1-3. (a) Singafundani endleleni umuntu adalwe ngayo nxa sikhangela ubudlelwano babazali losane lwabo? (b) Sandise ukwenzani nxa umuntu angatshengisa ukuthi uyasithanda njalo yiwuphi umbuzo oqakathekileyo esingazibuza wona?

ABAZALI bayakuthanda ukubona usane lwabo olusanda kuzalwa lubobotheka. Bandise ukusondeza ubuso babo eduze kwalo, besebekhuluma ngamazwi amnandi futhi bebobotheka ngendlela etshengisa ukuthi bayaluthanda. Bayabe befisa ukubona ukuthi usane lwabo luzakwenzani. Ngesikhatshana babona izitofo ezihlathini zosane njengoba luqalisa ukubobotheka. Ukubobotheka lokhu kuyindlela usane olutshengisa ngayo ukuthi luzizwa njani, futhi lokhu kuyindlela yalo yokwamukela uthando lwabazali.

² Ukubobotheka kosane lokhu kusikhumbuza okuthile okuqakathekileyo ngendlela umuntu adalwe ngayo. Sandise ukuthi nxa umuntu angatshengisa ukuthi uyasithanda lathi simthande. Le yindlela esidalwe ngayo. (IHubo 22:9) Nxa siqhubeka sikhula, iyathuthuka lendlela esenza ngayo nxa singabona ukuthi umuntu uyasithanda. Mhlawumbe uyakhumbula ukuthi usesemncane wawukubona ukuthi abazali, izihlobo, kumbe abangane bakho bayakuthanda. Enhliziyweni yakho kwaqalisa imizwa yothando eyakhula yacina ikwenza ukuthi uthathe inyathelo lokuthi ubathande. Yikho okwenzakalayo yini ebudlelwaneni bakho loJehova uNkulunkulu?

³ IBhayibhili lithi: “Siyathanda ngoba yena wasithanda kuqala.” (1 UJohane 4:19) ENgxenyeni 1 kusiya ku-3 yebhuku leli, wakhunjuzwa ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu usebenzise amandla, ukwahlulela okuhle kanye lenhlakanipho yakhe  ngendlela elothando ukuze usizakale. Kwathi eNgxenyeni 4, wabona ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukucacise ngezindlela ezimangalisayo ukuthi uyabathanda abantu, kugoqele lawe. Lokhu sekuvusa umbuzo oqakatheke ukwedlula yonke ongazibuza yona, othi: ‘Ngizalwamukela njani uthando lukaJehova?’

4. Kuyini okuphithanisa abantu amakhanda mayelana lokuthi ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kutshoni?

⁴ UJehova uMsunguli wothando ukwazi kuhle ukuthi uthando lulamandla okwenza abanye benze okuhle kakhulu. Lanxa abantu abanengi beqhubeka behlamuka, yena lokhu ethemba ukuthi kulabanye abazalwamukela uthando lwakhe. Futhi izigidi ezinengi zikwenzile lokhu. Okudanisayo yikuthi izinkolo zomhlaba lo owonakeleyo sezitshiye abantu bephithene emakhanda mayelana lokuthi kutshoni ukuthanda uNkulunkulu. Abantu abanengi abathi bayamthanda uNkulunkulu bacabanga ukuthi nxa bengakhuluma ngomlomo kuphela ukuthi bayamthanda bayabe sebeqedile. Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kungaqalisa njalo, njengendlela usane oluqalisa ngayo ukutshengisa abazali balo ukuthi luyabathanda ngokubobotheka. Kodwa ebantwini abadala uthando lutshengiswa ngendlela edlula leyo.

5. IBhayibhili lithi kutshoni ukuthanda uNkulunkulu, njalo kungani elikutshoyo kumele kusithokozise?

⁵ UJehova uyachasisa ukuthi kutshoni ukumthanda. ILizwi lakhe lithi: “Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu yilokhu: ukulalela imilayo yakhe.” Lokhu kutsho ukuthi ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kutshengiswa ngezenzo. Liqiniso ukuthi abanengi kabakuthandi ukulalela. Kodwa ivesi leli liqhubeka lisithi: “Njalo imilayo yakhe [uNkulunkulu] kayinzima.” (1 UJohane 5:3) Imithetho lezimiso zikaJehova kwenzelwe ukuthi kusisize, hatshi ukusicindezela. (U-Isaya 48:17, 18) ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lilezimiso ezinengi ezisisiza ukuthi sisondele eduze kwakhe. Njani? Asihloleni izingxenye ezintathu zobudlelwane bethu loNkulunkulu, ezigoqela ukukhuluma laye, ukumkhonza kanye lokumlingisela.

