1. Yini eyenza ukuba uthando oluphakathi kukaNkulunkulu neNdodana yakhe lukhule?

UJESU KRISTU, iNdodana kaJehova, wathi: “Ngiyamthanda uBaba.” (Joh. 14:31) Wabuye wathi: “UYise uyayithanda iNdodana.” (Joh. 5:20) Akufanele kusimangaze lokho. Phela, ngaphambi kokuba eze emhlabeni, uJesu ‘wayeyisisebenzi sikaNkulunkulu esiyingcweti’ iminyaka eminingi. (IzAga 8:30) Njengoba uJehova noJesu besebenza ndawonye, iNdodana yafunda okuningi ngezimfanelo zikaYise futhi yaba nezizathu eziningi zokumthanda. Eqinisweni, ukusondelana kwabo kwenza ukuba uthando lwabo ngomunye nomunye lukhule.

2. (a) Luhilelani uthando? (b) Imiphi imibuzo esizoxoxa ngayo?

² Uthando luhilela umuzwa ojulile wokusondelana ngokomzwelo nothile. Umhubi uDavide wahlabelela: “O Jehova mandla ami, ngizokuthanda.” (IHu. 18:1) Yile ndlela okufanele sizizwe ngayo ngoNkulunkulu, ngoba uyasithanda. Uma simlalela, uJehova uyosibonisa uthando lwakhe. (Funda uDuteronomi 7:12, 13.) Kodwa njengoba singenakumbona uNkulunkulu, ingabe singakwazi yini ukumthanda ngempela? Kusho ukuthini ukuthanda uJehova? Kungani kufanele simthande? Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyamthanda?

3, 4. Kungani sikwazi ukuthanda uJehova?

³ “UNkulunkulu unguMoya”; yingakho singenakumbona. (Joh. 4:24) Noma kunjalo, singakwazi ukumthanda uJehova, futhi imiBhalo isiyala ukuba silubonise lolo thando. Ngokwesibonelo, uMose watshela ama-Israyeli: “Kumelwe uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho nangawo onke amandla akho.”—Dut. 6:5.

⁴ Kungani singaba nothando olujulile ngoNkulunkulu? Kungenxa yokuthi wasidala sinesidingo esingokomoya futhi wasinika ikhono lokubonisa uthando. Uma isidingo sethu esingokomoya saneliswa ngendlela efanele, uthando lwethu ngoJehova luyakhula futhi siba nesisekelo esihle sokujabula. UJesu wathi: “Bayajabula abaqaphela isidingo sabo esingokomoya, ngoba umbuso wamazulu ungowabo.” (Math. 5:3) Mayelana nalokho abanye abakubiza ngokuthi isifiso esingaphakathi kubantu sokukhulekela, nakhu okuye kwashiwo: “Ukubona abantu emhlabeni wonke befuna futhi bekholelwa kumuntu othile omkhulu kunabo bonke kufanele kusenze sithuthumele, sibambe ongezansi futhi sibe nokwesaba.”—Man Does Not Stand Alone, ka-A. C. Morrison.

5. Sazi kanjani ukuthi akulona ize ukufuna uNkulunkulu?

⁵ Ingabe kuyize ukufuna uNkulunkulu? Cha, ngoba ufuna simthole. Umphostoli uPawulu wakwenza kwacaca lokhu lapho efakaza eqenjini elalibuthene e-Areyophagu. Lokho kwenzeka budebuduze neParthenon—ithempeli elinikezelwe ku-Athena, unkulunkulukazi wase-Athene lasendulo. Ake uzibone ulapho njengoba uPawulu ekhuluma ‘ngoNkulunkulu owenza umhlaba nakho konke okukuwo’ futhi echaza ukuthi “akahlali emathempelini enziwe ngezandla.” Lo mphostoli wanezela nokuthi uNkulunkulu “ngomuntu oyedwa wenza zonke izizwe zabantu, ukuba zihlale kubo bonke ubuso bomhlaba, wanquma izikhathi ezimisiwe nemikhawulo emisiwe yokuhlala kwabantu, ukuba zifune uNkulunkulu, uma zingamphumputha zimthole ngempela, nakuba, eqinisweni, engekude kulowo nalowo kithi.” (IzE. 17:24-27) Abantu bangamthola ngempela uNkulunkulu. OFakazi BakaJehova abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-7 nesigamu ‘ngempela bamtholile’—futhi bamthanda ngempela.

