1, 2. Kungani kufanele sibheke umthandazo njengelungelo elikhulu, futhi kungani kudingeka sikwazi okufundiswa iBhayibheli ngawo?

UMHLABA mncane kakhulu uma uqhathaniswa nendawo yonke. Empeleni, kuJehova, “uMenzi wezulu nomhlaba,” izizwe zabantu zifana neconsi elincane lamanzi eliwa ebhakedeni. (IHubo 115:15; Isaya 40:15) Yize kunjalo, iBhayibheli lithi: “UJehova useduze nabo bonke abambizayo, useduze nabo bonke abambiza ngeqiniso. Uyokwanelisa isifiso sabo bonke abamesabayo, nokukhalela kwabo usizo uyokuzwa.” (IHubo 145:18, 19) Cabanga nje ukuthi kusho ukuthini lokho! UMdali onamandla onke useduze nathi futhi uyosizwa uma ‘simbiza ngeqiniso.’ Yeka ilungelo esinalo lokuya kuNkulunkulu ngomthandazo!

² Nokho, uma sifuna ukuba uJehova ayilalele imithandazo yethu, kumelwe sithandaze kuye ngendlela ayamukelayo. Kodwa singakwenza kanjani lokho uma singazi ukuthi iBhayibheli lifundisani ngomthandazo? Kubalulekile ukuba sikwazi okushiwo imiBhalo ngale ndaba, ngoba umthandazo usisiza ukuba sisondele kuJehova.

3. Isiphi isizathu sokuqala esibalulekile sokuthandaza kuJehova?

³ Isizathu sokuqala esibalulekile sokuthandaza kuJehova  siwukuthi uyena osicela ukuba senze kanjalo. IZwi lakhe liyasikhuthaza: “Ningakhathazeki ngalutho, kodwa kukho konke izicelo zenu mazaziwe nguNkulunkulu ngomthandazo nangokunxusa kanye nokubonga; ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula konke ukucabanga kuyolinda izinhliziyo zenu namandla enu engqondo ngoKristu Jesu.” (Filipi 4:6, 7) Ngokuqinisekile, ngeke sifune ukulidebeselela leli lungiselelo lomusa esilenzelwe uMbusi Ophakeme wendawo yonke!

4. Ukuthandaza njalo kuJehova kubuqinisa kanjani ubuhlobo bethu naye?

⁴ Esinye isizathu sokuthandaza siwukuthi ukuthandaza njalo kuJehova kuyindlela yokuqinisa ubuhlobo bethu naye. Abangane bangempela abakhulumi nje kuphela lapho bedinga okuthile. Kunalokho, abangane abazwanayo banendaba ngomunye nomunye, futhi ubungane babo buyaqina lapho bethululelana izifuba, betshelana ngezinto ezibakhathazayo nangemizwa yabo. Isimo sithi asifane uma kuziwa ebuhlotsheni bethu noJehova uNkulunkulu. Ngosizo lwale ncwadi, kuningi okufundile ngalokho iBhayibheli elikufundisayo ngoJehova, ubuntu bakhe nezinjongo zakhe.  Uye wamazi njengomuntu ongokoqobo. Umthandazo ukunika ithuba lokutshela uYihlo wasezulwini ngemicabango nemizwa yakho ejulile. Uma wenza kanjalo, usondela nakakhulu kuJehova.—Jakobe 4:8.

5. Yini ebonisa ukuthi uJehova akayilaleli yonke imithandazo?

⁵ Ingabe uJehova uyilalela yonke imithandazo? Cabanga ngalokho akutshela u-Israyeli ovukelayo ezinsukwini zomprofethi u-Isaya: “Ngisho noma nenza imithandazo eminingi, angilalele; zona kanye izandla zenu zigcwele igazi.” (Isaya 1:15) Ngakho kunezenzo ezingabangela ukuba uNkulunkulu angayilaleli imithandazo yethu. Ukuze uNkulunkulu ayilalele ngenjabulo imithandazo yethu, kumelwe sihlangabezane nezimfuneko ezithile eziyisisekelo.

6. Ukuze uNkulunkulu alalele imithandazo yethu, yini efunekayo ngokuyinhloko, futhi singayibonisa kanjani?

⁶ Imfuneko eyinhloko iwukuba nokholo. (Marku 11:24) Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Ngaphandle kokholo akwenzeki ukumjabulisa [uNkulunkulu] ngoba lowo oza kuNkulunkulu kumelwe akholelwe ukuthi ukhona nokuthi uba umvuzi walabo abamfuna ngobuqotho.” (Hebheru 11:6) Ukuba nokholo lwangempela kungaphezu nje kokwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona nokuthi uyayizwa imithandazo futhi ayiphendule. Ukholo lufakazelwa izenzo zethu. Kumelwe sinikeze ubufakazi obucacile bokuthi sinokholo ngendlela esiphila ngayo nsuku zonke.—Jakobe 2:26.

