1, 2. Kutheni sifanele siwugqale njengelungelo elikhulu umthandazo, yaye kutheni simele sazi oko iBhayibhile ikufundisayo ngawo?

UMHLABA mncinane gqitha xa uthelekiswa nendalo iphela. Enyanisweni, kuYehova, “uMenzi wezulu nomhlaba,” bebonke nje abantu beentlanga ngeentlanga balingana nethontsi lamanzi elise-emeleni. (INdumiso 115:15; Isaya 40:15) Sekunjalo, iBhayibhile ithi: “Usondele uYehova kubo bonke abo bambizayo, kubo bonke abo bambiza ngenyaniso. Uya kukwenza oko kunqwenelwa ngabo bamoyikayo, nokukhalela kwabo uncedo uya kukuva.” (INdumiso 145:18, 19) Khawucinge nje ngoko kuthethwa ngala mazwi! Athetha ukuba uMdali ongusomandla usondele kuthi yaye uya kusiva ukuba ‘simbiza ngenyaniso.’ Kulilungelo ngokwenene ukuthetha noThixo ngomthandazo!

² Kodwa ke, ukuba sifuna uYehova ayiphulaphule imithandazo yethu, simele sithandaze ngendlela emkholisayo. Asinakukwazi ukwenjenjalo xa singakuqondi oko iBhayibhile ikufundisayo ngomthandazo. Ngoko kubalulekile ukuba sikwazi oko kuthethwa ziZibhalo ngomthandazo, kuba umthandazo usinceda sikwazi ukusondela ngakumbi kuYehova.

3. Sisiphi isizathu esibalulekileyo sokuba sithandaze kuYehova?

³ Isizathu esibalulekileyo sokuba sithandaze kuYehova sikukuba  usikhuthaza ukuba senjenjalo. ILizwi lakhe lisibongoza lisithi: “Musani ukuxhalela nantoni na, kodwa ezintweni zonke zaziseni izibongozo zenu kuThixo ngomthandazo nesikhungo nombulelo; yaye uxolo lukaThixo olungaphaya kokuqonda luya kuzilinda iintliziyo zenu namandla enu engqondo ngoKristu Yesu.” (Filipi 4:6, 7) Ngokuqinisekileyo asifuni kuligqala njengelingabalulekanga eli lungiselelo lothando esilenzelwe nguMlawuli Ophakamileyo wendalo iphela!

4. Ukuthandaza rhoqo kuYehova kuluqinisa njani ulwalamano lwethu kunye naye?

⁴ Esinye isizathu sokuba sithandaze rhoqo kuYehova sikukuba oko kuqinisa ulwalamano lwethu kunye naye. Abahlobo bokwenene abathethi nje kuphela xa omnye efuna into ethile komnye. Kodwa babonisa umdla omnye komnye, yaye ubuhlobo babo buqina ngakumbi njengoko bechazelana iingcamango, izinto ezibaxhalabisayo neemvakalelo zabo. Kukwanjalo ke nangolwalamano lwethu kunye noYehova uThixo. Uye wasichazela eBhayibhileni ngobuntu bakhe nangeenjongo zakhe, njengoko ufundile kule ncwadi. Oko kukuncedile ukuba umazi njengomhlobo wokwenene.  Ngoko ukuthandaza kukuvulela ithuba lokuba nawe umchazele uBawo wethu wasezulwini ngeemvakalelo nangeengcamango onazo. Ngaloo ndlela, uya kusondela ngakumbi kuYehova.—Yakobi 4:8.

5. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uYehova akaphulaphuli yonke imithandazo?

⁵ Ngaba uYehova uphulaphula yonke imithandazo? Phawula ukuba wathini kumaSirayeli awayevukela ngemihla yomprofeti uIsaya: “Nakubeni nisenza imithandazo emininzi, andiphulaphulanga; zona kanye izandla zenu zizaliswe luphalazo-gazi.” (Isaya 1:15) Kucacile ukuba ezinye izinto esizenzayo zinokwenza ukuba uThixo angayiphulaphuli imithandazo yethu. Ngoko ukuze uThixo ayive imithandazo yethu, simele sizabalazele ukuphila ngokwemilinganiselo yakhe.

