1-3. Kungani omunye udade engathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova uyakwazi esikuswelayo?

ULANA kasoze afa akukhohlwa okwenzakala lapho eseGermany ngo-2012. Ukholwa ukuthi ngalelolanga imithandazo yakhe emibili yaphendulwa. Okwakuqala wakhuleka esesitimeleni esiya lapho okugadelwa khona izindizamtshina. Wacela ukuthi uJehova enze ukuthi athole ithuba lokutshumayela. Wathi efika wakhuleka okwesibili ngenxa yokuthi watshelwa ukuthi indizamtshina ayezahamba ngayo yayisizasuka ngelanga elilandelayo. Lapho ethandaza watshela uJehova ukuthi wayesesele lokuyimadlana okungatsho lutho njalo wayengelandawo yokulala.

² Wathi eqeda nje ukukhuleka okwesibili wezwa omunye umuntu esithi, “Yebo Lana, kanti wenzani lapha?” Kwakungelinye ijaha ayefunde lalo esikolo. Ujaha lo wayelonina logogo wakhe ababezomgadisa indizamtshina eyayisiya eSouth Africa. Unina wejaha leli wathi esizwa ukuthi indizamtshina eyayizogadwa nguLana yayingasahambi mhlalokho wahle wamnxusa ukuthi ahambe laye endlini yakhe. Bamphatha kuhle uLana njalo babelokhu bembuza ngalokho akukholwayo kanye lomsebenzi ayewenza owokuba senkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo.

 ³ Ngelanga elilandelayo ekuseni bathi beqeda ukudla, uLana waphinda waphendula eminye imibuzo yeBhayibhili ababembuza yona njalo wasesiba leqiniso lokuthi uyathola izindlela zokubathinta ukuze ahlele ukuthi omunye umuntu azoqhubeka ephendula imibuzo yabo. ULana waba lohambo oluhle esebuyela ngakibo njalo uyaqhubeka ngenkonzo yakhe yokuba liphayona lesikhathi sonke. Yikho-ke uyakholwa ukuthi “yena owuzwayo umthandazo” nguye owayebangele ukuthi izinto zihambe ngendlela ezahamba ngayo.—Hubo. 65:2.

4. Yiziphi izicelo esizaxoxa ngazo?

⁴ Nxa sesiphakathi kohlupho ebesingalulindelanga, kungaba lula ukuthi sithandaze sicela usizo njalo uJehova uyathokoza nxa esizwa abantu bakhe abaqotho becela ukuthi abancedise. (Hubo. 34:15; Zaga. 15:8) Kodwa nxa singacabangisisa ngomthandazo weNkosi sizabona ukuthi kulokunye okuqakatheke kakhulu esingabe sikuthatha lula. Ngokwesibonelo, ake sixoxe ngezicelo zokucina ezintathu ezisemthandazweni lo eziphathelane lokukhonza kwethu. Sizaxoxa langokuthi kukhona yini okunye esingakwenza ukuze izenzo zethu zihambelane lesicelo sesine esiphathelane lokudla kwethu kwensuku zonke.—Bala uMathewu 6:11-13.

5, 6. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi sithandaze sicela ukudla kwethu kwensuku zonke lanxa kungelalutho esiluswelayo?

⁵ Nanzelela ukuthi esicelweni lesi kuthiwa ukudla “kwethu” hatshi ukudla “kwami.” UVictor ongumbonisi wesiqinti e-Africa uthi: “Ngijayele ukuthandaza kuJehova ngenhliziyo yonke ngimbonga ngokuthi mina lomkami asikhathazeki ngokuthi sizakudlani kusasa futhi asikhathazeki ngokuthi ngubani ozabhadala irenti. Abafowethu abalomusa bayasipha esikuswelayo nsuku zonke. Kodwa ngiyabathandazela abasincedisayo ukuthi benelise ukulwisana lezinhlupho zemali abahlangana lazo.”

⁶ Nxa kuyikuthi thina kasikusweli ukudla, kungaba kuhle ukuthi sicabange ngabafowethu abakuswelayo kumbe abayabe behlelwe ngumonakalo. Kodwa akumelanga sithi singathandaza sigoqe izandla. Ngokwesibonelo singabelana labo lokho esilakho. Kanti njalo singahlala sinikela ngemali ukuze umsebenzi womhlaba wonke uhambe kuhle futhi sisazi ukuthi iminikelo enjalo isetshenziswa kuhle.—1 Joh. 3:17.