7. (a) Kungani kufanele sibe nenhlonipho lapho sikhuluma noJehova ngomthandazo? (b) Lapho sithandaza kuNkulunkulu, singakubonisa kanjani ukuthobeka nobuqotho?

⁷ UJehova ufuna nokuba labo abathandaza kuye bathandaze ngokuthobeka nangobuqotho. Asinaso yini isizathu sokuzithoba lapho sikhuluma noJehova? Lapho abantu bethola ithuba lokukhuluma nenkosi noma umongameli, ngokuvamile bayahlonipha, beqaphela isikhundla esiphakeme  salowo mbusi. Yeka ukuthi kufanele sibe nenhlonipho enkulu kangakanani-ke lapho sikhuluma noJehova! (IHubo 138:6) Phela, ‘unguNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke.’ (Genesise 17:1) Lapho sithandaza kuNkulunkulu, indlela esikhuluma ngayo naye kufanele ibonise ukuthi ngokuthobeka siyaqaphela ukuthi sibancane phambi kwakhe. Ukuthobeka okunjalo kuyosenza sithandaze ngobuqotho ngokusuka enhliziyweni, sigweme imithandazo eyimilolozelo nephindaphindwayo.—Mathewu 6:7, 8.

8. Singenza kanjani ngokuvumelana nesikuthandazelayo?

⁸ Okunye okufunekayo ukuze uNkulunkulu asizwe, ukuba senze ngokuvumelana nemithandazo yethu. UJehova ulindele ukuba senze konke okusemandleni ethu ekusebenzeleni kulokho esikuthandazelayo. Ngokwesibonelo, uma sithandaza sithi, “Siphe namuhla isinkwa sethu salolu suku,” kumelwe sisebenze kanzima kunoma yimuphi umsebenzi esikwazi ukuwenza. (Mathewu 6:11; 2 Thesalonika 3:10) Uma sithandazela usizo lokunqoba ubuthakathaka benyama, kumelwe siqaphe ukuze sigweme izimo ezingasiholela esilingweni. (Kolose 3:5) Ngaphezu kwalezi zimfuneko eziyisisekelo, kunemibuzo okudingeka siyiphendule mayelana nomthandazo.

9. Kufanele sithandaze kubani, futhi ngobani?

⁹ Kufanele sithandaze kubani? UJesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathandaze ‘kuBaba wethu osemazulwini.’ (Mathewu 6:9) Ngakho-ke, imithandazo yethu kumelwe ibhekiswe kuJehova uNkulunkulu kuphela. Nokho, uJehova ufuna ukuba siqaphele isikhundla seNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, uJesu Kristu. Njengoba sifundile eSahlukweni 5, uJesu wathunyelwa emhlabeni ukuze abe isihlengo sokuhlenga thina esonweni nasekufeni. (Johane 3:16; Roma 5:12) UnguMpristi Ophakeme noMahluleli omisiwe. (Johane 5:22; Hebheru 6:20) Yingakho imiBhalo isiqondisa ukuba  sithandaze ngaye. Naye uqobo wathi: “Mina ngiyindlela neqiniso nokuphila. Akekho oza kuBaba ngaphandle kokuba eze ngami.” (Johane 14:6) Ukuze uJehova ayizwe imithandazo yethu, kumelwe sithandaze kuyena kuphela ngeNdodana yakhe.

10. Kungani kungadingeki ndlela ethile yesimo somzimba lapho sithandaza?

¹⁰ Ingabe kunesimo somzimba esikhethekile okumelwe sibe kuso lapho sithandaza? Cha. UJehova akafuni ndlela ethile ekhethekile yokuma, kungaba eyezandla noma eyomzimba wonke. IBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi kuyamukeleka ukuthandaza umzimba usezimweni ezihlukahlukene. Zihlanganisa ukuhlala phansi, ukukhothama, ukuguqa nokuma. (1 IziKronike 17:16; Nehemiya 8:6; Daniyeli 6:10; Marku 11:25) Okubaluleke ngempela isimo esihle senhliziyo, hhayi indlela yokuma ekhethekile ezobonwa abantu. Empeleni, lapho senza imisebenzi yansuku zonke noma lapho kuphakama isimo esiphuthumayo, singathandaza buthule noma ngabe sikuphi. UJehova uyayizwa imithandazo enjalo yize abaseduze kwethu bengaboni ukuthi siyathandaza.—Nehemiya 2:1-6.