6-8. (a) Singamlalela njani uJehova? (b) Singenzani ukuze esikubala eMibhalweni kuphile?

⁶ ISahluko 1 saqalisa ngomutsho othi, “Ake uzicabange uxoxa loNkulunkulu!” Sabona ukuthi kakusilo phupho ukucabanga ngalokhu. UMosi wabalalo ithuba elinjalo. Thina-ke? Khathesi kayisiso isikhathi sokuthi uJehova abe ethuma izingilosi zakhe ukuthi zizokhuluma labantu. Kodwa ulendlela engcono kakhulu yokukhuluma lathi lamuhla. Pho-ke singamlalela njani uJehova?

⁷ Simlalela ngokubala iLizwi lakhe iBhayibhili, ngoba “iMibhalo yonke yaphefumulelwa nguNkulunkulu.” (2 KuThimothi 3:16) Yikho umhubi wakhuthaza izinceku zikaJehova ukuthi zibale iMibhalo “imini lobusuku.” (IHubo 1:1, 2) Kumele sisebenze nzima ukuze siphumelele ukwenza njalo, futhi kasisoze sizisole ngalokhu. Njengoba safunda eSahlukweni 18, iBhayibhili linjengencwadi eligugu esiyibhalelwe nguBaba wethu osezulwini. Yikho-ke ukulibala akumelanga kube yinto esiphonguyenza nje. Lokho esikubala eMibhalweni kumele sikwenze kuphile. Singakwenza njani lokhu?

⁸ Engqondweni yakho, bona izindaba eziseBhayibhilini ngesikhathi ubala. Zama ukubabona abalingiswa abaseBhayibhilini bengabantu abaphilayo. Zama ukubona indawo ababekuyo, izimo kanye lezinhloso zabo. Ngemva kwalokho cabangisisa ngalokho okufundayo, ubusuzibuza ukuthi: ‘Udaba lolu lungifundisani ngoJehova? Yiluphi uphawu lobuntu okukhulunywa ngalo lapha? UJehova ufuna ngifundeni kulokhu futhi ngingakusebenzisa njani ekuphileni kwami?’ Bala, ucabangisise njalo usebenzise okubalayo. Nxa ungenza njalo iLizwi likaNkulunkulu lizaphila kuwe.​—IHubo 77:12; UJakhobe 1:23-25.

9. Ngubani ‘inceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo,’ futhi kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi siyilalelisise “inceku” leyo?

⁹ UJehova uphinda akhulume lathi esebenzisa ‘inceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo.’ Njengoba uJesu wakhuluma kudala, iqembu elincane lamadoda angamaKhristu agcotshiweyo lakhethwa ukuthi labele ukudla okungokomoya “ngesikhathi  esifaneleyo” kulezizinsuku zokucina ezinzima. (UMathewu 24:45-47) Nxa sifunda amabhuku abhalelwe ukuthi asincede sithole ulwazi oluqondileyo ngeBhayibhili njalo sisiba khona emihlanganweni yethu yobuKhristu kanye lemihlanganweni emikhulu, siyabe siphiwa ukudla okungokomoya yinceku ethembekileyo. Ngenxa yokuthi bayizinceku zikaKhristu, kuyabe kuyikuhlakanipha ukuthi silandele amazwi kaJesu athi: “Nanzelelani ukuthi lilalela kanjani.” (ULukha 8:18) Siyalalelisisa kakhulu ngoba siyakwazi ukuthi inceku ethembekileyo yiyo esetshenziswa nguJehova ukuthi akhulume lathi.

10-12. (a) Kungani umthandazo uyisipho esihle esisiphiwe nguJehova? (b) Singathandaza njani kuJehova ngendlela emjabulisayo, futhi kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi uyayiqakathekisa imithandazo yethu?

¹⁰ Kodwa kuthiwani ngokukhuluma loNkulunkulu? Singenelisa yini ukukhuluma loJehova? Lokhu kungakhanya kuyinto enhle kakhulu kodwa eyesabekayo. Nxa ubungazama ukuyabona umbusi omkhulu ukwedlula bonke emphakathini wakini ukuze umtshele ngezinye izinto ezikukhathazayo, ubungaphumelela yini? Ngezinye izikhathi, ukuzama ukwenza njalo kungaba yingozi! Ngezinsuku zika-Esta loModekhayi, umuntu wayengabulawa nxa wayengayathutsha phambi kombusi wasePhesiya engabizwanga. (U-Esta 4:10, 11) Khathesi cabanga usiya phambi koMbusi weNdawo Yonke omkhulu ukwedlula bonke ababusi abasemhlabeni, okokuthi ubabona ‘benjengezintethe’! (U-Isaya 40:22) Kumele sesabe kakhulu yini ukukhuluma laye? Hatshi!

