1, 2. Khuyini ekwenze bona uthande uJehova uZimu?

UYAMTHANDA uZimu? Nengabe uzinikele kuJehova uZimu, ipendulwakho ngokuqinisekileko ingu-iye—begodu kufuze kube njalo! Kungokwemvelo ukuthanda uJehova. Ithando lethu ngoZimu libangelwa lithando analo ngathi. IBhayibhili ikubeka bunje: “Thina siyathanda, ngombana [UJehova] wasithanda qangi.”—1 KaJwanisi 4:19.

² UJehova uthethe igadango lokuthoma ukutjengisa ithando lakhe ngathi. Wasilungiselela ikhaya elihle eliliphasi. Ukhathalela iintlhogo zethu ezingokwenyama. (Matewu 5:43-48) Okuqakatheke khulu, utlhogomela iintlhogo zethu ezingokomoya. Usiphe iLizwi lakhe, iBhayibhili. Ukungezelela kilokho, usimema bona sithandaze kuye siqiniseka bona uzosizwa begodu uzosinikela nomoyakhe ocwengileko bona usirhelebhe. (AmaRhalani 65:2; Luka 11:13) Okuqakatheke khulu, wathumela iNdodanakhe eligugu bona ibe Mhlengi wethu kobana sitjhaphululwe esonweni nekufeni. Qala bona lithando elikhulu kangangani uJehova analo ngathi!—Funda uJwanisi 3:16; KwebeRoma 5:8.

3. (a) Bona sihlale ethandweni lakaZimu, khuyini okufuze siyenze? (b) Ngiwuphi umbuzo oqakathekileko okufuze bona siwucabangele, begodu singayifumana kuphi ipendulo?

³ UJehova ufuna bona sizuze ethandweni lakhe  ngokungapheliko. Nokho, bona siyazuza namtjhana asizuzi,  kukithi. ILizwi lakaZimu liyasiyelelisa: ‘Nihlale ethandweni lakaZimu . . . ze nibe nokuphila okungapheliko.’ (KaJuda 21) Ibizo elithi ‘nihlale’ litjho bona ukuhlala ethandweni lakaZimu, kutlhoga bonyana senze okuthileko. Kufuze sisabele ethandweni lakhe ngendlela ebonakalako. Umbuzo oqakathekileko okufuze siwucabangele, ngilo, ‘Ngingalitjengisa njani ithando lami ngoZimu?’ Ipendulo ifumaneka emezwini aphefumulelweko wompostoli uJwanisi: “Ngombana ukumthanda uZimu kuthobela imilayo yakhe. Imilayo yakhe ayisibudisi kithi.” (1 KaJwanisi 5:3) Senza kuhle ngokuhlola lokho okutjhiwo mamezwi la, ngombana sifuna ukutjengisa bona simthanda kangangani uZimethu.

4, 5. (a) Itjho ukuthini ikulumo ethi ‘ukuthanda uZimu’? (b) Hlathulula bona ithando ngoJehova lathoma njani ukukhula ehliziywenakho.

⁴ ‘Ukuthanda uZimu—khuyini egade isemkhumbulweni kampostoli uJwanisi nekatlola amezwi la? Amezwi la akaqalisi ethandweni lakaZimu ngathi, kodwana ethandweni lethu ngaye. Uyakhumbula lokha ithando ngoJehova nelithoma ukukhula ehliziywenakho?

⁵ Akhe ukhumbule okwesikhatjhana, lokha newuthoma ukufunda iqiniso ngoJehova nangeminqopho yakhe begodu waba nekholo kuye. Wazwisisa bona namtjhana wabelethwa unesono uhlukaniswe noZimu, uJehova ngoKrestu wavula indlela bonyana uzuze ukuphelela okwalahlwa ngu-Adamu begodu uzuze nokuphila okungapheliko. (Matewu 20:28; KwebeRoma 5:12, 18) Wathoma ukuzwisisa ukuqakatheka komhlatjelo uJehova awenzako ngokuthumela iNdodanakhe eligugu bona ikufele. Ihliziywakho yathinteka, wathoma ukuthanda uZimu okutjengise ithando elikhulu kangako.—Funda 1 KaJwanisi 4:9, 10.