6. Ukuze uThixo ayiphulaphule imithandazo yethu, nguwuphi umlinganiselo oyintloko esimele siwufikelele, yaye sinokuwufikelela njani?

⁶ Umlinganiselo oyintloko kukubonisa ukholo. (Marko 11:24) Umpostile uPawulos wabhala wathi: “Ngaphandle kokholo akunakwenzeka ukumkholisa kakuhle [uThixo], kuba lowo uzayo kuThixo umele akholwe ukuba ukho nokuba ungumvuzi wabo bamfuna ngenyameko.” (Hebhere 11:6) Ukuba nokholo lokwenyaniso kubandakanya okungakumbi kunokwazi nje ukuba uThixo ukho yaye uyayiva aze ayiphendule imithandazo yethu. Ukholo lwethu silubonisa ngezenzo. Indlela esiphila ngayo imihla ngemihla imele ibonise ngokucacileyo ukuba sinokholo.—Yakobi 2:26.

7. (a) Kutheni sifanele sithobeke xa sithetha noYehova ngomthandazo? (b) Sinokukubonisa njani ukuthobeka nokunyaniseka xa sithandaza kuThixo?

⁷ Kwakhona, uYehova ufuna sithobeke yaye sinyaniseke xa sithandaza. Kakade sinesizathu esihle sokuba sithobeke xa sithetha noYehova, akunjalo? Ekubeni abantu bebonisa imbeko xa bethetha nokumkani okanye umongameli, ngenxa yokuhlonela isikhundla sakhe esiphakamileyo, kubekise phi ke  xa sithetha noYehova! (INdumiso 138:6) Kaloku, ‘unguThixo uSomandla.’ (Genesis 17:1) Xa sithandaza kuThixo, indlela esithetha ngayo imele ibonise ukuzithoba. Ukuthobeka okunjalo kuya kwenza ukuba sithandaze ngokunyanisekileyo nangokusuk’ entliziyweni, singacengcelezi okanye senze imilembelele engenangqiqo.—Mateyu 6:7, 8.

8. Sinokwenza njani ngokuvisisana noko sikuthandazelayo?

⁸ Omnye umlinganiselo esimele siwufikelele ukuze siviwe nguThixo, kukuba senze ngokuvisisana nemithandazo yethu. UYehova ulindele ukuba sizame ngamandla ethu onke ukusebenzela koko sikuthandazelayo. Ngokomzekelo, ukuba sithandaza sithi, “Siphe namhlanje isonka sethu sale mini,” simele sizibhokoxe ngamandla kuwo nawuphi na umsebenzi wempangelo esinawo. (Mateyu 6:11; 2 Tesalonika 3:10) Ukuba sithandazela uncedo ukuze soyise ubuthathaka benyama esinabo, simele siphephe naziphi na iimeko ezinokusifaka esilingweni. (Kolose 3:5) Ngoku makhe sihlolisise imibuzo ethile ephathelele umthandazo.

9. Simele sithandaze kubani, yaye egameni likabani?

⁹ Sifanele sithandaze kubani? UYesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathandaze bathi “Bawo wethu osemazulwini.” (Mateyu 6:9) Ngoko imithandazo yethu imele ibhekiswe kuYehova uThixo kuphela. Kodwa ke, uYehova ufuna sisihlonele isigxina soNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, uYesu Kristu. Njengoko sifundile kwiSahluko 5, uYesu wathunyelwa emhlabeni ukuba abe yintlawulelo yokusikhulula esonweni nasekufeni. (Yohane 3:16; Roma 5:12) Umiselwe njengoMbingeleli Omkhulu noMgwebi. (Yohane 5:22; Hebhere 6:20) Ngenxa yoko, iZibhalo zithi simele sithandaze egameni likaYesu. Naye wathi: “Ndim indlela nenyaniso nobomi. Akukho bani uzayo kuBawo ngaphandle kokuza ngam.” (Yohane 14:6) Ngoko ukuze imithandazo yethu iviwe, simele sithandaze kuYehova kuphela, egameni loNyana wakhe.

