1, 2. Sinokungenelwa njani ngokwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo, yaye sinokufunda ntoni kuKumkani uDavide?

NGOXA useluhambeni, ngaba ukhe wayisebenzisa imaphu esekhompyutheni ekunceda uyibone kakuhle indawo oya kuyo? Inokukunceda uyibone eyona ndlela omele uyithathe. Ukusebenzisa umgaqo ofanayo kunokusinceda xa sisenza izigqibo ezibalulekileyo. Ukujonga izinto ngokwendlela uMdali azijonga ngazo kunokusenza ‘sihambe ngendlela’ uYehova ayifunayo.—Isa. 30:21.

² Ubomi bakhe bonke, uKumkani uDavide woSirayeli wamandulo wasimisela umzekelo obalaseleyo wokwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. Makhe sihlolisise izinto ezithile ngobomi bukaDavide size sibone oko sinokukufunda kule ndoda yangqineka izinikele ngentliziyo epheleleyo kuYehova uThixo.—1 Kum. 11:4.

3, 4. (a) Yintoni eyabangela ukuba uDavide azixhome kuGoliyati? (b) UDavide wayelijonga njani igama likaThixo?

³ Khawucinge ngesihlandlo apho uDavide wayejamelene nentshatsheli yamaFilisti uGoliyati. Yintoni eyabangela uDavide oselula ukuba ajamelane nale ngxilimbela yayimalunga neemitha ezintathu ubude? (1 Sam. 17:4) Ngaba wayenesibindi? Wayenokholo kuThixo? Zombini ezi mpawu zadlala indima enkulu kubukroti awayenabo. Noko ke, eyona nto yamkhuthazayo uDavide ukuba amelane nala ngxilimbela, yintlonelo awayenayo ngoYehova negama lakhe elizukileyo. Ecaphuka, uDavide wabuza wathi: “Ungubani na lo mFilisti ungalukanga ukuba angcikive izintlu zedabi zoThixo ophilayo?”—1 Sam. 17:26.

⁴ Ebhekisa kuGoliyati, uDavide oselula wathi: “Uza kum unekrele nomkhonto nentshuntshe, kodwa mna ndiza kuwe ngegama likaYehova wemikhosi, uThixo wezintlu zedabi zakwaSirayeli,  omngcikivileyo.” (1 Sam. 17:45) Ethembele ngoThixo oyinyaniso, uDavide wayiwisa phantsi intshatsheli yamaFilisti ngelitye nje elinye. UDavide akazange aphelele apho kodwa ukutyhubela ubomi bakhe bonke wathembela ngoYehova waza walihlonela igama lakhe. Kaloku uDavide wade wawabongoza amaSirayeli ukuba ‘aqhayise ngegama likaYehova elingcwele.’—Funda eyoku-1 yeziKronike 16:8-10.

5. Yiyiphi imeko onokujamelana nayo enokufaniswa nokugculela kukaGoliyati?

⁵ Ngaba uneqhayiya ngokuba noThixo onguYehova? (Yer. 9:24) Uvakalelwa njani xa abamelwane, abo usebenza nabo, abo ufunda nabo okanye izalamane zakho zithetha kakubi ngoYehova yaye zihlekisa ngamaNgqina akhe? Ngaba uyakwazi ukulimela igama likaYehova xa lingcikivwa, unethemba lokuba uya kukuxhasa? Liyinyaniso elokuba kukho “ixesha lokuthi cwaka,” kodwa asimele sibe neentloni ngokuba ngamaNgqina kaYehova nokuba ngabalandeli bakaYesu. (INtshu. 3:1, 7; Marko 8:38) Nangona kufuneka sibe nobuchule size sibe nentlonelo xa siqhubana nabantu abangenalutyekelo luhle, masingafani namaSirayeli ‘ankwantyayo aze oyika kakhulu’ xa eva amazwi angcikivayo kaGoliyati. (1 Sam. 17:11) Kunoko, masibe nesibindi ukuze singcwalise igama likaThixo, uYehova. Sifuna abantu bade bayazi inyaniso ngoYehova uThixo. Ngenxa yoku, sisebenzisa iLizwi lakhe elibhaliweyo ukuze sincede abantu babone ukubaluleka kokusondela kuThixo.—Yak. 4:8.

