1. Yini le eyenza uZimu noJesu bathandana kangaka?

INDODANA kaJehova, uJesu Krestu, yakhe yathi: “Ngiyamthanda uBaba.” (Jwa. 14:31) Yabuye yathi: “UYise uyayithanda iNdodana.” (Jwa. 5:20) Eqinisweni lokho akusirari, ngombana ngaphambi kobana eze ephasini, uJesu wasebenza iminyaka engangeminyaka, asikghwari esikhamba phambili somsebenzi kaZimu. (IzA. 8:30) Njengombana uJehova noJesu basebenza baboke nje, iNdodana yafunda izinto ezinengi ebuntwini bakaYise, yeke zinengi izinto ezihlohlozele ithando lakhe ngoYise. Eqinisweni ukutjhidelana kwabo kwenza ithando labo labhebhedlha kwelangabi lomlilo.

2. (a) Navane sithi sithanda umuntu vane sizizwe njani ngaye? (b) Sizokudemba miphi imibuzo esihlokwenesi?

² Navane sithi sithanda umuntu sisuke sizizwa kamnandi khulu ngaye. Umrhubi uDavida wathi: “Ngiyakuthanda Somnini, umamandlami.” (Rhu. 18:2 [18:1, NW]) Ngile-ke indlela okufuze sizizwe ngayo ngoZimu, ngombana naye uzizwa njalo ngathi. Nesilalela uJehova uzosithanda kwamambala. (Funda uDuteronomi 7:12, 13.) Kodwana kuyenzeka na bona umuntu athande uZimu angakhenge ambone? Kutjho ukuthini ukuthanda uJehova? Kubayini kufuze simthande? Singatjengisa njani bona siyamthanda uZimu?

3, 4. Kubayini sithi kuyakghonakala ukuthanda uZimu?

³ UZimu “ungumoya,” yeke akukghonakali bona singambona. (Jwa. 4:24) Nanyana kunjalo singakghona ukumthanda uJehova, ngombana nemiTlolo iyalibethelela iphuzu lokuthi kufuze simthande. Ngokwesibonelo, uMosi watjela ama-Israyeli wathi: “Ngalokho uzakukhathalela (“uzakuthanda uJehova,” NW) uSomnini uZimakho ngayo yoke ihliziywakho nangomphefumulwakho woke nangawo woke amandlakho.”—Dut. 6:5.

⁴ Kubayini kufuze sithande uZimu ngeenhliziyo zethu zoke? Kungombana usidale sinesifiso sokumlotjha nesokumthanda. Nange isifiso sethu sokumlotjha sanelisekile, kulapho-ke ithando lethu ngaye lizokuvutha amalangabi khona, lokho bese kusilethela ithabo elingangethabo. “Bayathaba labo abanesifiso sokulotjha uZimu ngombana umBuso wamazulu ungewabo.” (Mat. 5:3, NW) Nebakhuluma ngesifiso esingaphakathi emntwini sokulotjha okuthileko, abanye bathi: “Ephasini mazombe, sikhulu ngendlela erarako isifiso sabantu sokulotjha okuthileko ngombana bathatha isikhathi sokuphila kwabo koke bafunana nomuntu omkhulu abangamlotjha nabangakholelwa kuye.”—Man Does Not Stand Alone, by A. C. Morrison.