10. Kutheni kungalindelekanga ukuba sime okanye sihlale ngendlela ethile ekhethekileyo xa sithandaza?

 ¹⁰ Ngaba simele sime okanye sihlale ngendlela ekhethekileyo xa sithandaza? Akunjalo. UYehova akalindelanga ukuba izandla okanye umzimba wethu umiswe ngendlela ethile ekhethekileyo xa sithandaza. IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba sinokuhlala phantsi, siqubude, siguqe ngamadolo, sime ngeenyawo, njalo njalo, xa sithandaza. (1 Kronike 17:16; Nehemiya 8:6; Daniyeli 6:10; Marko 11:25) Into ebalulekileyo asiyondlela ethile ekhethekileyo yokuma ukuze sibonwe ngabanye, kodwa sisimo sengqondo esifanelekileyo. Kangangokuba, ngoxa siqhubeka nomsebenzi wosuku okanye nanini na sivelelwa yimeko ethile, sisenokuthandaza ngokungavakaliyo kuloo ndawo sikuyo. UYehova uyayiva imithandazo enjalo kwanokuba abanye abantu abakhoyo basenokungayiphawuli kwaukuyiphawula into yokuba uyathandaza.—Nehemiya 2:1-6.

11. Ziziphi ezinye zeemeko zobuqu esinokuzithandazela?

¹¹ Sinokuthandazela ntoni? IBhayibhile ithi: “Kungakhathaliseki ukuba yintoni na esiyicelayo ngokuvumelana nokuthanda kwakhe, [uYehova] uyasiva.” (1 Yohane 5:14) Ngoko sinokuthandazela nantoni na evisisana nokuthanda kukaThixo. Ngaba kukuthanda kwakhe ukuba sithandazele izinto zobuqu ezisikhathazayo? Ngokuqinisekileyo! Ukuthandaza kuYehova kufana nokuthetha noyena mhlobo wakho umthandayo. Simele sithethe ngokukhululekileyo, ‘siphalaze intliziyo yethu’ kuThixo. (INdumiso 62:8) Kufanelekile ukumcela ukuba asinike umoya oyingcwele, kuba wona uya kusinceda senze okulungileyo. (Luka 11:13) Kwakhona sinokumcela ukuba asincede senze izigqibo zobulumko nokuba asomeleze xa sijamelene nobunzima. (Yakobi 1:5) Xa senze isono, sifanele sicele ukuxolelwa ngenxa yedini likaKristu. (Efese 1:3, 7) Kodwa ke, asifanele sithandazele iimeko zethu zobuqu kuphela. Sifanele sithandazele nabanye abantu—amalungu entsapho kwanabo sikhonza kunye nabo.—IZenzo 12:5; Kolose 4:12.

12. Sinokuzibalaselisa njani emithandazweni yethu njengezona zibalulekileyo iimeko ezinokuthanani noBawo wethu wasezulwini?

 ¹² Okona kubalulekileyo kukuba siqale ngokuthandazela iimeko ezinokuthanani noYehova uThixo. Ngokuqinisekileyo sinezizathu zokumdumisa nokumbulela ngokusuk’ entliziyweni ngako konke ukulunga kwakhe. (1 Kronike 29:10-13) Kumthandazo wakhe obhalwe kuMateyu 6:9-13, uYesu wasifundisa ukuba sithandazele ukuba igama likaThixo lingcwaliswe, oko kukuthi, liphathwe njengelingcwele. Yaye sithandazele nokuba uBukumkani bukaThixo bufike, nokuthanda kwakhe kwenziwe emhlabeni njengasezulwini. Kuphela kusemva kokuba sithandazele ezi zinto zibalulekileyo ziphathelele uYehova, apho uYesu wathi sinokwandula ke silandelise ngeemeko zobuqu ezisixhalabisayo. Ngoko ukuba nathi sibalaselisa uThixo njengoyena ubalulekileyo kwimithandazo yethu, siya kuba sibonisa ukuba asinamdla nje kuphela kwiziqu zethu.

