“Ungenciki Kokwakho Ukuqonda”

“Thembela kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, ungenciki kokwakho ukuqonda.”—IZAGA 3:5.

1, 2. (a) Yiziphi izimo esingase sibhekane nazo? (b) Lapho sibhekene nokucindezeleka, senza izinqumo noma simelana nezilingo, ubani okufanele sincike kuye, futhi ngani?

 UMQASHI kaCynthia * usevale izingxenye ezithile zenkampani yakhe futhi usedilize izisebenzi eziningana. UCynthia unomuzwa wokuthi naye usezodilizwa. Uzokwenzenjani uma ephelelwa umsebenzi? Uzokwazi kanjani ukukhokha izikweletu zakhe? Omunye udade ogama lakhe linguPamela ufuna ukuthuthela lapho kunendingeko enkulu khona yabamemezeli boMbuso, kodwa athuthe ngempela? Insizwa okuthiwa uSamuel ikhathazeke ngenye into. Ngesikhathi isencane yayivame ukubuka izithombe zobulili ezingcolile. Manje njengoba seyevile eminyakeni engu-20, isilingo sokuba ibuyele kulo mkhuba siba namandla. Ingamelana kanjani nalesi silingo?

² Uncika kubani lapho ubhekene nezimo ezicindezelayo, wenza izinqumo ezibalulekile noma umelana nezilingo? Ingabe ngokuyinhloko uncika kuwe ngokwakho, noma ‘uphonsa umthwalo wakho phezu kukaJehova’? (IHu. 55:22) IBhayibheli lithi: “Amehlo kaJehova akwabalungile, nezindlebe zakhe zisekukhaleleni kwabo usizo.” (IHu. 34:15) Ngakho-ke, yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ukuba sithembele kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yethu futhi singenciki kokwethu ukuqonda!—IzAga 3:5.

3. (a) Kuhilelani ukuthembela kuJehova? (b) Kungani abanye bengase bathambekele ekuncikeni kokwabo ukuqonda?

³ Ukuthembela kuJehova ngenhliziyo ephelele kuhilela ukwenza izinto ngendlela yakhe, ngokuvumelana nentando yakhe. Ukuze sikwazi ukwenza kanjalo kufanele siqhubeke sithandaza kuye futhi simcele ngokusuka enhliziyweni ukuba asiqondise. Nokho, ukuncika ngokuphelele kuJehova kuyinselele kwabaningi. Ngokwesibonelo, udade okuthiwa uLynn uyavuma, “Ukufunda ukuthembela kuJehova ngokuphelele bekulokhu kuyinselele kimi.” Kungani? Uthi: “Angisondelene nobaba futhi nginomama ongakaze azinakekele izidingo zami ezingokomzwelo nezingokwenyama. Ngakho, ngasheshe ngafunda ukuzinakekela.” Indlela uLynn akhula ngayo yenza kube nzima ngaye ukwethemba omunye umuntu ngokugcwele. Amakhono nempumelelo yomuntu nakho kungamenza azethembe. Ethembela kokuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe, umdala angase aqale ukusingatha izindaba zebandla ngaphandle kokuqale athandaze kuNkulunkulu.

4. Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko?

⁴ UJehova ulindele ukuba senze imizamo eqotho ukuze siphile ngokuvumelana nemithandazo yethu futhi senze ngokuvumelana nentando yakhe. Ngakho-ke, singalinganisela kanjani ekuphonseni izinkathazo zethu kuye nasekuzikhandleni ukuze sixazulule izinkinga? Yini okumelwe siyiqaphe lapho senza izinqumo? Kungani umthandazo ubalulekile lapho sizama ukumelana nezilingo? Sizoxoxa ngale mibuzo ngokucabangela izibonelo ezingokomBhalo.

Lapho Sicindezelekile

5, 6. UHezekiya wasabela kanjani lapho esongelwa inkosi yase-Asiriya?

⁵ Ngokuphathelene nenkosi yakwaJuda  uHezekiya, iBhayibheli lithi: “Wanamathela kuJehova. Akaphambukanga ekumlandeleni, kodwa waqhubeka egcina imiyalo yakhe uJehova ayeyiyale uMose.” Yebo, “wathembela kuJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.” (2 AmaKh. 18:5, 6) Wasabela kanjani uHezekiya lapho inkosi yase-Asiriya, uSaneheribi, ithumela amanxusa ayo—kuhlanganise noRabishake—eJerusalema nebutho lempi elikhulu? Ibutho elinamandla lase-Asiriya lase lithumbe imizi eminingi yakwaJuda enezivikelo eziqinile, futhi manje uSaneheribi wayesefuna ukuhlasela iJerusalema. UHezekiya waya endlini kaJehova waqala ukuthandaza: “Jehova Nkulunkulu wethu, sicela usisindise esandleni sakhe, ukuze yonke imibuso yomhlaba yazi ukuthi wena, Jehova, unguNkulunkulu wena wedwa.”—2 AmaKh. 19:14-19.

