda ukuba ucingisise nangezinye izinto ezibalulekileyo zaloo nto bekuthethwa ngayo. Unokuzisebenzisa njani ezi bhokisi ngendlela eza kukunceda? Tyhila sibhalo ngasinye esilapho, uze usifunde kakuhle. Emva koko qwalasela umbuzo olandela isibhalo ngasinye. Zama ukucingisisa iimpendulo. Usenokwenza nophando. Zibuze imibuzo eyongezelelekileyo, njengokuthi: ‘Indixelela ntoni le nkcazelo ngoYehova? Ndinokuyisebenzisa njani ebomini bam? Ndinokuyisebenzisa njani ukunceda abanye?’

²⁴ Ukucingisisa ngolo hlobo kunokusinceda sisondele ngakumbi kuYehova. Kutheni sisitsho? IBhayibhile idibanisa ukucingisisa kunye nentliziyo. (INdumiso 19:14) Xa sicinga nzulu ngoYehova, siqalisa ukucinga njengaye, siye simthanda nangakumbi, futhi siye sikufune ngamandla ukumvuyisa kuba engumhlobo wethu osondeleyo. (1 Yohane 5:3) Ukuze sibe nobuhlobo obunjalo, simele sizazi iimpawu neendlela zikaYehova. Kodwa ke, masiqale sithethe ngobungcwele bukaThixo nangokuba kutheni olu phawu lusenza sifune ukusondela kuye.