6. Yintoni awayefuna ukuyiphumeza uDavide xa wayejamelene noGoliyati, yaye yintoni efanele ibe yeyona iphambili kuthi?

⁶ Ukujamelana kukaDavide noGoliyati kusifundisa okuthile okubalulekileyo. Xa uDavide wafika kwindawo yedabi, wabuza oku: “Kuya kwenziwa ntoni na kwindoda exabele laa mFilisti uphaya ize okunene isuse ungcikivo phezu koSirayeli?” Bephendula, abantu bathetha oko babekutsho ngaphambili: ‘Indoda ethe yaxabela uGoliyati, ukumkani uza kuyityebisa ngobutyebi obukhulu, yaye uza kuyinika intombi yakhe.’ (1 Sam. 17:25-27) Kodwa eyona nto yayiphambili kuDavide yayingekokufumana izinto eziphathekayo. Wayenezinye iinjongo. UDavide wayefuna ukuzukisa uThixo oyinyaniso. (Funda eyoku-1 kuSamuweli 17:46, 47.) Kuthekani ngathi? Ngaba eyona nto iphambili kuthi kukuzenzela igama ngokuba nobunewunewu size sibe ngabantu abadumileyo ehlabathini? Ngokuqinisekileyo sifuna ukufana noDavide owacula wathi: “Menzeni mkhulu uYehova kunye nam, masiliphakamise kunye igama lakhe.” (INdu. 34:3) Kwanga singathembela ngoThixo, size siphakamise igama lakhe kunelethu.—Mat. 6:9.

7. Sinokuluhlakulela njani ukholo olomeleleyo oluza kusinceda xa sidibana nabantu abasenokungasamkeli isigidimi?

⁷ Ukuze uDavide abe nesibindi sokulwa noGoliyati, kwakufuneka athembele ngoYehova. Eli tyendyana linguDavide lalinokholo olomeleleyo. Enye indlela awaluhlakulela ngayo ukholo lwakhe, kukuba wayethembele kuThixo kuyo yonke imisebenzi awayeyenza imihla ngemihla njengoko wayengumalusi. (1 Sam. 17:34-37) Nathi kufuneka sibe nokholo olomeleleyo ukuze siqhubeke nobulungiseleli, ngokukodwa xa sidibana nabantu abasenokungasamkeli isigidimi sethu. Sinokuluhlakulela ukholo olunjalo ngokuthembela ngoThixo xa sisenza imisebenzi yethu yemihla ngemihla. Ngokomzekelo, sisenokuncokola ngeBhayibhile nomntu ohleli ecaleni kwethu ngoxa sikwisithuthi sikawonkewonke. Ibe akukho nto isinqandayo ukuba sithethe nabantu esidibana nabo esitratweni ngoxa sishumayela kwindlu ngendlu—IZe. 20:20, 21.

8, 9. Xa wayeqhubana noKumkani uSawule, uDavide wabonisa njani ukuba wayehlala ecinga ngomthetho kaYehova?

⁸ Indlela uDavide awayemjonga ngayo  uSawule—ukumkani wokuqala wakwaSirayeli—ngomnye umzekelo obonisa ukuba uDavide wayethembele ngoYehova. Kangangezihlandlo ezithathu, uSawule owayenomona wazama ukumqhama nodonga uDavide esebenzisa umkhonto, kodwa uDavide waphepha sihlandlo ngasinye, yaye akazange afune ukuziphindezela. Ekugqibeleni, uDavide wasaba. (1 Sam. 18:7-11; 19:10) Emva koko, uSawule wathabatha amadoda anyuliweyo angama-3 000 kuSirayeli wonke waza waya kufuna uDavide entlango. (1 Sam. 24:2) Ekugqibeleni, engazi uSawule namadoda akhe baya kumqolomba uDavide awayekuwo. UDavide ngewayelisebenzisile elo thuba ukuze abulale ukumkani owayemngcungcuthekisa. Phofu, yayikukuthanda kukaThixo ukuba uDavide angene ezihlangwini zikaSawule ukumkani wakwaSirayeli. (1 Sam. 16:1, 13) Eneneni, ukuba uDavide wayephulaphule icebiso lamadoda akhe, lo kumkani ngewayefile. Kodwa uDavide wathi: “Makube lee, kum, ngokwembono kaYehova, ukuba ndingenza le nto enkosini yam, othanjisiweyo kaYehova.” (Funda eyoku-1 kuSamuweli 24:4-7.) USawule wayesengukumkani othanjisiweyo kaThixo. UDavide wayengafuni ukumhlutha ubukumkani uSawule, ekubeni uYehova wayengekamyekisi. UDavide wanqumla nje isondo lesambatho sikaSawule esingenamikhono, ngaloo ndlela ebonisa ukuba akafuni kumenzakalisa.—1 Sam. 24:11.