7. UJesu wasebenzisa wuphi umzekeliso ukuze asitshengise ukuthi akumelanga ‘sizihluphe ngelakusasa’?

⁷ Kumele ukuthi uJesu wayesitsho izinto zokuziphilisa lapho esithi sithandazele ukudla kwethu kwensuku zonke. Waqhubekela phambili wachaza indlela uNkulunkulu agqokisa ngayo utshani beganga, wasesithi: “Pho lina kazukuligqokisa ngcono yini, hawu lina bokukholwa okuncinyane? Ngakho lingazihluphi lisithi,. . . ‘Sizavunulani na?’ ” Waphetha ngokuphinda isixwayiso lesi esiqakathekileyo wathi: “Ngakho lingazihluphi ngelakusasa.” (Mat. 6:30-34) Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi akumelanga sithande imali, kodwa kumele sisuthiseke ngezinto zokuziphilisa zansuku zonke. Izinto lezi zigoqela indawo yokuhlala, umsebenzi wokuthi sondle izimuli zethu kanye lokwenza izinqumo ezinhle nxa sesihlaselwe ngumkhuhlane. Lanxa kunjalo, akumelanga sithandazele izinto lezi kuphela ngoba kukhona okunye okuphathelane lokukhonza kwethu okuqakatheke kakhulu ukwedlula izinto zokuziphilisa.

8. Isicelo sikaJesu sokudla kwethu kwensuku zonke sisikhumbuzani? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁸ Isicelo sikaJesu sokudla kwethu kwensuku zonke sisikhumbuza ukuthi siyazidinga izinto eziqinisa ubuhlobo bethu loJehova. Wathi: “Umuntu kaphili ngesinkwa kuphela, kodwa ngelizwi lonke eliphuma emlonyeni kaNkulunkulu.” (Mat. 4:4) Ngakho-ke kumele singayekeli ukuthandazela ukuthi uJehova aqhubeke esinika ukudla kwethu okufika ngesikhathi, okutsho ulwazi ngoNkulunkulu.

9. Kungani kuthiwa izono zethu ‘yimilandu’?

⁹ Kungani uJesu wasebenzisa ibala elithi “imilandu” kodwa waphinda wasebenzisa elithi “izono”? (Mat. 6:12; Luk. 11:4) Eminyakeni engu-60 eyadlulayo enye INqabayokulinda yakubeka kwacaca yathi: ‘Nxa sisona, sisephula umthetho kaNkulunkulu siyabe sesilomlandu kuye. UNkulunkulu angenza ukuthi sibhadale izono zethu ngempilo yethu. Angenza lokuthi singabi lobuhlobo obuhle laye, singabi lokuthula laye ngitsho lakancane. Silomlandu wokutshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda njalo lokhu sikutshengisa ngokumlalela. Nxa singawona siyabe sesehlulekile ukubhadala umlandu wothando kuye ngenxa yokuthi ukwenza isono kutshengisa ukuthi kasimthandi uNkulunkulu.’—1 Joh. 5:3.

10. Kuyini okungenza uJehova asithethelele izono zethu, njalo kumele sizizwe njani ngakho?

¹⁰ Sidinga ukuthethelelwa nsuku zonke. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi umhlatshelo kaJesu wenhlawulo yiwo kuphela ongenza ukuthi uNkulunkulu athethelele izono zethu. Lanxa inhlawulo yabhadalwa eminyakeni ephosa ibe ngu-2 000 eyadlulayo, kumele siyiqakathekise kakhulu kube angani yisipho esisiphiwe lamuhla. “Ihlawulo lempilo liyadula” okokuthi akulamuntu olesono ongenelisa ukulibhadala. (Bala iHubo 49:7-9; 1 UPhetro 1:18, 19.) Yikho-ke akumelanga siyekele ukumbonga uJehova ngenxa yokuthi wasipha isipho esiqakatheke kakhulu. Kanti njalo amazwi athi “izono zethu” hatshi ukuthi “izono zami,” asikhumbuza ukuthi zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu azingeke zithole ukuphila kungelanhlawulo. Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi uJehova kafuni ukuthi sizicabange thina sodwa, sikhohlwe ukuthi abanye labo bayakufuna ukuba lobuhlobo obuhle laye, ngitsho lalabo abangabe besonele. Izikhathi ezinengi lokho abayabe besiphambanisele khona kuyabe kukuncane futhi kusinika ithuba lokutshengisa ukuthi siyabathanda abafowethu labodadewethu kanye lokuthi sizimisele ukubathethelela njengoba uNkulunkulu laye esithethelela ngesihawu.—Kol. 3:13.

11. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi sihlale sithethelela abanye?