⁶ UHezekiya wenza ngokuvumelana nomthandazo wakhe. Ngisho nangaphambi kokuba akhuphukele ethempelini ayothandaza, wayala abantu ukuba bangakuphenduli ukukloloda kukaRabishake. UHezekiya wabuye wathumela amanxusa ku-Isaya umprofethi, efuna iseluleko sakhe. (2 AmaKh. 18:36; 19:1, 2) Wathatha izinyathelo ezifanele ayengazithatha. Kulesi senzakalo, akazange azame ukuthola ikhambi elalingavumelani nentando kaJehova ngokufuna usizo eGibhithe noma ezizweni ezingomakhelwane. Kunokuba ancike kokwakhe ukuqonda, wathembela kuJehova. Ngemva kokuba ingelosi kaJehova ibulale amadoda kaSaneheribi angu-185 000, uSaneheribi “wasuka” waphindela eNineve.—2 AmaKh. 19:35, 36.

7. Iyiphi induduzo esingayithola emthandazweni kaHana nokaJona?

⁷ UHana, umka-Elkana umLevi, naye wancika kuJehova lapho ecindezelekile ngenxa yokungabatholi abantwana. (1 Sam. 1:9-11, 18) Umprofethi uJona wakhululwa esiswini senhlanzi enkulu ngemva kokuthandaza. Uthi: “Ngambiza uJehova ngisekucindezelekeni kwami, wangiphendula. Ngakhalela usizo ngisesiswini seShiyoli. Wena walizwa izwi lami.” (Jona 2:1, 2, 10) Yeka ukuthi kududuza kanjani ukwazi ukuthi kungakhathaliseki ubunzima esibhekene nabo, singambiza uJehova ‘sicele umusa’!—Funda iHubo 55:1, 16.

8, 9. Umthandazo kaHezekiya, uHana nokaJona ibonisa ukuthi yini ababekhathazeke ngayo, futhi sifundani kulokhu?

⁸ Isibonelo sikaHezekiya, uHana nesikaJona zisifundisa nesinye isifundo esibalulekile ngalokho okungafanele sikukhohlwe lapho sithandaza sicindezeleke kakhulu. Bobathathu bezwa ubuhlungu ngokomzwelo lapho becindezelekile. Noma kunjalo, imithandazo yabo ibonisa ukuthi babengazikhathaleli nje bona futhi bengafune mpumuzo ezinkingeni zabo kuphela. Igama likaNkulunkulu, ukukhulekelwa kwakhe nokwenziwa kwentando yakhe kwakuyizinto ezazibaluleke kakhulu kubo. Kwakumzwisa ubuhlungu uHezekiya ukuthi igama likaJehova lalihlanjalazwa. UHana wathembisa ukuthi yona leyo ndodana ayefisa kakhulu ukuba nayo wayeyonikela ngayo ukuze ikhonze etabernakele eShilo. UJona wathi: “Engikuthembise ngesifungo, ngizokugcwalisa.”—Jona 2:9.

⁹ Lapho sithandazela ukukhululwa esimweni esisikhathazayo, kuwukuhlakanipha ukuhlola izisusa zethu. Ingabe sikhathalela kuphela ukuthola impumuzo kuleyo nkinga, noma sihlale sicabanga ngoJehova nangenjongo yakhe? Ukuhlupheka kungasibangela kalula ukuba sigxile kakhulu ezimweni zethu kangangokuba izinto ezingokomoya zize kamuva. Lapho sicela usizo kuNkulunkulu ngomthandazo, masigxilise izingqondo zethu kuJehova, ekungcwelisweni kwegama lakhe nasekulwelweni kobukhosi bakhe. Ukwenza kanjalo kungasisiza ukuba sihlale sinesimo sengqondo esihle ngisho noma ikhambi esililangazelele lingafiki. Mhlawumbe impendulo yemithandazo yethu ukuthi kudingeka sikhuthazelele leso simo ngosizo lukaNkulunkulu.—Funda u-Isaya 40:29; Filipi 4:13.

Lapho Senza Izinqumo

10, 11. UJehoshafati wenzani lapho ebhekene nesimo ayengazi ukuthi uzosisingatha kanjani?

¹⁰ Uzenza kanjani izinqumo ezinzima ekuphileni?  Ingabe mhlawumbe uqale wenze isinqumo bese uthandaza kuJehova umcele abusise leso sinqumo? Cabangela lokho okwenziwa uJehoshafati, inkosi yakwaJuda, lapho amabutho angumfelandawonye akwaMowabi nawakwa-Amoni ezolwa naye. UJuda wayengeke akwazi ukumelana nawo. Wayezokwenzenjani uJehoshafati?