13. Zithini iZibhalo ngobude bomthandazo owamkelekileyo?

¹³ Ifanele ibe mide kangakanani imithandazo yethu? IBhayibhile ayibeki miqathango ngokuphathelele ubude bemithandazo yangasese okanye yasesidlangalaleni. Isenokuba ngumthandazo omfutshane ngaphambi kwesidlo okanye ibe ngumthandazo omde wangasese esithi kuwo sikhuphele imbilini yethu kuYehova. (1 Samuweli 1:12, 15) Kodwa ke, uYesu wabagxeka abantu abazenza amalungisa ngokuthi benze imithandazo emide ngenjongo yokubonwa ngabanye. (Luka 20:46, 47) UYehova akakholiswa yimithandazo enjalo. Okubalulekileyo kukuba sithandaze ngokusuk’ entliziyweni. Ngoko, ubude bomthandazo owamkelekileyo bunokwahlukahlukana, kuxhomekeka kwiintswelo neemeko.

14. Ithetha ukuthini iBhayibhile xa isikhuthaza ukuba ‘sithandaze ngokuqhubekayo,’ yaye kutheni kukhuthaza nje oku?

¹⁴ Sifanele sithandaze kangaphi? IBhayibhile isikhuthaza ukuba ‘sithandaze ngokuqhubekayo,’ ‘sizingise emthandazweni,’ yaye ‘sithandaze ngokungapheziyo.’ (Mateyu 26:41; Roma 12:12; 1 Tesalonika 5:17) Noko ke, oku akuthethi  ukuba simele sithandaze kuYehova kaninzi ngemini. Kunoko, iBhayibhile isibongoza ukuba sithandaze rhoqo, siqhubeke simbulela uYehova ngokulunga kwakhe, yaye siqhubeke sifuna ulwalathiso lwakhe, intuthuzelo yakhe, nokomelezwa nguye. Akukhuthazi kusini na ukwazi ukuba uYehova akabekanga miqathango ngokuphathelele ubude bomthandazo, kwanokuba sinokuthandaza kangaphi? Ukuba silixabisa ngokwenene ilungelo esinalo lokuthandaza, siya kuzipha ithuba lokuthandaza rhoqo kuBawo wethu wasezulwini.

15. Kutheni sifanele sithi “Amen” ekupheleni komthandazo wobuqu nowasesidlangalaleni?

¹⁵ Kutheni sifanele sithi “Amen” ekupheleni komthandazo? Igama elithi “amen” lithetha ukuthi “ngokuqinisekileyo,” okanye “makube njalo.” Imizekelo eseZibhalweni ibonisa ukuba kufanelekile ukuthi “Amen” ekupheleni komthandazo wobuqu nowasesidlangalaleni. (1 Kronike 16:36; INdumiso 41:13) Ngokuthi “Amen” xa siqukumbela umthandazo wethu, siqinisekisa ukuba besithetha ngokunyanisekileyo. Xa sisithi “Amen”—ngokuvakalayo okanye ngokungavakaliyo—xa kuthandaza omnye umntu esidlangalaleni, sibonisa ukuba siyavumelana noko ebekuthetha.—1 Korinte 14:16.

16. Yintoni esinokuqiniseka ngayo ngokuphathelele umthandazo?

¹⁶ Ngaba ngokwenene uYehova uyayiphendula imithandazo? Ngokuqinisekileyo kunjalo! Sinobungqina obusiqinisekisayo ukuba ‘uMphulaphuli wemithandazo’ uyayiphendula imithandazo enyanisekileyo yezigidi zabantu. (INdumiso 65:2) UYehova usenokuyiphendula ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo imithandazo yethu.

