1, 2. Ngiliphi ithuba abangani bakaJehova abanalo?

UMKRESTU onguMonika uthi, “Sesitjhade iminyaka epheze ibe ma-35. Mina nendoda kwami sazana kuhle khulu. Nokho, ngitjho nangemva kwayo yoke iminyaka le, sisafunda izinto ngomunye nomunye ebesingazazi!” Ngokunganakuzaza kungatjhiwo okufanako ngemitjhado nobungani obunengi.

² Siyakuthabela ukujayelana khulu nalabo esibathandako. Nokho, kibo boke ubungani esingabuhlawulela, abukho obuqakatheke ukudlula ubungani bethu noJehova. Angekhe sakwazi koke ekufuze sikwazi ngaye. (Rom. 11:33) Bekube phakade, sizokufumana ithuba nethabo lokudephisa ukuthokozela kwethu iimfanelo zakaJehova.—UmTj. 3:11.

3. Khuyini esizoyidemba esihlokwenesi?

³ Isihloko esigadungileko sisisize sadephisa ukuthokozela kwethu ukungeneka nokungakhethi kwakaJehova. Akhe sidembe ezinye iimfanelo eembili zakaJehova ezithandekako—ukuphana nokubonelela. Ngokwenza bunjalo, sizokuzwisisa ngokuzeleko ukobana “[uJehova] ulungile kibo boke nesisa sakhe sengamela koke akudalileko.”—Rhu. 145:9.

4. Uyini umongo wokupha kwamambala?

⁴ Kutjho ukuthini ukuphana? Sifumana ipendulo emezwini kaJesu akuzEnzo 20:35 athi: “Kubusiswe khulu ukupha kunokwamukela.” Ngamezwi alula la, uJesu wahlathulula umongo wokupha kwamambala. Umuntu ophanako unikela ngokutjhaphulukileko ngesikhathi, amandla, nangezinto zakhe bona kuzuze abanye—begodu ukwenza lokho athabile. Kwamambala, ukuphana akulinganiswa ngobukhulu besipho, kodwana ngesisusa  somuphi. (Funda 2 Korinte 9:7.) Akekho umuntu ophana ukudlula ‘uZimethu othabileko,’ uJehova.—1 Thim. 1:11.

5. UJehova ukutjengisa ngaziphi iindlela ukuphana?

⁵ UJehova ukutjengisa njani ukuphana? Utlhogomela iintlhogo zabo boke abantu, kuhlanganise nalabo abangakabi ukumlotjha. Nangambala, “[UJehova] ulungile kibo boke.” “Wenza ilanga lakhe liphumele abambi nabalungileko, anise nezulu kabalungileko nabakhohlakeleko.” (Mat. 5:45) Kungebangelo umpostoli uPowula, nekakhuluma nabangakholwako, angatjho bona uJehova “waninisela izulu elivela ezulwini wanipha isikhathi esinomnotho sonyaka nenala yokudla bewazalisa iinhliziyo zenu ngokwenama.” (IzE. 14:17) Ngokukhanyako, uJehova uyaphana kibo boke abantu.—Luk. 6:35.

6, 7. (a) Bobani uJehova athabela ukunelisa iintlhogo zabo ngokukhethekileko? (b) Bonisa indlela uZimu atlhogomela ngayo abakhulekeli bakhe abathembekileko.

⁶ UJehova ukuthabela ngokukhethekileko ukutlhogomela iintlhogo zabakhulekeli bakhe abathembekileko. IKosi uDavide yathi: “Gade ngimutjha, manje sengimdala, nokho angizange ngibone olungileko atjhiyiwe nesapho lakhe ligogela ukudla.” (Rhu. 37:25) AmaKrestu amanengi athembekileko abubona ubufakazi obunjalo bokutlhogomela kwakaJehova. Cabangela isibonelo.

⁷ Eminyakeni ethileko egadungileko, uNancy isikhonzi sesikhathi esizeleko wazifumana ebujamweni obubudisi. UNancy uyakhumbula, “Bengitlhoga i-R570 bona ngibhadale irente, ebeyifuneka ngelanga elilandelako. Bengingazi bona ngizoyithathaphi imali leyo. Ngathandaza ngomraro lo, ngemva kwalokho ngaya emsebenzinami wokuba yiweyithresi. Bengingakalindeli ukuthola amathiphu amanengi ngobusukobo ngombana bekusikhathi seveke esihlihlako. Ngararwa kukuthi kweza abathengi abanengi esitolo sokudla ngobusukobo. Nangitjhayisako ngabala imali engayifumanako, yaba i-R570.” UNancy uyaqiniseka bona uJehova ngesandla esivulekileko wamnikela lokho abekakutlhoga.—Mat. 6:33.