¹¹ IBhayibheli lithi: “UJehoshafati wesaba futhi wazimisela ukuba afune uJehova.” Wamemezela ukuba uJuda wonke azile ukudla futhi waqoqa abantu “ukuze babuze uJehova.” Wabe esesukuma ebandleni lakwaJuda nelaseJerusalema futhi wathandaza. Ngokwengxenye, wanxusa: “O Nkulunkulu wethu, ngeke yini ubahlulele? Ngoba awekho kithi amandla phambi kwalesi sixuku esikhulu esizayo sizokulwa nathi; futhi thina ngokwethu asazi ukuthi yini okumelwe siyenze, kodwa amehlo ethu abheke kuwe.” UNkulunkulu weqiniso wawuzwa umthandazo kaJehoshafati futhi wabakhulula ngokuyisimangaliso. (2 IziKr. 20:3-12, 17) Lapho senza izinqumo, ikakhulukazi lezo ezingase zithinte ingokomoya lethu, akufanele yini sincike kuJehova kunokuncika kokwethu ukuqonda?

12, 13. Isiphi isibonelo esabekwa iNkosi uDavide ekwenzeni izinqumo?

¹² Yini okufanele siyenze lapho sibhekana nezimo okungase kubonakale kulula ukuzixazulula—mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuthi okuhlangenwe nakho kwethu kusenza sicabange ngekhambi ngokushesha? Ukulandisa okuhilela iNkosi uDavide kusinikeza ukuqonda kule ndaba. Lapho ama-Amaleki ephanga umuzi waseZikilagi, athumba amakhosikazi nezingane zikaDavide nezamadoda akhe. UDavide wabuza uJehova: “Ngilisukele yini leli viyo labaphangi?” UJehova waphendula: “Lisukele, ngoba uzolifica nakanjani, futhi uzokhulula nakanjani.” UDavide wenza ngokuvumelana nalokho futhi “wakukhulula konke ama-Amaleki ayekuthathile.”—1 Sam. 30:7-9, 18-20.

¹³ Ngemva kwalokho kuhlasela kwama-Amaleki, amaFilisti nawo avimbezela u-Israyeli. UDavide waphinde wabuza uJehova futhi wathola impendulo ecacile. UNkulunkulu wathi: “Khuphuka, ngoba nakanjani ngizowanikela amaFilisti ezandleni zakho.” (2 Sam. 5:18, 19) Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, amaFilisti aphinda amhlasela uDavide. Wayezokwenzenjani kulokhu? Wayengase acabange: ‘Sekukabili ngibhekana nalesi simo. Mangihambe ngiyolwa nezitha zikaNkulunkulu njengoba ngenzile ngaphambili.’ Noma ingabe uDavide wayeyofuna isiqondiso sikaJehova? UDavide akazange athembele kokuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe. Waphinde wathandaza kuJehova. Yeka ukuthi kumelwe ukuba wajabula kangakanani ngokuthi wabuza! Iziqondiso azithola kulokhu zazihlukile. (2 Sam. 5:22, 23) Lapho sibhekene nesimo noma inkinga evamile, kumelwe siqaphe ukuba singenciki kuphela kokuhlangenwe nakho kwethu.—Funda uJeremiya 10:23.

14. Isiphi isifundo esingasithola endleleni uJoshuwa namadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli abasebenzelana ngayo nabaseGibheyoni?

¹⁴ Njengoba singaphelele, sonke—ngisho nabadala abanokuhlangenwe nakho—kudingeka siqaphe ukuba singaweli ogibeni lokungaceli isiqondiso sikaJehova lapho senza izinqumo. Cabanga indlela uJoshuwa, owalandela uMose esikhundleni, namadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli abasabela ngayo lapho abaseGibheyoni ngobuhlakani beza kubo bezifihlile futhi benza sengathi bavela ezweni elikude. UJoshuwa nabanye baqhubeka benza ukuthula nabo baze benza nesivumelwano nabo bengabuzanga kuJehova. Nakuba ekugcineni uJehova asisekela leso sivumelwano, waqinisekisa ukuthi ukwehluleka kwabo ukufuna isiqondiso sakhe kuyalotshwa emiBhalweni ukuze kuzuze thina.—Josh. 9:3-6, 14, 15.