5. Sazi njani bona kunomvuzo ukufunana noZimu?

⁵ Kanti vele kunomvuzo na ukufunana noZimu? Iye kunomvuzo, ngombana naye ulindele bona simfune besimfumane. Umpostoli uPowula walibeka lazwakala iphuzweli nekafakaza ebantwini ebebabuthene e-Areyophagusi. Indawo le ibonakala kuhle nawusePharthenon—ithempeli laka-Athena usingazimukazi we-Athene lekadeni. Nawe zicabange ulapho-ke, mbone uPowula akhuluma ngoZimu “obumbe iphasi nakho koke okukilo,” arage nangokuthi, “akahlali ngemathempelini akhiwe babantu.” Umpostoli lo uyahlathulula nokobana, “Ngomuntu oyedwa wadala zoke izizwe kobana zihlale ebusweni balo loke iphasi. Wazibeka iinkhathi zokuphila kwazo waziquntela nemikhawulo lapha zizakuhlala khona. Wakwenza lokho ukuze zifune, mhlamunye zingamfunyana lokha nazimfunako, nanyana angasikude ngitjho nakubani wethu.” (IzE. 17:24-27) Uqinisile, vele abantu bangamfumana uZimu. Ingani sekunaboFakazi bakaJehova abangaphezu kweengidi ezilikhomba nesiquntu ‘abamfumeneko’ bebamthanda ngeenhliziyo zabo zoke.

6. Ngimuphi umyalo uJesu athi ‘ngewokuthoma nongomkhulu’?

⁶ Ithando lethu ngoJehova kufuze lisuke eenhliziyweni zethu. UJesu khenge agwagwanise nekaphendula umFarisi owambuza ukuthi: “Mfundisi ngimuphi umyalo ongomkhulu emthethweni na?” UJesu wamphendula wathi: “‘Thanda uSomnini uZimakho ngehliziywakho yoke, ngomphefumulwakho woke nangomkhumbulwakho woke.’ Lo myalo wokuthoma nongomkhulu.”—Mat. 22:34-38.

7. Kutjho ukuthini ukuthanda uZimu (a) ngeenhliziyo zethu zoke (b) ngomphefumulwethu woke (c) nangengqondwethu yoke?

⁷ Kuhlekuhle bekatjho ukuthini uJesu nakathi kufuze sithande uZimu ‘ngeenhliziyo zethu zoke’? Bekatjho ukuthi kufuze sithande uJehova ngehliziyo ebandakanya iimfiso, namazizwethu. Begodu kufuze simthande ‘ngomphefumulwethu woke’, namkha ngokuphila kwethu koke. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kufuze simthande ‘nangengqondwethu yoke’ namkha amandla wokucabanga wengqondwethu. Kuhlekuhle kufuze simthande ngokuzeleko uJehova, singazikhuji.

8. Nesimthanda kwamambala uZimu sizohlohlozeleka bona senzeni?

⁸ Nengabe sithanda uZimu ngehliziywethu, ngomphefumulwethu, nangengqondwethu yoke sizokwenza koke okusemandlenethu ukukhuthalela ukufunda nokuzindla  ngeliZwi lakhe, ukuba mafulufulu senza ngokuvumelana neenhloso zakhe nokutjhumayela ngomBuswakhe ebantwini. (Mat. 24:14; Rom. 12:1, 2) Ithando lamambala ngoJehova ngilo elizositjhideza khulu kuye. (Jak. 4:8) Singazibala bekuyokutjhinga ilanga izinto ezisenza sithande uZimu. Kodwana akhesithi fahlafahla ngezimbalwa zazo.

9. Yini ekwenza uthande uJehova, uMbumbi noMondli wethu?

⁹ UJehova Mbumbi noMondli wethu. UPowula wabuye wathi: “Ngaye siyaphila, siyakhambakhamba begodu sikhona.” (IzE. 17:28) Qala bona uJehova usinikele ikhaya elihle kangangani eliyiphasi! (Rhu. 115:16) Ngapha usinikela okuya ngethunjini kunye nezinye izinto ezisiphilisako. Ngikho uPowula atjela umphakathi weListra ukuthi, uZimu ophilako “khenge aliselele bona kungabi nobufakazi ngezinto ezihle azenzako: Waninisela izulu elivela ezulwini wanipha nesikhathi esinomnotho somnyaka nenala yokudla bewazalisa iinhliziyo zenu ngokwenama.” (IzE. 14:15-17) La-ke ngiwo amabanga asenza simthande uMbumbi wethu omKhulu noMondli wethu.—UmTj. 12:1.