6. Imuphi umyalo uJesu athi ‘mkhulu kunayo yonke futhi ungowokuqala’?

⁶ Uthando lwethu ngoJehova kufanele lusuke enhliziyweni. UJesu wakwenza kwacaca lokho lapho umFarisi othile embuza: “Mfundisi, yimuphi umyalo omkhulu kunayo yonke eMthethweni?” UJesu waphendula: “ ‘Kumelwe uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho nangayo yonke ingqondo yakho.’ Lona ngumyalo omkhulu kunayo yonke futhi ungowokuqala.”—Math. 22:34-38.

7. Kusho ukuthini ukuthanda uNkulunkulu (a) “ngayo yonke inhliziyo” yethu? (b) “ngawo wonke umphefumulo” wethu? (c) “ngayo yonke ingqondo” yethu?

⁷ Wayesho ukuthini uJesu lapho ethi kumelwe sithande uNkulunkulu “ngayo yonke inhliziyo” yethu? Wayesho ukuthi kufanele sithande uJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yethu engokomfanekiso, ethinta imizwa, imizwelo nezifiso zethu. Kumelwe simthande “nangawo wonke umphefumulo” wethu, noma ukuphila kwethu konke. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kumelwe sithande uNkulunkulu “ngayo yonke ingqondo” yethu, noma ngawo wonke amandla ethu okucabanga. Eqinisweni, kufanele sithande uJehova ngokugcwele, singagodli lutho.

8. Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu ngokugcwele kuyosishukumisela ukuba senzeni?

⁸ Uma sithanda uNkulunkulu ngayo yonke inhliziyo, umphefumulo nengqondo yethu, siyoba abafundi abakhuthele beZwi lakhe, siyokwenza intando yakhe ngenhliziyo yethu yonke futhi siyomemezela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso ngentshiseko. (Math.  24:14; Roma 12:1, 2) Uthando lweqiniso ngoJehova luyosisondeza kuye ngokwengeziwe. (Jak. 4:8) Iqiniso liwukuthi asinakuzibala zonke izizathu zokuthi kungani kufanele simthande uNkulunkulu. Noma kunjalo, ake sixoxe ngezimbalwa.

9. Kungani umthanda uJehova njengoMdali noMondli wethu?

⁹ UJehova unguMdali noMondli wethu. UPawulu wathi: “Ngaye siyaphila siyanyakaza futhi sikhona.” (IzE. 17:28) UJehova uye wasinika umhlaba njengekhaya lethu elihle kakhulu. (IHu. 115:16) Ubuye asinike nokudla nezinye izinto esizidingayo ukuze sisekele ukuphila kwethu. Yingakho uPawulu atshela izakhamuzi zaseListra ezazikhonza izithombe ukuthi “uNkulunkulu ophilayo . . . [akazishiyanga] engenabufakazi ngoba wenza okuhle, eninika izimvula ezivela ezulwini nezinkathi ezinezithelo, egcwalisa izinhliziyo zenu ngokudla nangokwenama okukhulu.” (IzE. 14:15-17) Akusona yini lesi isizathu esenza ukuba sithande uMdali wethu Omkhulu noMondli onothando?—UmSh. 12:1.