¹¹ Kodwa okudanisayo yikuthi thina abantu abazalwa belesono siyabambela abanye izikhwili kwezinye izikhathi. (Levi. 19:18) Nxa singahamba sesitshela abanye ngesikuphambaniselweyo labo bangangenela endabeni besekudala ukungazwanani ebandleni. Singavumela ukuthi kuhlale kunjalo, siyabe sesitshengisa ukuthi asiyiqakathekisi inhlawulo kanye lesihawu  sikaNkulunkulu. Kanti njalo nxa singabathetheleli abanye, uBaba wethu uyabe ezayekela ukusithethelela izono zethu ngomhlatshelo weNdodana yakhe. (Mat. 18:35) UJesu wakugcizelela lokhu esanda kutsho umthandazo oyisibonelo. (Bala uMathewu 6:14, 15.) Okunye esingakwenza ukuze uNkulunkulu asithethelele yikuxwaya ukuba lomkhuba wokwenza izono ezinkulu. Isifiso sethu sokuthi sixwaye isono sisifikisa kwesinye futhi isicelo.—1 Joh. 3:4, 6.

12, 13. (a) Kwenzakalani uJesu esanda kubhaphathizwa? (b) Kungani kungamelanga sisole abanye nxa sesiwele ekulingweni? (c) UJesu wavezani ngokuhlala ethembekile kwaze kwaba sekufeni?

¹² Ukucabanga ngalokho okwenzakala kuJesu esanda kubhaphathizwa kungasinceda ukuthi sizwisise ukuthi kungani kumele sicele sithi: “Ungasikhokheleli ekulingweni.” UJesu waholwa ngumoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu umusa enkangala ukuze “alingwe nguSathane.” (Luk. 4:1, 2; Mat. 6:13) Kumele kusimangalise yini lokhu? Akungeke kusimangalise nxa sisizwisisa isizatho esikhulu esabangela ukuthi uNkulunkulu athume iNdodana yakhe emhlabeni. Wayefuna ukuthi kulungisiswe indaba eyabakhona lapho u-Adamu lo-Eva behlamukela uNkulunkulu. Kwakudingakala isikhathi ukuze imibuzo eyabakhona iphendulwe. Ngokwesibonelo, kwakulokunye yini okwakungaqondanga mayelana lendlela uNkulunkulu ayedale ngayo abantu? Kwakungenzakala yini ukuthi umuntu opheleleyo ahlale eqotho kuNkulunkulu lanxa kwakulezilingo ayeziphoselwa ‘ngoMubi’? Kanti njalo abantu babengazibusa yini njengoba uSathane wayezama ukuveza umcijo lo ngezindlela eziphansi? (Gen. 3:4, 5) Ukuphendula imibuzo le kwakuzadinga isikhathi kodwa kwakuzatshengisa izidalwa zonke ezisezulwini lezisemhlabeni ukuthi uJehova nguye obusa ngendlela engcono ukwedlula zonke.

¹³ UJehova kalingi muntu ukuthi enze okubi ngenxa yokuthi ungcwele. UDeveli nguye ‘ongumlingi.’ (Mat. 4:3) Angasiphosela izinto ezingasenza siwele ekulingweni. Kodwa kusemuntwini munye ngamunye ukuthi uzavuma kumbe uzakwala ukukhokhelelwa ekulingweni. (Bala uJakhobe 1:13-15.) Kuzo zonke izilingo uSathane ayemlinga ngazo, uJesu wasebenzisa uMbhalo oseLizwini likaNkulunkulu owawuhambelana lalokho okwakusenzakala. Siyabona-ke ukuthi uJesu wabusekela ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu. Kodwa uSathane kazange ajikele izikhali phansi. Wamelela ukuthi “kuzuzakale isikhathi esingcono.” (Luk. 4:13) USathane wayefuna ukuthi uJesu angathembeki kuNkulunkulu kodwa uJesu waqhubeka elwisana laye wamnqoba. UKhristu waveza ukuthi ubukhosi bukaJehova bulungile waphinda watshengisa lokuthi umuntu opheleleyo angahlala ethembekile lanxa esehlelwa yizilingo ezinkulu. Lanxa kunjalo, uSathane uzama ukuthiya abalandeli bakaJesu njalo lawe ukufuna ngabomvu.