17. Sinokutsho ngasiphi isizathu ukuba uThixo usebenzisa iingelosi zakhe nabakhonzi bakhe basemhlabeni ekuphenduleni imithandazo yethu?

¹⁷ UYehova usebenzisa iingelosi zakhe nabakhonzi bakhe  basemhlabeni ekuphenduleni imithandazo. (Hebhere 1:13, 14) Kukho amava amaninzi abantu abaye bathandaza kuThixo becela ukuba abancede bayiqonde iBhayibhile, baza ngokukhawuleza emva koko batyelelwa ngomnye wabakhonzi bakaYehova. Amava anjalo anikela ubungqina bokuba umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani walathiswa ziingelosi. (ISityhilelo 14:6) Xa simchazela ngentswelo yokwenene esinayo, uYehova unokuyiphendula imithandazo enjalo ngokuthi athumele umKristu othile ukuba asincede.—IMizekeliso 12:25; Yakobi 2:16.

18. UYehova uwusebenzisa njani umoya wakhe oyingcwele neLizwi lakhe ekuphenduleni imithandazo yabakhonzi bakhe?

 ¹⁸ UYehova uThixo ukwasebenzisa nomoya wakhe oyingcwele, kwaneLizwi lakhe iBhayibhile ekuphenduleni imithandazo yabakhonzi bakhe. Xa sicela ukuba asincede sihlangabezane nezilingo, usenokuyiphendula imithandazo yethu ngokuthi asinike ulwalathiso namandla ngomoya wakhe oyingcwele. (2 Korinte 4:7) Xa sicela ukhokelo lukaYehova, ngokufuthi usiphendula ngokusebenzisa iBhayibhile esinceda senze izigqibo zobulumko. Sisenokufumana iindinyana eziluncedo ebudeni bofundisiso lobuqu lweBhayibhile naxa sifunda iimpapasho zamaKristu, njengale ncwadi. Olunye uncedo lweZibhalo sisenokulufumana xa siye kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu okanye luvele kumdala othile webandla onomdla kwimpilo-ntle yethu.—Galati 6:1.

19. Yintoni esimele siyikhumbule xa imithandazo yethu ibonakala ingaphendulwa?

¹⁹ Ukuba kubonakala ngathi uYehova akayiphenduli ngokukhawuleza imithandazo yethu, oku akubangelwa kukuba engakwazi ukuyiphendula. Kaloku, simele sikhumbule ukuba uYehova uphendula imithandazo evisisana nokuthanda kwakhe, yaye uyiphendula ngexesha lakhe elifanelekileyo. Uzazi ngaphezu kwethu iintswelo zethu kwanendlela yokuzinyamekela. Ngokufuthi usivulela ithuba lokuba ‘siqhubeke sicela, sifuna, yaye sinkqonkqoza.’ (Luka 11:5-10) Ukuzingisa  okunjalo kubonisa uThixo ukuba sikufuna ngamandla oko sikucelayo yaye sinokholo lokuba uya kusinika. Ngezinye izihlandlo, uYehova usenokuyiphendula imithandazo yethu ngendlela engaqondakaliyo kuthi. Ngokomzekelo, xa sithandazela ukuba asincede kwisilingo esijamelene naso, usenokungasiphenduli ngokuthi asisuse eso silingo, kodwa ngokuthi asinike amandla okusinyamezela.—Filipi 4:13.

20. Kutheni sifanele silisebenzise ngokupheleleyo ilungelo elixabisekileyo lomthandazo?

²⁰ Simele sibe nombulelo gqitha kuba uMdali wendalo iphela esondele kubo bonke abo bambiza ngokufanelekileyo emthandazweni! (INdumiso 145:18) Ngamana singalisebenzisa ngokupheleleyo eli lungelo lixabiseke kangaka lomthandazo. Ukuba senjenjalo, siya kusondela ngakumbi kuYehova, uMphulaphuli wemithandazo.