1, 2. Kungani kufanele sibone umthandazo njengesibusiso, njalo kungani sifuna ukwazi ukuthi iBhayibhili lifundisani ngawo?

UMHLABA mncane kakhulu nxa uqathaniswa lezinkanyezi ezisezulwini. Kanti njalo kuJehova, “uMenzi wezulu lomhlaba,” izizwe zonke zinjengethonsi lamanzi emgqonyeni. (IHubo 115:15; U-Isaya 40:15) Kodwa iBhayibhili lithi: “UJehova useduze kulabo abacela kuye, kubo bonke abacela kuye ngeqiniso. Uyagcwalisa izidingo zalabo abamesabayo; uyezwa ukukhala kwabo abasindise.” (IHubo 145:18, 19) Cabanga ukuthi lokho kutshoni! UMdali onguSomandla useduze lathi futhi uyasizwa nxa ‘sicela kuye ngeqiniso.’ Silesibusiso esikhulu kakhulu sokukhuluma loNkulunkulu ngomthandazo!

² Kodwa nxa sifuna uJehova alalele imithandazo yethu kumele sithandaze kuye ngendlela ayamukelayo. Akulandlela esingakwenza ngayo lokhu ngaphandle kokuthi sizwisise ukuthi iBhayibhili lifundisani mayelana lomthandazo. Kuqakathekile ukuthi sikwazi ukuthi iMibhalo ifundisani ngalindaba ngoba umthandazo uyasinceda ukuthi sisondele kuJehova.

3. Yisiphi isizatho esiqakathekileyo esenza sithandaze kuJehova?

³ Isizatho esiqakathekileyo esenza sithandaze kuJehova ngesokuthi  uyasicela ukuthi sikwenze lokho. ILizwi lakhe liyasikhuthaza lisithi: “Lingakhathazeki ngalutho, kodwa ezintweni zonke, ngokukhuleka langokuncenga, ngokubonga, bekani izicelo zenu kuNkulunkulu. Ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula ukuqedisisa konke, kuzalinda izinhliziyo zenu lezingqondo zenu kuKhristu uJesu.” (KwabaseFiliphi 4:6, 7) Akumelanga sisikhangelele phansi loba nini lesi sibusiso esisilungiselelwe nguMbusi oMkhulu wendawo yonke!

4. Ukuthandaza zikhathi zonke kuJehova kubuqinisa njani ubuhlobo bakho laye?

⁴ Esinye isizatho esenza sithandaze kuJehova zikhathi zonke ngesokuthi ukwenza njalo kuyabuqinisa ubuhlobo bethu laye. Abangane beqiniso abaxoxi nxa becelana izinto kuphela. Kodwa abangane abahle bayakhathalelana futhi ubungane babo buqhubeka buqina nxa bekhululeka ukutshelana ngokubakhathazayo, abakucabangayo lemizwa yabo. Ubuhlobo bethu loJehova uNkulunkulu buyahambelana lobungane obunjalo. Ibhuku leli selikuncedise ukuthi ufunde okunengi okufundiswa liBhayibhili ngoJehova, ngobuntu bakhe langezinjongo zakhe. Usufunde ukuthi ungenelisa ukuba lobuhlobo laye. Umthandazo ukunika ithuba lokuthi utshele uYihlo osezulwini ukuthi ucabangani lokuthi uzizwa njani enhliziyweni. Nxa  ukwenza lokhu uzaqhubeka usondela kuJehova.​—UJakhobe 4:8.

5. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi kayisiyo yonke imithandazo elalelwa nguJehova?

⁵ UJehova uyayilalela yini yonke imithandazo? Cabanga ngalokho akutshela ama-Israyeli ayehlamuka ngesikhathi umphrofethi u-Isaya esaphila. Wabatshela wathi: “Loba selikhuleka imikhuleko eminengi, angiyikulalela. Izandla zenu zigcwele igazi.” (U-Isaya 1:15) Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi izenzo zethu zingenza ukuthi uNkulunkulu angalaleli imithandazo yethu. Ngakho nxa sifuna ukuthi uNkulunkulu ajabulele ukuzwa imithandazo yethu, kulezinto eziqakathekileyo okumele sizenze.