8. Ngisiphi isipho esikhulu kunazo zoke uZimu aphana ngaso?

⁸ Isipho sakaJehova esikhulu kunazo zoke siyafumaneka kibo boke abantu. Siyini? Mhlatjelo wesihlengo weNdodanakhe. UJesu wathi: “UZimu walithanda kangaka iphasi, wabe wanikela ngeNdodanakhe ebelethwe yodwa, khona kuzakuthi loyo okholwa kiyo angabhubhi kodwana abe nepilo engapheliko.” (Jwa. 3:16) Ngokomongo wendaba le, “iphasi” liqalisele kibo boke abantu. Iye, isipho sakaJehova esikhulu kunazo zoke siyafumaneka kibo boke abakhetha ukusamukela. Labo abanekholo kuJesu bazokuthola ukuphila kwamambala—ukuphila okungapheliko! (Jwa. 10:10) Kwamambala, ngibuphi obunye ubufakazi obudlula lobo bokobana uJehova uyaphana?

9. Singakulingisa njani ukuphana kwakaJehova?

 ⁹ Singakulingisa njani ukuphana kwakaJehova? UJehova ‘usinjingisa ngakho koke bona sithokoze ngakho’; ngalokho, kufuze siphane ‘sabele’ nabanye, ngokwenza njalo sinikele ethabweni labo. (1 Thim. 6:17-19) Ngethabo sisebenzisa lokho esinakho bona siphe esibathandako izipho besisize nabatlhogako. (Funda uDuteronomi 15:7.) Khuyini okungasisiza bona sikhumbule ukuphana? Nakhu okhunye okwenziwa ngamanye amaKrestu: Nebafumana isipho, nabo bafuna iindlela zokupha omunye isipho. Ibandla lobuKrestu libusiswe ngabanakwethu nabodade abanengi abahlawulela umoya wokupha.

10. Ngiyiphi enye indlela ehle yokuba ngophanako?

¹⁰ Enye yeendlela ezingcono khulu esingaphana ngayo kunikela ngamezwi nangezenzo. Singakwenza njani lokho? Ngokusebenzisa isikhathi namandlethu sisiza begodu sikhuthaza abanye. (Gal. 6:10) Ukubona ukuthi senza njani kilokhu, singazibuza: ‘Inga-kghani abanye babona ngizimisele ukuzinikela bona ngilalele okubatshwenyako? Nangabe othileko ungibawa bona ngimsize ngomsebenzi, inga-kghani ngiyavuma nanyana kunini nekukghonekako? Ngagcina nini ukubuka ngokusuka ehliziyweni ilunga lomndeni nofana engikholwa kunye naye? ‘Nesiphako’ siyaqiniseka bona sizokutjhidela kokubili kuJehova nebanganini bethu.—Luk. 6:38; IzA. 19:17.

11. Ngiziphi ezinye iindlela esingapha ngazo uJehova?

 ¹¹ Singaba ngabaphanako nakuJehova. ImiTlolo iyakhuthaza, ‘Hlonipha [uJehova] ngomnonwakho, iye, ngesilumo semikhiqizwakho yoke.’ (IzA. 3:9) ‘Umnono’ loyo uhlanganisa isikhathi, amandla, nezinto zethu, esingazisebenzisa ngokutjhaphulukileko ekonzwenakhe. Ngitjho nabantwana abancani bangafunda ukupha uJehova. Ubaba othileko, uJason, uthi, “Umndenethu newenza umnikelo eWolweni lomBuso, sivumela abantwabethu bafake imali ebhoksini lomnikelo.  Bayakuthabela lokho, ngombana ngokutjho kwabo ‘banikela okuthileko kuJehova.’” Abantwana abathabela ukupha uJehova basesebancani kunamathuba amanengi wokobana baragele phambili bamupha nanyana sele babakhulu.—IzA. 22:6.