⁹ Kwisihlandlo sokugqibela edibana nokumkani, kwakhona uDavide wabonisa intlonelo ngomthanjiswa kaThixo. Ngelo xesha, uDavide noAbhishayi bamfumana uSawule elele enkampini. Nangona uAbhishayi wathi uThixo ulunikele utshaba esandleni sikaDavide waza wathi uza kumqhama nomhlaba uSawule ngomkhonto, uDavide akazange ayivumele loo nto. (1 Sam. 26:8-11) Ekubeni uDavide wayesoloko efuna ulwalathiso lukaThixo, akazange agungqe ekwenzeni ukuthanda kukaYehova nangona uAbhishayi wayembongoza.

10. Ziziphi iimeko ezinzima esinokujamelana nazo, yaye yintoni enokusinceda singagungqi?

¹⁰ Nathi sisenokujamelana neemeko ezinzima, apho abanye abantu banokusinyanzelela ekubeni siqiqe ngendlela yabo kunokuba basikhuthazele ekubeni senze ukuthanda kukaYehova. NjengoAbhishayi, abanye banokufuna senze isigqibo singakhange sihlole umthetho kaThixo ngombandela othile. Ukuze singagungqi, kufuneka sikhumbule umthetho kaYehova ngaloo mbandela size sizimisele ukunamathela kuwo.

11. Yintoni oyifundayo kuDavide ngokuhlala kwakhe ecinga ngokuthanda kukaThixo?

 ¹¹ UDavide wathandaza kuYehova uThixo wathi: “Ndifundise ukwenza ukuthanda kwakho.” (Funda iNdumiso 143:5, 8, 10.) Kunokuba athembele ngeembono zakhe okanye anikezele kwizibongozo zomnye umntu, uDavide wayekulungele ukufundiswa nguThixo. ‘Wacamngca ngawo wonke umsebenzi kaYehova waza ngokuzithandela wahlala ezixhalabisa ngomsebenzi wezandla zikaThixo.’ Nathi, ukuze sikwazi ukuthanda kukaThixo kufuneka siphengulule iZibhalo size sicamngce ngeengxelo eziseBhayibhileni zendlela uYehova awaqhubana ngayo nabantu.

12, 13. Kwakutheni ukuze uDavide achithe amanzi awayewaphathelwe ngamadoda akhe amathathu?

¹² UDavide wayeyixabisa imigaqo owawusekelwe kuyo uMthetho yaye sifanele siwuxelise umnqweno awayenawo wokuphila ngokuvisisana nayo. Makhe sihlole oko kwenzekayo xa uDavide wathi ubawela ‘ukusela amanzi equla laseBhetelehem.’ Amadoda amathathu kaDavide anyanzelisa angena esixekweni—samaFilisti—aza eza namanzi. Noko ke, ‘uDavide akazange avume ukuwasela, kodwa wawathululela kuYehova.’ Kwakutheni ukuze enjenjalo? UDavide uyachaza: “Makube lee kum, ngokuphathelele uThixo wam, ukwenza oko! Ngaba igazi lala madoda ndifanele ndilisele ngokubeka esichengeni umphefumlo wawo? Kuba awazisa ngokubeka esichengeni imiphefumlo yawo.”—1 Kron. 11:15-19.

¹³ UDavide wayesazi ngokusuka kuMthetho ukuba igazi lifanele lithululelwe kuYehova lingatyiwa. Wayesiqonda nesizathu sokuba kufanele kwenziwe loo nto. UDavide wayesazi ukuba “umphefumlo wenyama usegazini.” Noko ke, la yayingamanzi, ingelogazi. Kwakutheni ukuze uDavide angavumi ukuwasela? Wayeyixabisa imigaqo esekelwe kuyo imithetho. KuDavide la manzi ayexabiseke njengegazi lamadoda amathathu. Ngoko, wayengayicingi nokuyicinga into yokusela la manzi. Kunokuba awasele, wagqiba kwelokuba awathululele phantsi emhlabeni.—Lev. 17:11; Dut. 12:23, 24.