6. Kuyini okuqakathekileyo okumele sibe lakho ukuze uNkulunkulu alalele imithandazo yethu, njalo singatshengisa njani ukuthi silokholo?

⁶ Into yokuqala eqakathekileyo okumele sibe layo lukholo. (Bala uMakho 11:24.) Umphostoli uPhawuli wabhala wathi: “Kungelakukholwa akwenzakali ukuthokozisa uNkulunkulu, ngoba oza kuye kumele akholwe ukuthi ukhona lokuthi uyabanika umvuzo labo abadinga ngobuqotho.” (KumaHebheru 11:6) Ukuba lokholo lweqiniso akupheleli ekwazini ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona lokuthi uyezwa imithandazo aphinde ayiphendule. Ukholo lukhanya ngezenzo zethu. Kumele sinike ubufakazi obucacileyo bokuthi silokholo ngendlela esiphila ngayo nsuku zonke.​—UJakhobe 2:26.

7. (a) Kungani kufanele sibe lenhlonipho nxa sikhuluma loJehova ngomthandazo? (b) Ukuba qotho lokuthobeka kwethu kungakhanya njani ngesikhathi sithandaza kuNkulunkulu?

⁷ UJehova ufuna sibe ngabantu abathobekileyo labaqotho nxa sithandaza kuye. Silesizatho esilengqondo sokuthobeka nxa sikhuluma loJehova. Nxa abantu bangaphiwa ithuba lokukhuluma lenkosi kumbe lomongameli welizwe bandise ukukhuluma laye ngokuthobeka, behlonipha isikhundla  sakhe esiphezulu. Kulengqondo-ke ukuthi sibe lenhlonipho edlula lapho nxa sikhuluma loJehova! (IHubo 138:6) Phela yena ‘unguNkulunkulu uSomandla.’ (UGenesisi 17:1) Nxa sikhuleka kuNkulunkulu indlela esikwenza ngayo kufanele itshengise ukuthi siyazithoba lokuthi siyaqaphela ukuthi singanani phambi kwakhe. Ukuthobeka okunjalo kuzakwenza sikhuleke ngenhliziyo yonke, siqotho njalo singaphindaphindi emithandazweni yethu.​—UMathewu 6:7, 8, NW.

8. Singenza njani ukuthi izenzo zethu zihambelane lesikuthandazelayo?

⁸ Okunye okuqakathekileyo ukuze uNkulunkulu azwe imithandazo yethu yikuthi izenzo zethu zihambelane lesikuthandazelayo. UJehova ukhangelele ukuthi senze konke esingakwenza, sisebenzela lokho esikuthandazelayo. Ngokwesibonelo nxa singathandaza sisithi: “Siphe lamuhla ukudla kwensuku zonke,” kumele sisuke lapho siyesebenza ngamandla emsebenzini esingawuthola. (UMathewu 6:11; 2 KwabaseThesalonika 3:10) Nxa singathandazela ukuthi sinqobe umkhuba omubi osikhathazayo, kufanele sizame ukubalekela izimo lezindawo ezingasifaka esilingweni. (KwabaseKholose 3:5) Lanxa sesizwile ngezinto lezi eziqakathekileyo, kuseseleminye imibuzo emayelana lomthandazo okusamele iphendulwe.

9. Kumele sithandaze kubani, njalo sisebenzisa ibizo likabani?

⁹ Ngubani okufanele sithandaze kuye? UJesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuthandaza ‘kuBaba wethu osezulwini.’ (UMathewu 6:9) Lokhu kutsho ukuthi imithandazo yethu kufanele iqondiswe kuJehova uNkulunkulu kuphela. Loba kunjalo, uJehova ulindele ukuthi sihloniphe isikhundla seNdodana yakhe eyiyo yodwa, uJesu Khristu. KuSahluko 5 sifunde ukuthi uJesu wathunywa emhlabeni ukuthi abe yinhlawulo esikhulula esonweni lasekufeni. (UJohane 3:16; KwabaseRoma 5:12) Ubekwe njengoMahluli loMphristi oMkhulu. (UJohane 5:22; KumaHebheru 6:20) Yikho iMibhalo isilaya ukuthi  sithandaze ngebizo likaJesu. UJesu wathi: “Yimi indlela, leqiniso lokuphila; kakho oza kuBaba engezi ngami.” (UJohane 14:6, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Ukuze uJehova azwe imithandazo yethu kumele sithandaze kuye kuphela ngebizo leNdodana yakhe.