6. Litjengiswa njani ithando lamambala, begodu ithando ngoZimu lakutjhukumisela bona wenzeni?

⁶ Nokho, amazizo anjalo gade asithomo kwaphela sethando lamambala ngoJehova. Ithando alisiwo amazizo namtjhana amezwi kwaphela. Ithando lamambala ngoZimu lihlanganisa okungaphezu kokuthi, “Ngiyamthanda uJehova.” Njengekholo, ithando lamambala litjengiswa ngezenzo. (KaJakobosi 2:26) Ngokukhethekileko, ithando libonakala ngezenzo ezithabisa loyo othandwako. Ngalokho-ke, ithando ngoJehova nelithoma ukukhula ehliziywenakho, wafuna ukuphila ngendlela ethabisa uYihlo wezulwini. UnguFakazi obhabhadisiweko? Nengabe kunjalo, ithando elikhulweli nokuzinikela kwakho kwakwenza bona wenze isiqunto esiqakatheke khulu ekuphileni  kwakho. Wazinikela kuJehova bona wenze intando yakhe, begodu wakutjengisa ngokubhabhadiswa. (Funda KwebeRoma 14:7, 8) Ukuzalisa isithembiso esiqakathekilekwesi ngokuzinikela kuJehova kuhlanganisa lokho umpostoli uJwanisi azokutjho.

7. Ngimiphi eminye imilayo kaZimu, begodu ukuyithobela kuhlanganisani?

⁷ UJwanisi wahlathulula bona ithando ngoZimu litjho bonyana: ‘Sithobele imilayo yakhe.’ Iyini imilayo kaZimu? UJehova usinikele imilayo embalwa ngeLizwi lakhe, iBhayibhili. Isibonelo, ulahla imikghwa enjengobudakwa, ukuhlobonga, ukhonza iinthombe, ukweba nokuleya amala. (1 KwebeKorinte 5:11; 6:18; 10:14; Kwebe-Efesu 4:28; KwebeKholose 3:9) Ukuthobela imilayo kaZimu kuhlanganisa ukuphila ngovumelana neemthetho yeBhayibhili yokuziphatha okuhle.

8, 9. Singazi njani bona sithabisa uJehova ngitjho nebujamweni iBhayibhili engakhulumi ngabo ngokunqophileko? Nikela isibonelo.

⁸ Nokho, ukuthabisa uJehova kutlhoga bona senze okungaphezu kokulalela imilayo yakhe enqophileko kwaphela. UJehova akasibekeli imilayo elawula enye nenye into esiyenzako ekuphileni kwethu kwelanga nelanga. Ngalokho, ilanga nelanga singahlangabezana nezinto ezinengi iBhayibhili engakhulumi ngazo ngokunqophileko. Ebujamweni obunjalo, singazi njani bona khuyini ethabisa uJehova? IBhayibhili itjengisa ngokunqophileko bona uyini umbono kaZimu. Njengombana sifunda iBhayibhili, siyafunda bona khuyini uJehova ayithandako nayihloyileko. (Funda AmaRhalani 97:10; Izaga 6:16-19) Siyalemuka bona ngimiphi iimbono nezenzo azithabelako. Njengombana sifunda ngobuntu neendlela zakaJehova, kulapho sizokuvumela khona bona ukucabanga kwakhe  kunqophise iinqunto begodu kube nomthelela ezenzweni zethu. Ngalokho-ke, ngitjho nebujamweni okungekho umlayo weBhayibhili onqophileko, singakwazi ukulemuka bonyana ‘UZimu ufuna bona siziphathe njani.’—Kwebe-Efesu 5:17.

⁹ Isibonelo, iBhayibhili ayisitjeli ngokunqophileko bonyana singabukeli iimbhayisikobho neenhlelo zeTV ezitjengisa iinturhu namtjhana ukuziphatha kumbi ngokomseme. Kodwana siyawutlhoga na umthetho onqophileko ositjela bona singabukeli izinto ezinjalo? Siyazi bona uJehova uziqala njani iintwezo. ILizwi lakhe lisitjela ngokukhanyako: “Umphefumulo [kaJehova] uhloya nanyana ngubani othanda inturhu.” (AmaRhalani 11:5) ILizwi lakhe godu lithi: “UZimu uyakwahlulela iinhlobongi neengwadla.” (KumaHebheru 13:4) Ngokukhumbula amezwi aphefumulelweko la, singalemuka bona uJehova ufuna siziphathe njani. Ngalokho sikhetha ukungazithabisi ngokubukela ihlobo leenthombe uZimethu alihloyileko. Siyazi bona uJehova uyathaba nesigegeda izinto ezisilapheleko iphaseli eliziveza njengokuzithabisa okunganangozi. *

10, 11. Kubayini sikhetha ukulalela uJehova, begodu simlalela ngayiphi indlela?