12. Kutjho ukuthini ukubonelela?

¹² Enye yeemfanelo zakaJehova ezithandekako kubonelela. Kutjho ukuthini ukubonelela? Ibizo lelimi lokuthoma elivame ukutjhugululwa ngokuthi “ukubonelela” ku-New World Translation ngokwelizwi nelizwi litjho “ukutjhida.” (Tit. 3:1, 2) Umuntu obonelelako akakateleli bona ngaso soke isikhathi kubulungwe umthetho njengombana unjalo, begodu akakaqini ngokungatlhogekiko, abe ngulizwi lakhe, namkha abe nelunya. Kunalokho, ulwela ukuba nomusa nekasebenzelana nabanye, acabangela ubujamo babo. Uzimisele ukulalela abanye, begodu nekufanelekako, avumelane neemfiso zabo bekatjhentjhe iimfuneko zakhe.

13, 14. (a) UJehova ukutjengisa njani ukubonelela? (b) Singafundani ngokubonelela endleleni uZimu asebenzelana ngayo noLoti?

¹³ UJehova ukutjengisa njani ukubonelela? Uwacabangela ngomusa amazizo weenceku zakhe, begodu ngokujayelekileko uyazamukela iimbawo zazo. Ngokwesibonelo, cabangela indlela uJehova asebenzelana ngayo nendoda elungileko uLoti. UJehova nekaqunta ukutjhabalalisa imizi yeSodoma neGomora, wanikela uLoti isinqophiso esikhanyako sokuthi abalekele eentabeni. Nokho, ngamabanga athileko, uLoti wabawa imvumo yokubalekela kwenye indawo. Cabanga ngalokho—eqinisweni, uLoti bekabawa uJehova bona atjhugulule iinqophiso zakhe!—Funda uGenesisi 19:17-20.

¹⁴ Kungaba bulula ngomunye umuntu ukwahlulela uLoti ngokuthi bekabogaboga namkha bekangalaleli. Ngokuqinisekileko uJehova bekazokuqiniseka ukuthi uLoti uyaphuluswa nanyana akuphi, ngalokho bekanganamabanga azwakalako wokusaba. Nanyana kunjalo, bekasaba—uLoti bekazizwa ngendlela azizwa ngayo, begodu uJehova wenza itjhentjho ngokuvumelana nalokho. Wavumela uLoti wabalekela emzini ebakanqophe ukuwutjhabalalisa. (Funda uGenesisi 19:21, 22.) Ngokukhanyako, uJehova akasingulizwi lakhe. Uyabonelela.

15, 16. UmThetho kaMosi wakutjengisa njani ukubonelela kwakaJehova? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni kwesihloko)

¹⁵ Cabangela esinye isibonelo sokubonelela kwakaJehova njengombana sivezwe emThethweni kaMosi. Nengabe umIsrayeli bekakhwahle khulu bona anikele ngemvana namkha imbuzi bona ibe mhlatjelo, bekanganikela ngamazuba amabili namkha amazutjana womango amabili. Kodwana kuthiwani nengabe umIsrayeli bekanganayo nemali yokuthenga amazuba amabili? Nekunjalo, uJehova wavumela ama-Israyeli akhwahlileko bona anikele ngeflowuru encani. Nokho, tjheja nanti iphuzu eliqakathekileko: Bekungakafuzi kube nginanyana ngimuphi umhlobo weflowuru, kodwana bekufuze kube ‘yiflowuru esefiweko,’ efana nesetjenziswa nekuneemvakatjhi ezihloniphekileko. (Gen. 18:6) Kubayini lokho kuqakathekile?—Funda uLevitikusi 5:7, 11.

¹⁶ Khuzicabange umIsrayeli okhwahlileko. Njengombana ufika eThaberinakeli neflowurwakho encani ukuzokwenza umnikelo, ubona ama-Israyeli anjingileko angena nefuyo. Ungazizwa uneenhloni ngomnikelwakho weflowuru obonakala ungatjho litho. Bese ukhumbula ukuthi emehlweni kaJehova, umnikelwakho uqakathekile. Kubayini? Okhunye kukuthi uJehova bekafuna bona iflowuru kube ngeyezinga eliphezulu. Eqinisweni, uJehova bekatjela ama-Israyeli akhwahlileko ukuthi: ‘Ngiyalemuka ukuthi angekhe ukghone ukunikela ngendlela abanye abanganikela ngayo, kodwana ngiyazi nokuthi onginikela khona ngokungcono  khulu onganikela ngakho.’ Kwamambala, uJehova utjengisa ukucabangela ngokutjheja ubujamo nokulinganiselwa kweenceku zakhe.—Rhu. 103:14.

17. Ungaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova wamukela ihlobo elinjani lekonzo?

 ¹⁷ Singaduduzeka ngokwazi ukuthi ngokubonelela kwakhe, uJehova uyayamukela ikonzwethu yomphefumulo woke. (Kol. 3:23) UConstance, udade okhulileko we-Italy wathi: “Ukukhuluma nabanye ngoMbumbami yinto ebengisolo ngiyithanda ukuzidlula zoke. Kungakho ngiragela phambili ngitjhumayela begodu ngiraga neemfundo zeBhayibheli. Ngezinye iinkhathi ngiba buhlungu ngokuthi angikwazi ukwenza okungeziweko ngebanga lepilwami. Kodwana ngiyalemuka bona uJehova uyakwazi ukulinganiselwa kwami, uyangithanda begodu uyakuthokozela engikwenzako.”

18. Ngiyiphi enye indlela ababelethi abangalingisa ngayo isibonelo sakaJehova?

¹⁸ Singakulingisa njani ukubonelela kwakaJehova? Khucabange godu ngendlela uJehova asebenzelana ngayo noLoti. UJehova nguye obekanegunya; kodwana, ngomusa walalela njengombana uLoti aveza amazizwakhe. UJehova wavumelana nesibawo sakaLoti. Nengabe umbelethi, ungasilingisa na isibonelo sakaJehova? Ungazilalela na iimbawo zabantwabakho, begodu nekufanelekako, uvumelane neemfiso zabo? Malungana nalokho, ISithalasokulinda sakaSeptemba 1, 2007, sathi abanye ababelethi bangabandakanya abantwababo engcocweni yemithetho yomuzi. Ngokwesibonelo, ababelethi bangabeka umthetho wewatjhi, begodu vele banelungelo lokubeka isikhathi esinqophileko abantwababo ekufuze bafike ngaso ekhaya. Ngitjho nanyana kunjalo, ababelethi abamaKrestu bangabalalela abantwababo nebabeka lobubodlhana malungana nesikhathi esibekiweko. Kobunye ubujamo, ababelethi bangakhetha ukutjhugulula isikhathi esibekiweko nengabe akuphulwa iinkambisolawulo zeBhayibheli. Ababelethi bangafumana ukuthi nebacabangela iimbono yabantwababo malungana nemithetho yomuzi, abantwana bangatjhigamela ekuyizwisiseni nekuyilaleleni.

19. Abadala bangakulingisa njani ukubonelela kwakaJehova?

¹⁹ Abadala bebandla balwela ukulingisa ukubonelela kwakaJehova ngokutjheja ubujamo babakhulekeli abakunye nabo. Khumbula ukuthi uJehova wathokozela ngitjho neminikelo enikelwa ma-Israyeli akhwahlileko. Ngokufanako, abanye abanakwethu nabodade balinganiselwe khulu kilokho abangakwenza ekonzweni, mhlamunye ngebanga lemiraro yepilo namkha ukukhula. Kuthiwani nengabe abathandekakwaba bacobeke amathambo ngebanga lokulinganiselwa kwabo? Abadala bangabaqinisekisa ukuthi uJehova uyabathanda ngombana bamnikela okungcono khulu abanakho.—Mar. 12:41-44.

20. Inga-kghani ukubonelela kutjho ukuzikhuja ekonzweni kaZimu? Hlathulula.

²⁰ Liqiniso, asifuni ukuphambanisa ukubonelela nokuzikhuja ekunikeleni ikonzo kuZimu ukwenzela bona sibe nomusa kithi. (Mat. 16:22) Asifuni ukudosa iinyawo bese sizivikela ngokuthi sitjengisa ukubonelela. Kunalokho, soke kutlhogeka ‘silinge ngamandlethu woke’ ukusekela iinkareko zomBuso. (Luk. 13:24) Kwamambala, silinga ukulinganisela hlangana kweenkambisolawulo eembili. Kelinye ihlangothi, singazikhuji ekonzwenethu. Ngakelinye, sikhumbula ukuthi uJehova angeze afune bona senze okungaphezu kwamandlethu. Nesinikela ngokungcono khulu esinakho, singaqiniseka ukuthi uyathaba. Asikuthabeli na ukukhonza iKosi ebonelelako nethokozela kangaka? Esihlokweni esilandelako, sizokudemba ezinye iimfanelo eembili zobuntu bakaJehova obuthandekako.—Rhu. 73:28.