10. Kungani kungela ndlela ethile okumele sime ngayo nxa sithandaza?

¹⁰ Nxa sithandaza ikhona yini indlela ethile okumele sime ngayo? Hatshi. UJehova kakhangelelanga ukuthi silandele indlela ethile yokuma komzimba lokwezandla. IBhayibhili lifundisa ukuthi kulezindlela ezitshiyeneyo zesimo somzimba ezamukelekayo nxa sithandaza. Lezi zindlela zigoqela ukuhlala, ukuguqa, ukukhothama lokuma. (1 ImiLando 17:16; UNehemiya 8:6; UDanyeli 6:10; UMakho 11:25) Okuqakathekileyo yisimo esihle senhliziyo hatshi indlela ethile yokuma ezabonwa ngabantu. Kanti njalo nxa singafikelwa yisimo esiyingozi silibele loba singaphi, singathandaza enhliziyweni. UJehova uyayizwa imithandazo enjalo lanxa kungenzeka ukuthi abaseceleni kwethu bayabe bengaboni ukuthi kwenzakalani.​—UNehemiya 2:1-6.

11. Yikuphi okunye ongakutshela uNkulunkulu nxa uthandaza?

¹¹ Yiziphi izinto esingazithandazela? IBhayibhili lichasisa ukuthi: “Uma sicela ulutho ngokwentando yakhe, [uJehova] uyasizwa.” (1 UJohane 5:14) Ngakho singathandazela loba yini ehambelana lentando kaNkulunkulu. Kuyintando yakhe yini ukuthi sithandaze simtshela okusikhathazayo? Akuthandabuzwa! Ukuthandaza kuJehova kuhambelana lokukhuluma lomngane omthandayo. Singakhuluma loNkulunkulu sikhululekile, ‘sikhupha konke okusezinhliziywenu zethu kuye.’ (IHubo 62:8) Kuqondile ukuthi sicele umoya ongcwele, ngoba uzasinceda ukuthi senze okulungileyo. (ULukha 11:13) Singacela ukuthi uNkulunkulu asiqondise ukuze senze izinqumo ezihlakaniphileyo njalo ukuze sibe lamandla okulwisana lobunzima. (UJakhobe 1:5) Nxa singenza isono kumele sicele ukuthethelelwa ngesisekelo somhlatshelo kaKhristu. (Kwabase-Efesu 1:3, 7) Kodwa akumelanga sithandazele izinto eziphathelane  lathi kuphela. Emithandazweni yethu kumele sithandazele labanye abantu abagoqela abemuli yethu kanye lesikhonza labo.​—ImiSebenzi 12:5; KwabaseKholose 4:12.

12. Emithandazweni yethu, singakwenza njani ukuthi izinto eziphathelane loBaba wethu osezulwini zibe yizo eziqakathekileyo?

¹² Okuqakathekileyo okumele kube ngokwakuqala nxa sithandaza yizinto eziphathelane loJehova uNkulunkulu. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi silesizatho esihle esenza sidumise njalo sibonge uJehova ngenhliziyo yonke ngenxa yobuhle bakhe. (1 ImiLando 29:10-13) Emthandazweni wakhe oyisibonelo obhalwe kuMathewu 6:9-13, uJesu wasifundisa ukuthi sithandazele ukuthi ibizo likaNkulunkulu lihlonitshwe, okutsho ukuthi lingcweliswe. (Bala.) Okulandelayo emthandazweni lowo yikuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uze lokuthi intando yakhe yenziwe emhlabeni njengalokhu isenziwa ezulwini. UJesu esekhulume ngalezo zinto eziqakathekileyo eziphathelane loJehova, wakhuluma-ke ngezinto ezikhathaza abantu. Lathi nxa sithandazela izinto eziphathelane loNkulunkulu kuqala, siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi asizifuneli okwethu kuphela.