10. Kufuze siyiqale njani ipengu eze noZimu yokusisindisa esonweni nekufeni?

¹⁰ UZimu uze nepengu yokusisindisa esonweni nekufeni esakuphiwa ngu-Adamu. (Rom. 5:12) Kuliqiniso ukuthi “uZimu ubonise ithando lakhe kithi ngendlela yokobana sithe sisesezizoni, uKrestu wasifela.” (Rom. 5:8) Simthanda khulu uJehova ngombana uyazilibalela izono zethu nange siphenduka kwamambala, sikholelwe emhlatjelweni kaJesu wesihlengo.—Jwa. 3:16.

11, 12. Khuyini uJehova asithembise khona?

¹¹ UJehova ‘usizalisa ngethabo kanye nokuthula.’ (Rom. 15:13) Lokho uZimu asithembise khona kusenza sikghodlhelelele iinlingo. Abakhethelwe ukubusa ezulwini batjelwe bona kufuze ‘bathembeke bekube sekufeni, bazakuphiwa isihlohlo sokuphila.’ (IsAm. 2:10) Boke abathembekileko abalindele ukuphila isiphelani ephasini bazokuthaba khulu nebafumana iimbusiso ePharadesi lephasi loke. (Luk. 23:43) Sizizwa njani-ke ngeenthembiswezi? Awehli na amaphaphu, sizole, namkha sithabe kwekonyana besimthande ngehliziyo yoke uMuphi ‘weemphiwo ezipheleleko zivela phezulu.’—Jak. 1:17.

¹² UZimu usenze sathaba sabhembesa ngokusithembisa ivuko. (IzE. 24:15) Ayikho into esizwisa ubuhlungu njengokuhlongakalelwa mumuntu esimthandako, kodwana ngebanga lokuthi silinde ivuko ‘asilili njengombana kwenza abanganathemba.’ (1 Thes. 4:13) Ngendlela uJehova asithanda ngayo, uyakululukela ukuvusa abafileko, njengoJobho olungileko. (Job. 14:15) Cabanga bona kuzabe kumnandi kangangani ukwamukela iinhlobo nabangani abavusiweko ephasinapha. Koke lokhu kwenza ithando lethu ngoBabethu livuthe amalangabi, njengombana asithembise ivuko elikarisakweli.

13. Ngibuphi ubufakazi obutjengisa bona uZimu uyasikhathalela?

¹³ UJehova usikhathalela kwamambala. (Funda iRhubo 34:6, 18, 19; 1 Pitrosi 5:6, 7.) Njengombana sazi kuhle bona uZimu uhlala akulungele ukusiza woke umuntu othembekileko kuye, nathi sizizwa silondekile ‘njengomhlambi wedlelo lakhe.’ (Rhu. 79:13) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ithando lethu ngoZimu lizokubonakala kilokho esikwenzela umBuso kaMesiya. Ngemva kokuthi iKosi ekhethiweko uJesu Krestu irhirize iphasi elizele inturhu, ukugandelela, nokukhohlakala, abantu abalalelako bazokubusiswa ngokuthula nomnotho wesiphelani. (Rhu. 72:7, 12-14, 16) Awuvumi na bona koke uZimu asithembise kona kusenza simthande ngeenhliziyo, ngomphefumulo, ngamandla nangengqondwethu yoke?—Luk. 10:27.