14. Yintoni eyanceda uDavide ukuba ajonge izinto ngendlela kaYehova?

 ¹⁴ UDavide wayewuthanda ngokwenene umthetho kaThixo. Wacula wathi: “Ukwenza ukuthanda kwakho, Thixo wam, kundiyolisile, nomthetho wakho ungaphakathi ezibilinini zam.” (INdu. 40:8) UDavide wayewufunda umthetho kaThixo yaye wayecamngca ngawo. Wayethembele ngobulumko obuvela kwimithetho kaYehova. Ngenxa yoko, uDavide wayengafundi nje incwadi kodwa wayekwafunda nomongo woMthetho kaMoses. Xa sifunda iBhayibhile, siya kuba senza ngobulumko ukuba siyacamngca ngoko sikufundayo size sikugcine ezintliziyweni zethu ukuze sikwazi oko kukholisa uYehova xa sijamelene nemeko ethile.

15. Yiyiphi indlela uSolomon awasilela ngayo ukuhlonela uMthetho kaThixo?

¹⁵ UYehova uThixo wayekholiswa gqitha ngunyana kaDavide uSolomon. Noko ke, ekuhambeni kwexesha uSolomon wasilela ukuhlonela uMthetho kaThixo. Akazange awuthobele umyalelo kaYehova wokuba ukumkani wakwaSirayeli “makangazandiseli bafazi.” (Dut. 17:17) Phofu, uSolomon watshata nabafazi abaninzi basemzini. Akuba mdala, “abafazi bakhe bayenza intliziyo yakhe yatyekela ekulandeleni abanye oothixo.” Enoba wayezithethelela esithini, “uSolomon waqalisa ukwenza okubi emehlweni kaYehova, akamlandela ngokupheleleyo uYehova njengoDavide uyise.” (1 Kum. 11:1-6) Kubalulekile ukuba silandele imigaqo nemithetho eseLizwini likaThixo! Ngokomzekelo, oku kubalulekile kwabo bacinga ngokutshata.

16. Ukuqonda umyalelo othi tshata “kuphela eNkosini” kubachaphazela njani abo bafuna ukutshata?

¹⁶ Ukuba umntu ongakholwayo ucela uthando kuthi, ngaba siza kuphendula sinembono efana nekaDavide okanye ekaSolomon? AmaKristu okwenyaniso achazelwa ukuba atshate “kuphela eNkosini.” (1 Kor. 7:39) Ukuba umKristu ukhetha ukutshata, ufanele atshate nomnye umKristu. Ukuba siyawuqonda umongo walo Mbhalo, asisayi kuphepha nje ukutshata nomntu ongakholwayo kodwa siya kukuphepha nokumvumela umntu onjalo acele uthando kuthi.

17. Yintoni enokusinceda sikuphephe ukubanjiswa ngumgibe wephonografi?

¹⁷ Kwakhona, masihlole indlela umzekelo kaDavide wokufuna ukukhokelwa nguThixo onokusinceda ngayo sixhathise isilingo sokubukela iphonografi. Funda ezi zibhalo zilandelayo, cinga ngemigaqo ekuzo uze uqonde ukuthanda kukaYehova ngalo mba. (Funda iNdumiso 119:37; uMateyu 5:28, 29; Kolose 3:5.) Ukucamngca ngemigaqo yakhe ephakamileyo kusinceda singabanjiswa ngumgibe wephonografi.

18, 19. (a) Nangona wayengafezekanga, yintoni eyanceda uDavide ukuba ahlale ekholekile kuThixo? (b) Yintoni ozimisele ukuyenza?

¹⁸ Nangona uDavide wayengumzekelo ngeendlela ezininzi, wenza izono ezinzulu eziliqela. (2 Sam. 11:2-4, 14, 15, 22-27; 1 Kron. 21:1, 7) Noko ke, ebudeni bobomi bakhe, uDavide waguquka kwizono zakhe ezinzulu. Wahamba phambi koThixo “ngentliziyo egqibeleleyo.” (1 Kum. 9:4) Kutheni sisitsho nje? Kuba uDavide wazama ukwenza ngokuvisisana nokuthanda kukaYehova.

¹⁹ Nakuba singafezekanga, uYehova unokukholiswa sithi. Sicinga ngoko, masifunde iLizwi likaThixo rhoqo, sicamngce ngoko sikufunda kulo size senze ngokuvisisana noko sikugcine ezintliziyweni zethu. Ukuba senjenjalo siya kuba ngathi sithandaza kuYehova njengomdumisi owenza esi sicelo sokuthobeka: “Ndifundise ukwenza ukuthanda kwakho.”