13. IMibhalo isitshelani mayelana lobude bemithandazo eyamukelekayo?

¹³ Imithandazo yethu kumele ibe mide okunganani? IBhayibhili kalisitsheli ukuthi imithandazo yethu kumele ibe mide okunganani nxa sithandaza sisodwa loba sithandaza phambi kwabanye. Ingaba yimithandazo emifitshane singakadli kumbe emide lapho esiyabe sithululela khona izifuba zethu kuJehova. (1 USamuyeli 1:12, 15) Kodwa uJesu wabasola abantu ababezenza abalungileyo besenza imithandazo emide eyokufuna ukubukwa ngabanye. (ULukha 20:46, 47) Imithandazo enjalo kayimjabulisi uJehova. Okuqakathekileyo okumele sikwenze yikukhuleka ngenhliziyo yethu yonke. Ngakho-ke ubude bemithandazo eyamukelekayo buyatshiyana kusiya ngezimo kanye lezidingo.

14. IBhayibhili litshoni nxa lisikhuthaza ukuthi ‘siqhubeke sikhuleka,’ njalo kuyini okududuzayo ngalokho?

¹⁴ Kumele sikhuleke kangaki? IBhayibhili lisikhuthaza ukuthi ‘sibambelele ekukhulekeni,’ ‘sikhuleke kokuphela’  njalo ‘siqhubeke sikhuleka.’ (KwabaseRoma 12:12; 1 KwabaseThesalonika 5:17; 1 KuThimothi 5:5) Amavesi la kawatsho ukuthi kumele sikhuleke kuJehova ilanga lonke singasaphumuli. Esikukhuthazwa liBhayibhili yikuthi sikhuleke zikhathi zonke, siqhubeke sibonga uJehova ngobuhle bakhe, sithembela kuye ukuthi asiqondise, asiduduze njalo asiqinise. Akududuzi yini ukwazi ukuthi uJehova kanqumi ukuthi imithandazo yethu ibe mide okunganani lokuthi singathandaza kuye kangaki? Nxa sisiqakathekisa isibusiso somthandazo, sizadinga amathuba amanengi okuthandaza kuBaba wethu osezulwini.

15. Kungani kumele sithi “Ameni” ekucineni komthandazo wethu sisodwa kumbe nxa omunye ethandaza phambi kwabantu?

¹⁵ Kungani kumele sithi “Ameni” ekucineni komthandazo? Ibala elithi “ameni” litsho ukuthi “kuliqiniso,” kumbe ukuthi “kakube njalo.” Izibonelo eziseMibhalweni zitshengisa ukuthi kuqondile ukuthi sithi “Ameni” ekucineni komthandazo wethu sisodwa kumbe nxa omunye umuntu ethandaza phambi kwabantu abanengi. (1 ImiLando 16:36; IHubo 41:13) Nxa sisithi “Ameni” ekucineni komthandazo wethu siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi esikukhulumileyo kuqotho. Nxa umuntu ethandaza phambi kwabantu, ukuthi “Ameni” kwethu ngenhliziyo kumbe ngokuzwakalayo ekucineni kutshengisa ukuthi sivumelana lakukhulumileyo.​—1 KwabaseKhorinte 14:16.

16. Yikuphi ukuqiniseka esingaba lakho mayelana lomthandazo?

¹⁶ UJehova uyayiphendula yini imithandazo? Ye, uyayiphendula! Silesizatho esiqinileyo sokuqiniseka ukuthi yena “owuzwayo umthandazo” uphendula imithandazo yezigidi zabantu abathandaza kuye beqotho. (IHubo 65:2) UJehova angaphendula imithandazo yethu ngezindlela ezitshiyeneyo.