14. Ngiliphi ilungelo lasimahla uZimu asinikele lona?

¹⁴ UJehova usinikele ilungelo lasimahla  lokuba boFakazi bakhe. (Isa. 43:10-12) Simthanda khulu uZimu ngokusinikela ilungelo lokusekela ubukhosi bakhe nokukhuluma ngalokho esikulindeleko nabantu ephasini elihlangahlangenekweli. Ngaphezu kwalokho, singakhuluma ngendlela ekholisako ngombana iindaba ezimnandi esizitjhumayelakwezi zisekelwe eliZwini lakaZimu weqiniso ongawaleyi amala. (Funda uJotjhuwa 21:45; 23:14.) Siyavuma bona nasingazibala iimbusiso ezisenza sithande uJehova ilanga lingaphuma beliyokutjhinga. Kodwana thina-ke singakutjengisa njani ukuthi siyamthanda?

15. Ukufunda, ukuzindla nokusebenzisa okuseliZwini lakaZimu kusisiza njani?

¹⁵ Kukhuthalele ukufunda, ukuzindla nokusebenzisa lokho okuseliZwini lakaZimu. Nasenza njalo vane sitjengisa bona simthanda kwamambala uZimu begodu sifuna iliZwi lakhe ‘libe sibani eenyaweni zethu.’ (Rhu. 119:105) Nengabe sigandelelekile, singatjhiriywa mamezwi anjengala: “Iye Zimu, ihliziyo ephukileko nedabukileko angekhe wayiqalela phasi.” “Ukuthembeka kwakho, Somnini kwangisekela. Lokha imikhumbulwami nayihlubayezeka khulu induduzwakho ivuselela umphefumulwami.” (Rhu. 51:19, [51:17, NW]; 94:18, 19) UJehova uyabazwela abantu abatlhorisekileko, noJesu naye unjalo. (Isa. 49:13; Mat. 15:32) Yeke, ukufunda iBhayibheli kusenza sibone indlela uJehova asithanda ngayo, bese lokho kubhebhedlhise lethu ithando ngaye.

16. Ukuthandaza qobe kulikhulisa njani ithando lethu ngoZimu?

¹⁶ Thandaza kuZimu ngasosoke isikhathi. Soke isikhathi nesithandazako sitjhidelana khulu noZimu ngombana ‘uyayizwa imithandazo.’ (Rhu. 65:3, [65:2, NW]) Nesilifumana kuhle iphuzu lokuthi uZimu uyayizwa imithandazwethu, ithando lethu ngaye lizokuvutha njengomlilo wamalahle. Ngokwesibonelo, kungenzeka sikulemukile emaphilwenethu ukuthi uZimu akasiliseleli, avumele bona silingwe ngokungaphezu kwamandlethu. (1 Kor. 10:13) Nesiphosela yoke imirarwethu kuJehova ngomthandazo osuka ehliziyweni, singafumana ‘ukuthula kwakaZimu’ esingakhenge sibe nakho. (Flp. 4:6, 7) Kwesinye isikhathi sithandazela ngehliziyweni—njengoNerhemiya—ngokukhamba  kwesikhathi uphendulwe umthandazo loyo. (Nerh. 2:1-6) Njengombana ‘siphikelela’ emthandazweni nje begodu silemuka nokuthi uJehova uyayiphendula imithandazwethu, kuba nethando elikhulu ngaye eenhliziyweni zethu, simthembe ngokuzeleko. Lokho kuyasihlomisa, kusenze sikghone ukulibamba litjhisa.—Rom. 12:12.

17. Nengabe simthanda kwamambala uZimu, sizoyiqala njani imihlanganwethu yobuKrestu?

¹⁷ Akube lisiko lakho ukuya qobe esifundweni, emihlanganweni emincani nemikhulu. (Heb. 10:24, 25) Bekulisiko lama-Israyeli ukuhlangana ndawonye ukuzokulalela nebafundiswa nguJehova khona bazakuragela phambili nokumlotjha bebaphethe imithethwakhe. (Dut. 31:12) Angekhe kwaba mthwalo ongangelitje nangabe simthanda kwamambala uZimu. (Funda 1 Jwanisi 5:3.) Yeke, singathomi sivumele nanyana yini isitshwilise emihlanganweni le, silahlekelwe lithando esinalo ngoZimu.—IsAm. 2:4.