10. Kufanele sisabele kanjani elungiselelweni likaNkulunkulu lokususa isono nokufa?

¹⁰ UNkulunkulu uye wenza ilungiselelo lokususa isono nokufa esakuzuza njengefa ku-Adamu. (Roma 5:12) Ngempela, “uNkulunkulu utusa uthando lwakhe siqu kithi ngoba, ngesikhathi siseyizoni, uKristu wasifela.” (Roma 5:8) Ngokuqinisekile, izinhliziyo zethu ziphuphuma uthando ngoJehova ngokusenzela ilungiselelo lokuba sithole intethelelo ezonweni zethu uma siphenduka futhi sibonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni wesihlengo kaJesu.—Joh. 3:16.

11, 12. UJehova usinike ithemba ngaziphi izindlela?

¹¹ UJehova usinika ‘ithemba elisigcwalisa ngenjabulo nangokuthula.’ (Roma 15:13) Ithemba esilinikwe uNkulunkulu lenza sikwazi ukukhuthazela lapho ukholo lwethu luvivinywa. Abagcotshiweyo abazibonakalisa ‘bethembekile kuze kube ngisho nasekufeni bayonikwa umqhele wokuphila kwasezulwini.’ (IsAm. 2:10) Abagcini bobuqotho abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni bayojabulela izibusiso zaphakade ePharadesi elithenjisiwe elizoba semhlabeni wonke. (Luka 23:43) Sizizwa kanjani ngalezi zibusiso? Asigcwali yini injabulo, ukuthula nothando ngoMuphi wazo “zonke izipho ezinhle nazo zonke izipho eziphelele”?—Jak. 1:17.

¹² UNkulunkulu usinike ithemba elithinta inhliziyo lovuko. (IzE. 24:15) Yiqiniso, siyadabuka lapho kushona umuntu esimthandayo, kodwa ngenxa yethemba lovuko, ‘asidabuki njengoba nje kwenza bonke abanye abangenalo ithemba.’ (1 Thes. 4:13) Ngenxa yothando, uJehova uNkulunkulu uyakulangazelela ukuvusa abafileyo, ikakhulukazi abathembekileyo, njengoJobe oqotho. (Jobe 14:15) Cabanga nje ngenjabulo eyoba khona lapho kwemukelwa abavusiwe emhlabeni. Izinhliziyo zethu azive zichichima uthando ngoBaba wethu osezulwini, osinike leli themba eliyingqayizivele lovuko.

13. Ibuphi ubufakazi obukhona bokuthi uNkulunkulu uyasikhathalela ngempela?

¹³ UJehova usikhathalela ngempela. (Funda iHubo 34:6, 18, 19; 1 Petru 5:6, 7.) Ngenxa yokuthi siyazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu wethu onothando uhlale ekulungele ukusiza labo abathembekile kuye, sizizwa silondekile njengengxenye ‘yomhlambi wedlelo lakhe.’ (IHu. 79:13) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uthando lukaNkulunkulu ngathi luyobonakala kulokho ayosenzela khona ngoMbuso KaMesiya. Ngemva kokuba iNkosi ayikhethile, uJesu Kristu, iqedé ubudlova, ukucindezelwa nobubi lapha emhlabeni, isintu esilalelayo siyobusiswa ngokuthula okuhlala njalo nokuchuma. (IHu. 72:7, 12-14, 16) Awuvumi yini ukuthi ithemba elinjalo lisinikeza izizathu zokuthanda uNkulunkulu wethu okhathalelayo ngayo yonke inhliziyo yethu, umphefumulo, amandla nengqondo yethu?—Luka 10:27.

14. Iliphi ilungelo elingenakuqhathaniswa uNkulunkulu asibonise umusa ngokusinika lona?

¹⁴ UJehova usibonise umusa ngokusinika ilungelo elingenakuqhathaniswa lokumkhonza njengoFakazi bakhe. (Isaya 43:10-12) Siyamthanda uNkulunkulu ngokusinika leli  thuba lokusekela ubukhosi bakhe futhi silethele abantu ithemba langempela kuleli zwe eligcwele izinkathazo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izindaba ezinhle esizimemezelayo zisekelwe eZwini likaNkulunkulu weqiniso, okungenzeki nakanye ukuba izithembiso zakhe ezinikeza ithemba zingaphumeleli. Ngenxa yalokho sikhuluma ngazo ngokholo nangokuqiniseka. (Funda uJoshuwa 21:45; 23:14.) Singazibala kushone ilanga izibusiso nezizathu zokuthanda uJehova. Kodwa singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyamthanda?