11. Iziphi ezinye zezinto ezikhathazayo okufanelekayo ukuba umuntu azithandazele?

¹¹ Yini esingayithandazela? IBhayibheli liyachaza: “Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yini esiyicelayo ngokwentando yakhe, [uJehova] uyasizwa.” (1 Johane 5:14) Ngakho singathandazela noma yini evumelana nentando kaNkulunkulu. Ingabe kuyintando yakhe ukuba sithandazele izinto ezisikhathazayo? Akubuzwa! Ukuthandaza kuJehova kuthi akufane nokukhuluma nomngane oseduze. Singakhuluma ngokukhululeka, ‘sithululele inhliziyo yethu’ kuNkulunkulu. (IHubo 62:8) Kuyafaneleka ukuba sicele umoya ongcwele, ngoba uyosisiza senze okulungile. (Luka 11:13) Singacela nesiqondiso ekwenzeni izinqumo ezihlakaniphile, namandla okuthwala ubunzima. (Jakobe 1:5) Lapho sona, kufanele sicele intethelelo ngesisekelo somhlatshelo kaKristu. (Efesu 1:3, 7)  Kodwa-ke akufanele sithandazele izindaba zethu siqu kuphela. Kufanele sanuleke emithandazweni yethu ukuze sifake nabanye abantu—abakithi kanye nesikhonza nabo.—IzEnzo 12:5; Kolose 4:12.

12. Izindaba eziphathelene noBaba wethu wasezulwini singazibeka kanjani endaweni yokuqala emithandazweni yethu?

¹² Izindaba eziphathelene noJehova uNkulunkulu kufanele zinikwe indawo yokuqala emithandazweni yethu. Ngokuqinisekile sinaso isizathu sokumdumisa nokumbonga ngokusuka enhliziyweni ngobuhle bakhe. (1 IziKronike 29:10-13) KuMathewu 6:9-13, uJesu wasinikeza umthandazo oyisibonelo asifundisa kuwo ukuthandazela ukungcweliswa kwegama likaNkulunkulu, okusho ukuthi liphathwe njengelingcwele. Wabe eselandelisa ngokuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu mawufike nokuthi intando yaKhe yenziwe emhlabeni njengasezulwini. Kungemva kokusho lezi zinto ezibalulekile eziphathelene noJehova lapho uJesu aphendukela ezintweni ezithinta umuntu siqu. Uma nathi sinika uNkulunkulu indawo yokuqala emithandazweni yethu, sibonisa ukuthi asigcini ngokukhathalela inhlalakahle yethu kuphela.

13. Lithini iBhayibheli ngobude bemithandazo eyamukelekayo?

¹³ Kufanele ibe mide kangakanani imithandazo yethu? IBhayibheli alinqumi ukuthi kufanele ibe mide kangakanani imithandazo yangasese noma imithandazo yaseningini. Kungase kube imithandazo emifushane yangaphambi kokudla noma kube emide yangasese lapho sithululela uJehova inhliziyo yethu. (1 Samuweli 1:12, 15) Kodwa-ke uJesu wabalahla abantu ababezishaya abalungileyo, bethandaza imithandazo emide yokubukisa kwabanye. (Luka 20:46, 47) Imithandazo enjalo ayimthokozisi uJehova. Okubalulekile ukuba sithandaze ngokusuka ezinhliziyweni zethu. Ngakho, ubude bemithandazo eyamukelekayo buyehluka kuye ngezidingo nezimo.

14. Lisho ukuthini iBhayibheli uma lisikhuthaza ukuba ‘sithandaze njalo,’ futhi yini eduduzayo ngalokhu?

¹⁴ Kufanele sithandaze kangaki? IBhayibheli lisikhuthaza  ukuba ‘sithandaze njalo,’ ‘siphikelele emthandazweni,’ nokuba ‘sithandaze singaphezi.’ (Mathewu 26:41; Roma 12:12; 1 Thesalonika 5:17) Yebo, lokhu akusho ukuthi kumelwe sithandaze kuJehova umzuzu nomzuzu. Kunalokho, iBhayibheli lisinxusa ukuba sidamane sithandaza njalo, siqhubeke sibonga uJehova ngobuhle bakhe, sicele isiqondiso sakhe, induduzo kanye namandla. Akududuzi yini ukwazi ukuthi uJehova akasinqumeli ubude bemithandazo nokuthi singakhuluma kangaki naye ngomthandazo? Uma silazisa ngempela ilungelo lokuthandaza, siyothola amathuba amaningi okuthandaza kuBaba wethu wasezulwini.