17. Kungani singathi uNkulunkulu usebenzisa izingilosi zakhe lezinceku zakhe ezisemhlabeni ukuthi aphendule imithandazo yethu?

¹⁷ UJehova uphendula imithandazo yethu esebenzisa izingilosi  lezinceku zakhe ezisemhlabeni. (KumaHebheru 1:13, 14) Kulezibonelo ezinengi zabantu abathandaza kuNkulunkulu ukuthi abancedise ukuzwisisa iBhayibhili, sebethandazile kwahle kwafika omunye wezinceku zikaJehova. Izibonelo ezinjalo ziyibufakazi bokuthi umsebenzi wokutshumayela ngoMbuso uqondiswa yizingilosi. (ISambulo 14:6) Nxa kulolutho esiludingayo sibili, uJehova angaphendula imithandazo yethu ngokwenza ukuthi umKhristu othile asincedise.​—IZaga 12:25; UJakhobe 2:16.

18. UJehova uwusebenzisa njani umoya wakhe ongcwele kanye leLizwi lakhe ukuze aphendule imithandazo yezinceku zakhe?

 ¹⁸ Okunye uJehova uNkulunkulu akusebenzisayo ekuphenduleni imithandazo yezinceku zakhe ngumoya wakhe ongcwele leLizwi lakhe iBhayibhili. Nxa sithandazela uncedo lokuthi silwisane lezilingo, angaphendula imithandazo yethu ngokusinika isiqondiso lamandla esebenzisa umoya wakhe ongcwele. (2 KwabaseKhorinte 4:7) Nxa sikhuleka sicela ukuqondiswa, impendulo yomthandazo wethu ijayele ukutholakala eBhayibhilini, lapho uJehova asinceda khona ukuthi senze izinqumo ezitshengisa ukuhlakanipha. Imibhalo encedayo ingatholakala ekubaleni kwethu iBhayibhili sisodwa lasekubaleni amabhuku obuKhristu anjengaleli. Imicijo eseMibhalweni okumele siyisebenzise singayizwa kulokho okukhulunywayo emihlanganweni yobuKhristu kumbe kokukhulunywa ngumdala okhathalelayo ebandleni.​—KwabaseGalathiya 6:1.

19. Nxa kukhanya angathi imithandazo yethu ayiphendulwa, kuyini okumele sicabange ngakho?

¹⁹ Nxa kukhanya angathi uJehova uyaphuza ukuphendula imithandazo yethu akutsho ukuthi kenelisi ukuyiphendula. Kumele sikhumbule ukuthi uJehova uphendula imithandazo ngesikhathi sakhe langokuvumelana lentando yakhe. Uyazazi izidingo zethu njalo uyakwazi ukuzigcwalisa ukwedlula thina. Izikhathi ezinengi, uyasivumela ukuthi siqhubeke ‘sicela, sidinga njalo siqoqoda.’ (ULukha 11:5-10) Ukuphikelela okunjalo  kutshengisa uNkulunkulu ukuthi esikufunayo sikufuna ngenhliziyo yonke lokuthi ukholo lwethu ngolweqiniso. Kumele sinanzelele ukuthi uJehova angaphendula imithandazo yethu ngezindlela ezingakhanyiyo kithi. Ngokwesibonelo, nxa sithandaza ngenxa yesilingo esithile, angaphendula umthandazo wethu ngokusinika amandla okuthi siqinisele hatshi ngokukhipha ubunzima bakhona.​—Bala uFiliphi 4:13.

20. Njengoba ukuthandaza kuJehova kuyisibusiso esikhulu, kungani kumele sikhuleke kuye zikhathi zonke?

²⁰ Siyathokoza kakhulu ukuthi uMdali womhlaba wonke useduze lalabo abathandaza kuye ngendlela eqondileyo! (Bala iHubo 145:18.) Kumele sithandaze kuJehova zikhathi zonke ngoba kuyisibusiso esikhulu ukuthandaza kuye. Nxa singenza njalo, sizathola isibusiso esimangalisayo sokusondela kuJehova, yena owuzwayo umthandazo.