15. Ukutadisha nokusebenzisa iZwi likaNkulunkulu kungasisiza kanjani?

¹⁵ Tadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu ngenkuthalo futhi ukusebenzise elikushoyo. Ukwenza kanjalo kubonisa ukuthi siyamthanda uJehova futhi sifuna ngempela ukuba izwi lakhe libe ‘ukukhanya endleleni yethu.’ (IHu. 119:105) Uma sicindezelekile, singathola induduzo emazwini othando aqinisekisayo anjengalawa: “O Nkulunkulu, inhliziyo ephukile nechobozekile ngeke uyidelele.” “Jehova, umusa wakho wothando wawulokhu ungisekela. Lapho imicabango yami engincisha ukuthula iba miningi ngaphakathi kimi, induduzo yakho yaqala ukuwotawota umphefumulo wami.” (IHu. 51:17; 94:18, 19) UJehova ubonisa isihe kulabo abahluphekayo, noJesu uyabahawukela abantu. (Isaya 49:13; Math. 15:32) Isifundo seBhayibheli singasenza sikubone ngokucacile ukusikhathalela kukaJehova ngothando kangangokuthi nathi sithambekele ekumthandeni ngokujulile.

16. Ukuthandaza njalo kungalwenza kanjani uthando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu lukhule?

¹⁶ Thandaza njalo kuNkulunkulu. Imithandazo yethu isisondeza kakhulu ‘kuMuzwi womthandazo.’ (IHu. 65:2) Lapho sibona ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyayiphendula imithandazo yethu, uthando lwethu ngaye luyajula. Ngokwesibonelo, mhlawumbe siye sabona ukuthi akavumi ukuba silingwe ngezinto ezingaphezu kwamandla ethu. (1 Kor. 10:13) Uma sikhathazekile bese sinxusa uJehova ngobuqotho, angase asinike ‘ukuthula kwakhe’ okungenakuqhathaniswa. (Fil. 4:6, 7) Ngezinye izikhathi, singase sithandaze buthule—njengoNehemiya—bese sibona ukuthi umthandazo wethu uyaphendulwa. (Neh. 2:1-6) Njengoba ‘siphikelela emthandazweni’ futhi sibona ukuthi uJehova uyaziphendula izicelo zethu, uthando lwethu ngaye luyakhula, kanjalo  nokumethemba kwethu ukuthi uyosisiza nalapho sibhekana nezinye izinto eziyovivinya ukholo lwethu.—Roma 12:12.

17. Uma simthanda uNkulunkulu, siyokubheka kanjani ukuba khona emihlanganweni?

¹⁷ Kwenze umkhuba ukuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu yebandla, yesifunda neyesigodi. (Heb. 10:24, 25) Ama-Israyeli ayebuthana afunde ngoJehova ukuze amesabe futhi agcine uMthetho wakhe. (Dut. 31:12) Uma simthanda uNkulunkulu akubi umthwalo ukwenza ngokuvumelana nentando yakhe. (Funda eyoku-1 Johane 5:3.) Ngakho-ke, masingalokothi sivumele noma yini ukuba isenze sikuthathe kalula ukuba khona emihlanganweni. Ngokuqinisekile asifuni lutho oluyosenza silahlekelwe uthando esasinalo ekuqaleni ngoJehova.—IsAm. 2:4.