¹⁰ Ngiliphi ibanga eliqakathekileko lokuthobela imilayo kaZimu? Kubayini sifuna ukuphila ngokuvumelana nomkhumbulo kaZimu ngamalanga? Asikhethi indlela le ngombana sifuna ukubalekela isibetho namtjhana iimphumela efunyanwa ngilabo abangayithatheli ehloko imilayo kaZimu. (KwebeGalatiya 6:7) Kunalokho, siqala ukuthobela uJehova njengethuba eliligugu elitjengisa bona siyamthanda. Njengombana umntwana afuna  ukuthabisa uyise, ngalokho nathi sifuna ukuthabisa uJehova. (AmaRhalani 5:12) NguBabethu, begodu siyamthanda. Ayikho into esilethela ithabo nokwaneliseka ukudlula ukwazi bona siphila ngendlela “eyamukelwa nguJehova.”—Izaga 12:2.

¹¹ Ukulalela kwethu asikwenzi ngokukatelelwa; nangokukhethakhetha. * Asikhethakhethi bona ngiyiphi imilayo esizoyilalela nesingazoyilalela, asilaleli kwaphela nengabe kubulula, nalokha kubudisi siyalalela. Kunalokho, silalela ‘ngehliziyo yethu yoke.’ (KwebeRoma 6:17) Sizizwa njengomrhubi weBhayibhili owatlolako: “Ngizokuba nethando ngemilayo yakho engiyithandileko.” (AmaRhalani 119:47) Kwamambala, siyathanda ukulalela uJehova. Siyatjheja bona uyakufanelekela—begodu ufuna bona simlalele ngokuzeleko. (Duteronomi 12:32) Sifuna uJehova atjho amezwi afanako ngathi iLizwi lakhe eliwatjhoko ngoNuwa. Malungana nehloko yomndeni ethembekileko, eyatjengisa ithando ngoZimu ngokuthembeka amakhulu weemnyaka, iBhayibhili ithi: “UNuwa wenza koke uZimu amlayela khona. Wenza njalo.”—Genesisi 6:22.

12. Kunini lapho ukulalela kwethu kuletha khona ithabo ehliziyweni kaJehova?

¹² UJehova uzizwa njani ngokulalela kwethu ngokuzithandela? ILizwi lakhe lithi senza ‘ihliziyo yakhe ithabe.’ (Izaga 27:11) Ukulalela kwethu, kwamambala kuyaliletha na ithabo ehliziyweni yeKosi eMbusi wendawo yoke? Kwamambala kuyaliletha—begodu unebanga elizwakalako lokuthaba! UJehova wasibumba sinekululeko yokuzikhethela. Lokhu kutjho bona sinekululeko yokuzikhethela; singakhetha ukulalela uZimu namtjhana ukungamlaleli.  (Duteronomi 30:15, 16, 19, 20) Nengabe ngokuzithandela sikhetha ukulalela uJehova begodu isiqunto sethu sokwenza njalo sitjhukunyiswa lithando ngoZimu, siletha ithabo elikhulu kuBabethu wezulwini. (Izaga 11:20) Sikhetha indlela yokuphila ebhedere khulu.

13, 14. Kubayini kungathiwa “imilayo yakhe [uZimu] ayisibudisi kithi,” begodu lokhu kungatjengiswa bunjani?

¹³ Umpostoli uJwanisi usitjela okuthileko okusiqinisekisako malungana neemfuneko zakaJehova: “Imilayo yakhe ayisibudisi kithi.” Ibizo lesiGirigi elitjhugululwe “ayisibudisi” ku 1 KaJwanisi 5:3 litjho bona “ayisiwo umthwalo.” * Enye itjhugululo yeBhayibhili ifundeka bunje: “Imilayo yakhe ayisigandeleli.” (New English Translation) Iimfuneko zakaJehova azigandeleli. Imilayo yakhe ayikho ngaphezu kwamandla womuntu onesono bona ayilalele.