18. Nengabe simthanda kwamambala uZimu ngimuphi umsebenzi okufuze siwenze?

¹⁸ Kukhuthalele ukutjela abanye “iqiniso levangeli.” (Gal. 2:5) Ithando lethu ngoZimu lisibasela bona sikhulume ngomBuso kaMesiya, iNdodanakhe ethandekako ‘ephuma ngebanga leqiniso’ iyokulwa ipi ye-Arimagedoni. (Rhu. 45:4; IsAm. 16:14, 16) Awazi bona kuthabisa kangangani ukufaka isandla emsebenzini wokwenza abafundi ngokubasiza ekufundeni ngoZimu nangeenthembiso zakhe zephasi elitjha!—Mat. 28:19, 20.

19. Kubayini kufuze simthokoze uJehova ngokuphathisa abelusi bakhe umhlambakhe?

¹⁹ Thokoza ngabelusi uZimu abaphathise umhlambakhe. (IzE. 20:28) Abadala abamaKrestu babekwe nguJehova, begodu basifunela okuhle kwaphela. Banjengobuphephelo “emmoyeni nesiviko esiwuruwurwini; iye, njengomlambo endaweni eyomileko nomthunzi wedwala elikhulu enarheni edambileko.” (Isa. 32:1, 2) Sizizwa siphephe khulu navane kuthi kunesiwuruwuru, thina sifumane ubusithelo! Nelitjhisa likhipha unomdakana ngemgodini, thina sithatjiswa mthunzi wedwala. Zoke iintwezi zimifanekiso esisiza sibone indlela abadala abasiphephelo nesivikelo ngayo etjhebiswaneni lethu noZimu. Nesibalalelako, sisuke sitjengisa bona sithokoza kangangani ‘ngezipho ezibabantu’ uZimu asinikele zona, sitjengise nethando esinalo ngoZimu noKrestu, iHloko yebandla.—Efe. 4:8; 5:23; Heb. 13:17.

20. Nengabe umthanda kwamambala uZimu, yini okufuze uyenze etlolwe kuJakopo 1:22-25?

²⁰ Nengabe umthanda kwamambala uJehova, uzokuba ‘ngumenzi weliZwi, ungabi ngolizwako kwaphela.’ (Funda uJakopo 1:22-25.) ‘Umenzi’ unokukholwa okuveza imisebenzi, njengokukhuthala emsebenzini wokutjhumayela nokuya emihlanganweni yobuKrestu. Ngebanga lokuthi umthanda kwamambala uZimu uzowulalela ngehliziyo yoke ‘umthetho’ kaJehova ‘opheleleko,’ wakho koke afuna ukwenze.—Rhu. 19:8-12, [19:7-11, NW].

21. Imithandazwakho esuka ehliziywenakho singayifanisa nani?

²¹ Ithando ngoJehova likwenza uthandaze kuye ngehliziywakho yoke. Nekakhuluma ngokutjhiswa kwetjhwalo namkha ipepho njengombana bekwenziwa ngokwekambiso yesivumelwano somThetho, umrhubi wathi nakavuma ingoma: “Umthandazwami awube njengetjhwalo kuwe; izandla engiziphakamisileko zibe njengomnikelo wakusihlwa.” (Rhu. 141:2; Eks. 30:7, 8) Kwanga zoke iimbawo zakho, ukuncenga kwakho, namezwakho wokudumisa nokuthokoza uZimu angaba njengetjhwalo elinuka kamnandi.—IsAm. 5:8.

22. Lithando bani esizokucoca ngalo esihlokweni esilandelako?

²² UJesu wathi sithande uZimu nabomakhelwana bethu. (Mat. 22:37-39) Njengombana sizokudemba ngendaba enjenga le, ithando lethu ngoZimu lizosisiza sithande abanye abantu nabomakhelwana bethu.