¹¹ Umthandazo yindlela elula uJehova asilungiselele yona ukuze sikhulume laye. Lomntwana omncane angakhuleka kuJehova ngokholo esebenzisa ibizo likaJesu. (UJohane 14:6; KumaHebheru 11:6) Umthandazo usinceda lokuthi senelise ukutsho imicabango lemizwa eyimfihlo, enzima futhi ebuhlungu okungalula ukuyikhuluma. (KwabaseRoma 8:26) Kakusizi ukugabaza ngolimi, kumbe ukuthandaza okwesikhathi eside futhi usebenzisa amazwi amanengi usenzela ukubukwa nguJehova. (UMathewu 6:7, 8) Lanxa kunjalo, uJehova kasinqumeli ukuthi singakhuluma laye kangaki kumbe isikhathi eside kangakanani.  ILizwi lakhe lize lisinxuse ukuthi ‘sikhuleke kokuphela.’​—1 KwabaseThesalonika 5:17.

¹² Khumbula ukuthi uJehova nguye yedwa okuthiwa ‘uyayizwa imithandazo,’ futhi ulalela ngendlela etshengisa ukuthi uyasizwisisa. (IHubo 65:2) Ulalela imithandazo le ngoba eswele okokwenza yini? Hatshi, uyakuthanda ukulalela imithandazo yezinceku zakhe. ILizwi lakhe lifananisa imithandazo enjalo lempepha ethi nxa isitsha kuthunqe intuthu elephunga elimnandi isiya phezulu. (IHubo 141:2; ISambulo 5:8; 8:4) Ngendlela efananayo, kuyaduduza ukwazi ukuthi imithandazo yethu esuka enhliziyweni iyafika kuMbusi weNdawo Yonke futhi iyamthokozisa. Yikho nxa ufuna ukusondela kuJehova, khuleka kuye ngentobeko kanengi futhi nsuku zonke. Mtshele konke okusesifubeni sakho futhi ungamfihleli lutho. (IHubo 62:8) Bonga futhi udumise uYihlo osezulwini futhi umtshele konke okukukhathazayo lokukuthokozisayo. Lokho kuzakwenza ubudlelwane bakho laye buqine kakhulu.

13, 14. Kutshoni ukukhonza uJehova njalo kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi sikwenze lokhu?

¹³ Ukukhuluma loJehova uNkulunkulu kakufanani lokuxoxa nje lesihlobo kumbe umngane. Siyabe simkhonza simnika udumo okumele aluthole loba sekutheni. Ukukhonza kweqiniso kuqondisa impilo yethu yonke. Yiyo indlela esitshengisa ngayo ukuthi silothando futhi sizinikele ngokupheleleyo njalo lokhu kumanyanisa zonke izidalwa zikaJehova ezithembekileyo ezisezulwini lezisemhlabeni. Embonweni, umphostoli uJohane wezwa ingilosi imemezela umlayo othi: “Mkhonzeni yena owadala amazulu, lomhlaba, lolwandle kanye lemithombo yamanzi.”​—ISambulo 14:7.

¹⁴ Kungani kumele simkhonze uJehova? Cabanga ngezimpawu zobuntu esesixoxe ngazo ezigoqela ubungcwele, amandla, ukuzithiba, ukwahlulela okuhle, isibindi, isihawu, inhlakanipho, ukuthobeka, uthando, ukuthembeka kanye lobuhle. Sesibonile ukuthi izimpawu zonke zobuntu bukaJehova ziphakeme kakhulu ukwedlula ezaloba ngubani. Nxa singazama ukuzwisisa  izimpawu zonke zobuntu bakhe, sibona ukuthi unguMuntu omkhulu njalo esingamdumisa ukwedlula loba ngubani. Uyakhazimula ngendlela ebabazekayo njalo mkhulu ngendlela engalinganisekiyo nxa eqathaniswa lathi. (U-Isaya 55:9) Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi uJehova nguye olelungelo lokuba nguMbusi wethu njalo kumele simkhonze. Kodwa kumele simkhonze njani uJehova?