Lapho Silwela Ukumelana Nezilingo

15. Chaza ukuthi kungani umthandazo ubalulekile ekumelaneni nesilingo.

¹⁵ Njengoba ‘sinomthetho wesono’ emalungwini ethu, kudingeka silwe ngamandla  nokuthambekela esonweni. (Roma 7:21-25) Le mpi singayinqoba. Kanjani? UJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe ukuthi umthandazo ubalulekile ekumelaneni nesilingo. (Funda uLuka 22:40.) Ngisho noma izifiso noma imicabango emibi iphikelela yize sesithandazile kuNkulunkulu, kudingeka ‘siqhubeke sicela ukuhlakanipha kuNkulunkulu’ kokubhekana naleso silingo. Siyaqinisekiswa ukuthi “ubapha bonke ngesandla esivulekile ngaphandle kokusola.” (Jak. 1:5) UJakobe ubuye abhale: “Ingabe ukhona ogulayo [ngokomoya] phakathi kwenu? Makabize amadoda amadala ebandla, amthandazele, amgcobe ngamafutha egameni likaJehova. Umthandazo wokholo uyokwenza ongaphilile kahle aphile.”—Jak. 5:14, 15.

16, 17. Lapho sifuna usizo lokumelana nesilingo, isiphi isikhathi esingcono kakhulu sokuthandaza?

¹⁶ Umthandazo ubalulekile ekumelaneni nesilingo, kodwa kumelwe siqaphele isidingo sokuthandaza ngesikhathi esifanele. Cabanga ngendaba yensizwa ethile okukhulunywa ngayo encwadini yezAga 7:6-23. Sekuhwalele, iyahamba, yehla ngomgwaqo okwaziwayo ukuthi kuhlala kuwo owesifazane oziphethe kabi. Idukiswa ukuthonya nokuyenga kwezindebe zakhe ezibushelelezi, iyamlandela, njengenkunzi eyohlatshwa. Kungani le nsizwa yaya kuleyo ndawo? Njengoba ‘yayiswele inhliziyo,’ okungukuthi, yayingenakho okuhlangenwe nakho, cishe yayilwisana nezifiso ezingalungile. (IzAga 7:7) Kunini lapho umthandazo wawuyoyisiza khona kakhulu? Yiqiniso, kwakuyoyisiza ukuthandaza icele amandla okumelana nesilingo noma nini phakathi nokuhlangana kwayo nalona wesifazane. Kodwa isikhathi esingcono kakhulu sokuthandaza kwakungaba yilapho isafikelwa umcabango wokwehla ngalowo mgwaqo.

¹⁷ Namuhla, kungenzeka ukuthi indoda ethile izama kanzima ukulwisana nesilingo sokubuka izithombe zobulili ezingcolile. Nokho, ake sithi ivula izingosi ze-Internet eyazi kahle ukuthi zinezithombe noma ama-video avusa inkanuko. Isimo sayo singefane yini nesensizwa okukhulunywa ngayo encwadini yezAga isahluko 7? Yeka ukuthi iqala ukwehla ngomgwaqo oyingozi kangakanani! Ukuze amelane nesilingo sokubuka izithombe zobulili ezingcolile, umuntu kudingeka afune usizo lukaJehova ngomthandazo ngaphambi kokuba aqale ukwehla ngalowo mgwaqo kuyi-Internet.

18, 19. (a) Kungani ukumelana nesilingo kungase kube inselele, kodwa singabhekana kanjani nayo ngokuphumelelayo? (b) Uzimisele ukwenzani?

¹⁸ Akulula ukumelana nesilingo noma ukunqoba imikhuba emibi. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Inyama imelene nomoya ekufiseni kwayo, nomoya umelene nenyama.” Ngakho-ke, ‘zona kanye izinto esingathanda ukuzenza asizenzi.’ (Gal. 5:17) Ukuze sibhekane nale  nselele, kudingeka sithandaze ngobuqotho lapho nje imicabango emibi noma izilingo zifika engqondweni bese senza ngokuvumelana nemithandazo yethu. “Asikho isilingo esinificile ngaphandle kwalokho okuvamile kubantu,” futhi ngosizo lukaJehova, singahlala sithembekile kuye.—1 Kor. 10:13.

¹⁹ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sibhekene nesimo esinzima, senza isinqumo esinzima noma kunesilingo esizama ukumelana naso, uJehova usinikeze isipho esimangalisayo—ilungiselelo eliyigugu lomthandazo. Ngokulisebenzisa leli lungiselelo, sibonisa ukuthi sincike kuye. Kufanele futhi siqhubeke sicela kuNkulunkulu umoya ongcwele, osiqondisayo nosiqinisayo. (Luka 11:9-13) Khona-ke, masithembele kuJehova futhi singenciki kokwethu ukuqonda.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ingabe Uyakhumbula?

• Yini oyifundile kuHezekiya, uHana, noJona ngokuthembela kuJehova?

• Isibonelo sikaDavide nesikaJoshuwa zisigcizelela kanjani isidingo sokuqapha lapho senza izinqumo?

• Kunini ngokukhethekile lapho kufanele sithandazele khona ukumelana nezilingo?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 9]

Lapho sibhekene nesilingo, kunini lapho umthandazo uzuzisa khona kakhulu?