¹⁴ Singatjengisa ngendlela le. Umnganakho otjhidelene naye ukubawa bona umrhelebhe bona afudukele kwenye indawo. Kunamabhoksi amanengi okufuze athuthwe. Amanye abulula bona angagugwa mumuntu oyedwa, kodwana amanye abudisi begodu afuna abantu ababili bona bagugisane. Umnganakho ukhetha amabhoksi afuna bona uwathathe. Angakubawa uguge amabhoksi aziko bona abudisi ukuwaguga? Awa. Angekhe afune bona uzilimaze ngokuwaguga wedwa. Ngokufanako, uZimethu olithando nonomusa akafuni sithobele imilayo ebudisi khulu bona siyizalise. (Duteronomi 30:11-14) Angekhe afuna bona sithwale iimthwalo  ebudisi njengaleyo. UJehova uyakwazi ukungabi nekghono elipheleleko kwethu, ngombana “yena ukwazi kuhle ukubumbeka kwethu, uyakhumbula bona silithuli.”—AmaRhalani 103:14.

15. Kubayini singaqiniseka bona imilayo kaJehova yenzelwe ukusizuzisa?

¹⁵ Imilayo kaJehova eqinisweni ayisibudisi; yenzelwe bona isizuzise. (Funda U-Isaya 48:17) UMosisi watjela ama-Israyeli wekadeni: “UJehova usilayela bona sithwale yoke iimthetho le, sisabe uJehova uZimethu sizuze bona kusikhambele kuhle ngaso soke isikhathi, siphile bekube namhlanjesi.” (Duteronomi 6:24) Nathi singaqiniseka bona ukusinikela kwakhe imilayo yakhe, uJehova usifunela okubhedere khulu—ipilo ehle nengapheliko. Kwamambala, uJehova angekhe asibawa bona senze into engasilimaza! UJehova nguZimu onokuhlakanipha okungapheliko. (KwebeRoma 11:33) Uyakwazi okusilungeleko. UJehova usibonelo esikhulu sethando. (1 KaJwanisi 4:8) Ubuntu bakhe bethando, bunomthelela kwenye nenye into ayitjhoko nayenzako. Busisekelo semilayo ayibeka phezu kweenceku zakhe.

16. Naphezu komthelela wephasi elonakelekweli nokungapheleli kwethu, kubayini kufuze sifune indlela yokuthembeka?

¹⁶ Lokhu akutjho bona ukulalela uZimu kuyinto ebulula ukuyenza. Kufuze silwe nomthelela wephasi elonakeleko, lelo ‘elisemandleni woKhohlakeleko.’ (1 KaJwanisi 5:19) Kufuze silwe nokungapheleli kwethu, okusenza bona siphikisane nemilayo kaZimu. (KwebeRoma 7:21-25) Kodwana ithando lethu ngoZimu lingaphumelela. UJehova ubusisa labo abafuna ukutjengisa ithando labo kuye ngokulalela. Unikela umoyakhe ocwengileko “kilabo abamlalelako.” (IZenzo 5:32) Umoya loyo ukhiqiza iinthelo ezihle kithi—iimfanelo eziligugu ezingasirhelebha bona sithembeke.—KwebeGalatiya 5:22, 23.

17, 18. (a) Khuyini esizoyihlola encwadini le, begodu khuyini okufuze siyikhumbule njengombana senza lokho? (b) Sizokucoca ngani esahlukweni esilandelako?

 ¹⁷ Encwadini le, sizokuhlola imilayo kaJehova neemthetho yokuziphatha begodu nezinye iindlela ezinengi ezitjengisa intando yakhe. Njengombana sihlola imilayo kaJehova, kunezinto ezinengi eziqakathekileko ekutlhogeka bona sizikhumbule. Kufuze sikhumbule bona uJehova akasikateleli bona sithobele iimthetho nemilayo yakhe, ufuna ukulalela okuphuma ehliziyweni. Kufuze singakhohlwa bona uJehova usibawa bonyana siphile ngendlela ezosinikela iimbusiso ezinengi nje, begodu nezisidosela ekuphileni okungapheliko kwingomuso. Akhe siqale ukulalela kwethu ngehliziyo yoke njengethuba eliligugu lokutjengisa bona simthanda kangangani uJehova.

¹⁸ Ukusirhelebha bona sihlukanise okulungileko nokungakalungi, uJehova ngethando usinikele unembeza. Bona abe mnqophisi othembekileko, unembeza wethu kutlhogeka bona abandulwe, njengombana sizokucoca ngakho esahlukweni esilandelako.