15. Singamkhonza njani uJehova “ngomoya langeqiniso” njalo imihlangano yamaKhristu isinika ithuba lokwenzani?

¹⁵ UJesu wathi: “UNkulunkulu ungumoya, labo abamkhonzayo bamele bamkhonze ngomoya langeqiniso.” (UJohane 4:24) Lokhu kutsho ukukhonza uJehova ngezinhliziyo ezigcwele ukholo lothando futhi eziqondiswa ngumoya wakhe. Kutsho lokumkhonza ngokuvumelana leqiniso kanye lolwazi oluqondileyo olutholakala eLizwini lakhe. Silethuba elihle lokukhonza uJehova “ngomoya langeqiniso” lapho sihlangana lesikhonza  labo. (KumaHebheru 10:24, 25) Izindlela ezihlanzekileyo esikhonza ngazo uJehova futhi ezitshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda zigoqela ukuhlabela izingoma zokumdumisa, ukuthandaza kuye, kanye lokulalela futhi siphinde siphendule lapho kuxoxwa ngeLizwi lakhe.

16. Yiwuphi omunye umlayo omkhulu kulayo yonke ophiwe amaKhristu eqiniso, njalo kungani sikubona kuqakathekile ukuwulalela?

¹⁶ Enye indlela esikhonza ngayo uJehova yikumdumisa emphakathini ngokutshela abanye ngaye. (KumaHebheru 13:15) Liqiniso ukuthi omunye wemilayo emikhulu kulayo yonke ephiwe amaKhristu eqiniso yikutshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaJehova. (UMathewu 24:14) Sizimisele ukulalela ngoba siyamthanda uJehova. Ukucabanga ngendlela “unkulunkulu walesisikhathi,” uSathane uDeveli, ‘asenqunde ngayo izingqondo zabangakholwayo’ efafaza amanga ahloselwe ukungcolisa ibizo likaJehova, kwenza sibe lesifiso sokuba ngoFakazi bakaNkulunkulu wethu ukuze silungise ukunyundela lokhu. (2 KwabaseKhorinte 4:4; U-Isaya 43:10-12) Nxa sinakana ngobuhle bezimpawu zikaJehova siba silesifiso sokuthi siyetshela abanye ngaye. Iqiniso elikhona yikuthi kakulasibusiso esedlula ukuncedisa abanye ukuthi bamazi njalo bamthande njengathi uBaba wethu osezulwini.

17. Ukukhonza kwethu uJehova kugoqelani, njalo kungani kumele simkhonze ngobuqotho?

¹⁷ Ukukhonza kwethu uJehova akupheleli lapho. Kuthinta zonke izingxenye zokuphila kwethu. (KwabaseKholose 3:23) Nxa sisamukela ukuthi uJehova unguMbusi wethu sizakwenza intando yakhe ezintweni zonke okugoqela emulini, emsebenzini, lapho sizilibazisa lasendleleni esiphatha ngayo abanye. Sizazama ukusebenzela uJehova ngobuqotho ‘simkhonze ngenhliziyo yethu yonke.’ (1 ImiLando 28:9) Ukukhonza okunjalo kakumtshiyi umuntu enhliziyombili okutsho ukuthi ngeke azenze angathi ukhonza uJehova ngapha yena esenza ngudlu izono ezinkulu. Ubuqotho kabusivumeli ukuthi sibelobuzenzisi obunjalo, ikanti uthando lwenza sikwenyanye, futhi lokwesaba uNkulunkulu kuzasincedisa. IBhayibhili lithi ukwesaba okunjalo kuzasigcina siseduze loJehova.​—IHubo 25:14.

18, 19. Kungani kulengqondo ukucabanga ukuthi abantu abalesono bangenelisa ukulingisela uJehova uNkulunkulu?

¹⁸ Ingxenye yinye ngayinye yebhuku leli ibiphetha ngesahluko esitshengisa ukuthi singenza njani ukuze sibe “ngabalingiseli bakaNkulunkulu, njengabantwana abathandwa kakhulu.” (Kwabase-Efesu 5:⁠1) Kuqakathekile ukuthi sihlale sikhumbula ukuthi lanxa silesono, singenelisa ukulingisela indlela kaJehova yokusebenzisa amandla, ukwahlulela okuhle, inhlakanipho, kanye lokuba lomusa. Sikwazi njani ukuthi singenelisa sibili ukulingisela uSomandla? Khumbula ukuthi ibizo likaJehova lisifundisa ukuthi angaba yilokho afuna ukuba yikho ukuze agcwalise izinhloso zakhe. Ukwenelisa kwakhe ukwenza lokhu kusitshiya sibambe owangaphansi, kodwa lokhu akwenzi ukuthi sehluleke ukumlingisela.