14. Kuyini okumele sikwenze ukuze singaweli ekulingweni?

¹⁴ Indaba yobukhosi bukaJehova ayikaphenduleki ngokugcweleyo. Ngakho-ke ulokhu emvumela uMlingi ukuthi asebenzise umhlaba lo ukuze asilinge. UNkulunkulu kasikhokheleli ekulingweni. Kodwa uyasithemba futhi ufuna ukusincedisa. Lanxa kunjalo, akaze athi nxa silingwa ahle asivikele ukuthi singaweli ekulingweni ngenxa yokuthi wasinika inkululeko yokuzikhethela. Yikho-ke zimbili izinto okumele sizenze. Kumele sihlale siseduze loNkulunkulu njalo sithandaze kokuphela. UJehova uyiphendula njani imithandazo yethu?

15, 16. (a) Yiziphi ezinye izilingo okumele sizixwaye? (b) Ngubani okumele asolwe nxa umuntu angawela ekulingweni?

¹⁵ UJehova usinika umoya wakhe ongcwele olamandla ongasiqinisa njalo usincede ukuthi singaweli ekulingweni. Usebenzisa leLizwi lakhe kanye lebandla ukuthi asixwayise ngezinto okungamelanga sizenze. Ngokwesibonelo siyaxwayiswa ukuthi singasebenzisi isikhathi sethu esinengi kakhulu, imali kanye lamandla ethu sidinga izinto esingaphila singelazo. U-Espen loJanne bahlala kwelinye ilizwe  lase-Europe elime kuhle kwezomnotho. Bathatha iminyaka eminengi bengamaphayona esikhathi sonke bencedisa kwenye indawo eyayilabamemezeli abalutshwana elizweni lakibo. Bathi besiba lomntwana wokuqala kwasekumele bame ukuphayona njalo khathesi sebelowesibili. U-Espen uthi: “Sihlala sithandaza kuJehova ukuze singaweli ekulingweni ngenxa yokuthi khathesi asisenelisi ukuthatha isikhathi esinengi sisenza imisebenzi yobuKhristu. Siyamcela uJehova ukuthi asincedise ukuthi sihlale silobuhlobo obuqinileyo laye futhi sikhuthele enkonzweni.”

¹⁶ Esinye isilingo esitshingileyo lezinsuku yikubukela izinto ezingcolileyo zemacansini. Nxa singawela esilingweni lesi akumelanga sisole uSathane. Ngani? Ngenxa yokuthi uSathane kanye lomhlaba wakhe abangeke basibambe ngamandla ukuthi senze into esingayifuniyo. Abanye baqhubeka becabanga izinto ezingcolileyo yikho becina bewela esilingweni lesi. Kodwa banengi abafowethu labodadewethu abangazange bavuma ukuwela kuso njalo lathi singenelisa ukulwisana laso.—1 Khor. 10:12, 13.

17. (a) Kuyini esingakwenza nxa sifuna ukuthi uNkulunkulu asisindise komubi? (b) Kuyini okuzakwenza ukuthi sihlaliseke?

¹⁷ Nxa sifuna ukuthi uNkulunkulu ‘asisindise koMubi’ kumele sizame ngamandla wonke ukuthi sibe ngabantu ‘abangasibo bomhlaba [kaSathane].’ Akumelanga ‘siwuthande umhlaba [kaSathane] loba olunye ulutho olusemhlabeni.’ (Joh. 15:19; 1 Joh. 2:15-17) Lesi yisixwayiso okumele sinamathele kuso. Sizahlaliseka sibili ngesikhathi uJehova azaphendula khona isicelo sokuthi asisindise komubi ngokususa uSathane kanye lokutshabalalisa umhlaba lo osemandleni akhe. Kodwa akumelanga sikhohlwe ukuthi mhla uSathane exotshwa ezulwini wayekwazi ukuthi isikhathi sakhe sifitshane. Yikho esenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuze enze ukuthi singathembeki kuNkulunkulu ngenxa yokuthi uthukuthele kakhulu. Ngakho-ke, kumele siqhubeke sithandazela ukuthi sisindiswe komubi.—Isam. 12:12, 17.

18. Kuyini okumele siqhubeke sikwenza ukuze sisinde nxa umhlaba kaSathane usuphela?

¹⁸ Uyafuna yini ukuphila emhlabeni uSathane engasekho? Nxa ukufuna, qhubeka uthandazela ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ungcwelise ibizo lakhe lokuthi intando yakhe yenziwe emhlabeni. Cela ukuthi uJehova akuncedise ngezinto zokuziphilisa zansuku zonke kanye lokuthi akusize ukuthi uhlale uqotho kuye. Ingqobe zisalela kuwe ukuthi uzazimisela yini ukwenza lokho okutshiwo emthandazweni oyisibonelo.