15. Kungani kufanele sithi “Amen” ekupheleni kwemithandazo yethu siqu noma yaseningini?

¹⁵ Kungani kufanele sithi “Amen” ekupheleni komthandazo? Igama elithi “amen” lisho ukuthi “ngokuqinisekile” noma “makube njalo.” Izibonelo ezingokomBhalo zibonisa ukuthi kufanelekile ukuthi “Amen” ekupheleni komthandazo womuntu siqu noma waseningini. (1 IziKronike 16:36; IHubo 41:13) Ngokuthi “Amen” ekupheleni kwemithandazo yethu siqu, sisuke siqinisekisa ukuthi besiqotho kulokho ebesikusho. Lapho sithi “Amen”—buthule noma ngokuzwakalayo—ekupheleni komthandazo waseningini, sisuke sibonisa ukuthi siyavumelana nalokho obekushiwo.—1 Korinte 14:16.

16. Yini esingaqiniseka ngayo ngokuqondene nomthandazo?

¹⁶ Ingabe uJehova uyayiphendula ngempela imithandazo? Ngokuqinisekile! Sinesizathu esiqinile sokuthembela ekutheni ‘uMuzwi womthandazo’ uyayiphendula imithandazo eqotho yezigidi zabantu. (IHubo 65:2) UJehova angayiphendula ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene imithandazo yethu.

17. Kungani kungathiwa uNkulunkulu usebenzisa izingelosi nezinceku zakhe zasemhlabeni ekuphenduleni imithandazo yethu?

¹⁷ UJehova usebenzisa izingelosi zakhe nezinceku zakhe  zasemhlabeni ekuphenduleni imithandazo. (Hebheru 1:13, 14) Baningi abantu abaye bathandaza kuNkulunkulu becela usizo lokuqonda iBhayibheli, kwathi bengakaligwinyi bahlangana nenye yezinceku zikaJehova. Izenzakalo ezinjalo ziwubufakazi bokuqondisa kwezingelosi umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso. (IsAmbulo 14:6) Ukuze aphendule imithandazo yethu yangezikhathi zokuswela, uJehova angase ashukumise omunye umKristu ukuba asisize.—IzAga 12:25; Jakobe 2:16.

18. UJehova uwusebenzisa kanjani umoya wakhe ongcwele neZwi lakhe ekuphenduleni imithandazo yezinceku zakhe?

 ¹⁸ UJehova uNkulunkulu usebenzisa nomoya wakhe ongcwele neZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli, ukuze aphendule imithandazo yezinceku zakhe. Imithandazo yethu yokucela usizo lokubhekana nokuvivinywa angase ayiphendule ngokusinika isiqondiso namandla esebenzisa umoya wakhe ongcwele. (2 Korinte 4:7) Ngokuvamile impendulo yemithandazo yethu yokucela isiqondiso ivela eBhayibhelini, lapho uJehova esinika khona usizo ekwenzeni izinqumo ezihlakaniphile. ImiBhalo ewusizo singayithola lapho sifunda iBhayibheli esifundweni somuntu siqu nalapho sifunda izincwadi zobuKristu, njengayo lena. Amaphuzu angokomBhalo okudingeka sicabange ngawo singawathola emihlanganweni yobuKristu noma kumdala okhathalelayo ebandleni.—Galathiya 6:1.

19. Yini okufanele siyikhumbule uma ngezinye izikhathi sibona sengathi imithandazo yethu ayiphendulwa?

¹⁹ Uma kubonakala sengathi uJehova uyephuza ukuphendula imithandazo yethu, kusuke kungasho neze ukuthi uyehluleka ukuyiphendula. Kunalokho, kumelwe sikhumbule ukuthi uJehova uphendula imithandazo ngokwentando yakhe nangesikhathi sakhe esifanele. Wazi izidingo zethu nendlela yokuzinakekela ngaphezu kwethu. Ngokuvamile uyasiyeka ‘siqhubeke sicela, sifuna, futhi singqongqoza.’ (Luka 11:5-10) Ukuphikelela okunjalo kubonisa uNkulunkulu  ukuthi isifiso sethu sijule kakhulu nokuthi ukholo lwethu luqotho. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova angase aphendule imithandazo yethu ngendlela esingayiboni thina. Ngokwesibonelo, imithandazo yethu mayelana novivinyo angase ayiphendule ngokusinika amandla okukhuthazela, hhayi ngokulususa uvivinyo.—Filipi 4:13.

20. Kungani kufanele sizimisele ukusebenzisa ilungelo eliyigugu lokuthandaza?

²⁰ Yeka indlela esibonga ngayo ngokuthi uMdali wendawo yonke enkulukazi useduze nabo bonke abambiza ngokufanele ngomthandazo! (IHubo 145:18) Kwangathi singathandaza njalo kuJehova ngoba umthandazo uyilungelo eliyigugu. Uma senza kanjalo, siyoba nethemba elijabulisayo lokusondela nakakhulu kuJehova, uMuzwi wemithandazo.