¹⁹ Senziwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu. (UGenesisi 1:26) Lokhu kwenza ukuthi abantu bangafanani lazo zonke ezinye izidalwa ezisemhlabeni. Kasenzi izinto sifuqwa ngumuzwa nje, ufuzo kumbe ezinye izinto ezenziwa emphakathini wethu. UJehova usiphe isipho esiligugu. Isipho lesi yinkululeko yokuzikhethela. Kungelani lokuthi siyaphambanisa kumbe kulezinye izinto esingenelisi ukuzenza, silenkululeko yokuzikhethela lokho esifuna ukuba yikho. Uyafuna yini ukuba ngumuntu olothando, ohlakaniphileyo njalo olungileyo osebenzisa kuhle amandla? Umoya kaJehova uzakuncedisa nxa ufuna ukuba ngumuntu onjalo! Cabanga ngokuhle ozakwenza nxa ungaba njalo.

20. Kuyini okuhle esizakufeza nxa singalingisela uJehova?

²⁰ Uzakwenza ukuthi uYihlo osezulwini ajabule, futhi inhliziyo yakhe ithokoze. (IZaga 27:11) Ungenelisa ‘ukumthokozisa ngezindlela zonke’ uJehova ngoba yena uyakwazi lokho ongenelisi ukukwenza. (KwabaseKholose 1:9, 10) UBaba wethu othandekayo uzakubusisa kakhulu nxa ungaqhubeka usiba lobuntu obufanana lobakhe. Uzakuba yikukhanya emhlabeni lo osemnyameni njalo owehlukaniswe loNkulunkulu. (UMathewu 5:1, 2, 14) Uzakuba lethuba lokwenza ukuthi ubuntu bukaJehova obukhazimulayo baziwe emhlabeni wonke. Lesi yisibusiso esikhulu!

21, 22. Yiluphi uhambo okumele luthathwe yilabo abathanda uJehova?

²¹ Isikhuthazo lesi esilula esikuJakhobe 4:8 kayisiso sifiso nje sokufuna ukwenza okuthile kodwa luhambo. Nxa singahlala sithembekile uhambo lolu kalusoze luphele. Kasisoze sime ukuqhubeka sisondela kuJehova. Iqiniso yikuthi kuzahlala kukunengi esingakufunda ngaye. Kakumelanga sicabange ukuthi ibhuku leli lisifundise konke ngoJehova. Phela kufanana lokuthi kasikaqalisi ukuxoxa ngakho konke okuseBhayibhilini okuphathelane loNkulunkulu! IBhayibhili lalo kalisitsheli konke ngoJehova. Umphostoli uJohane wathi ngabe konke uJesu akwenzayo ngesikhathi esemhlabeni bekungabhalwa, “umhlaba wonke wawuzaswela indawo yezincwadi ezazingabhalwa.” (UJohane 21:25) Nxa kutshiwo njalo ngeNdodana, uYise yena-ke?

²² Lanxa singaphila kuze kube nini lanini kasingeke sifunde konke ngoJehova. (UmTshumayeli 3:11) Kodwa cabanga ngethemba  esilalo. Ngemva kokuthi sesiphile iminyaka leminyaka kungaba engamakhulu, izinkulungwane, izigidi, loba amabhiliyoni, sizenelisa ukwazi okunengi kakhulu ngoJehova uNkulunkulu ukwedlula khathesi. Lanxa kunjalo, kuzaqhubeka kulokhu kulezinto ezinhle ezinengi okuyabe kumele sifunde ngazo. Sizabe sizimisele ukufunda okunengi, ngoba sizahlala silesizathu sokuzizwa njengomhubi, owahlabela esithi: “Kodwa mina kimi kuhle ukuba seduze loNkulunkulu.” (IHubo 73:28) Impilo engapheliyo izasenza sisuthiseke kakhulu futhi kuzabe kulokunengi okokwenza njalo ukusondela kuJehova kuzahlala kuyikho okuthokozisa kakhulu.

23. Ukhuthazwa ukuthi wenzeni?

²³ Kwangathi ungatshengisa ukuthi uyalubonga uthando lukaJehova ngokumthanda ngenhliziyo yakho yonke, umphefumulo, ingqondo kanye lamandla akho wonke. (UMakho 12:29, 30) Kwangathi uthando lwakho lungabaqotho njalo lube ngoluqinileyo. Kwangathi izinqumo zakho ozenza nsukuzonke, kusukela kwezincane kusiya kwezinkulu, zingatshengisa isimiso esifananayo sokuthi uzahlala ukhetha indlela ezakwenza ube lobudlelwane obuqinileyo loYihlo osezulwini. Kanti njalo, kwangathi ungaqhubeka usondela kakhulu kuJehova, njalo laye aqhubeke esondela kuwe kuze kube nini lanini!