18. Uthando ngoNkulunkulu lusishukumisela ukuba senzeni ngokuqondene nezindaba ezinhle?

¹⁸ Hlanganyela ngentshiseko ‘iqiniso lezindaba ezinhle’ nabanye. (Gal. 2:5) Uthando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu lusishukumisela ukuba sikhulume ngoMbuso weNdodana yakhe ethandekayo enguMesiya, eyolwela ‘iqiniso’ e-Armagedoni. (IHu. 45:4; IsAm. 16:14, 16) Yeka injabulo okuyiyo ukuba nengxenye ekwenzeni abafundi ngokusiza abantu bafunde ngothando lukaNkulunkulu nangezwe elisha asithembisa lona!—Math. 28:19, 20.

19. Kungani kufanele silazise ilungiselelo likaJehova lokwalusa umhlambi wakhe?

¹⁹ Bonisa ukwazisa ngelungiselelo likaNkulunkulu lokwalusa umhlambi wakhe. (IzE. 20:28) Abadala abangamaKristu bayilungiselelo elivela kuJehova, ohlale esifunela okuhle kodwa. Abadala “[banjengendawo] yokucashela umoya nendawo yokucashela isiphepho esinemvula, njengemifudlana yamanzi ezweni elingenamanzi, njengomthunzi wedwala elikhulu ezweni eligwadulekile.” (Isaya 32:1, 2) Yeka ukuthi siyazisa kanjani indawo yokukhosela uma kunomoya onamandla noma kunemvula ebandayo! Lapho sishiswa ilanga elihangulayo, siyawazisa umthunzi esiwunikezwa idwala. Lezi zifenqo zisisiza sibone ukuthi abadala basinikeza usizo olungokomoya nokuqabuleka esikudingayo. Ngokulalela labo abaholayo phakathi kwethu, sibonisa ukuthi sizazisa kangakanani lezi “zipho ezingabantu” futhi sinikeza ubufakazi bothando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu nangoKristu, iNhloko yebandla.—Efe. 4:8; 5:23; Heb. 13:17.

20. Uma umthanda uNkulunkulu, uyosabela kanjani eselulekweni esikuJakobe 1:22-25?

²⁰ Uma umthanda uJehova, uyoba ‘umenzi wezwi, hhayi olizwayo kuphela.’ (Funda uJakobe 1:22-25.) “Umenzi” unokholo oluthela imisebenzi enjengokushumayela ngentshiseko nokuhlanganyela emihlanganweni yobuKristu. Ngenxa yokuthi umthanda ngempela uNkulunkulu, uyolalela ‘umthetho wakhe ophelele,’ ohlanganisa konke akulindele kuwe.—IHu. 19:7-11.

21. Imithandazo yethu esuka enhliziyweni ingase ifaniswe nani?

²¹ Uthando ngoJehova uNkulunkulu luyokwenza ukuba uthandaze njalo ngokusuka enhliziyweni. Cishe, ebhekisela ekushisweni kwempepho okwakwenziwa nsuku zonke ngaphansi kwesivumelwano soMthetho, umhubi uDavide wahlabelela: “Kwangathi umthandazo wami ungalungiswa njengempepho phambi kwakho [Jehova], ukuphakama kwezintende zezandla zami kube njengomnikelo wokusanhlamvu wakusihlwa.” (IHu. 141:2; Eks. 30:7, 8) Kwangathi izicelo zakho zokuthobeka, ukunxusa kwakho okuqotho namazwi akho asuka enhliziyweni okudumisa nokubonga uNkulunkulu kungaba njengephunga elimnandi lempepho emelela imithandazo eyamukelekayo.—IsAm. 5:8.

22. Hlobo luni lothando esizoxoxa ngalo ngokulandelayo?

²² UJesu wathi kumelwe sithande uNkulunkulu futhi sithande nomakhelwane wethu. (Math. 22:37-39) Njengoba sizobona engxoxweni elandelayo ephathelene nale mfanelo, uthando lwethu ngoJehova nezimiso zakhe luyosisiza ukuba sisebenzelane kangcono nabanye abantu futhi sibonise uthando ngomakhelwane wethu.