1. UJehova wabanikani abantu?

UJEHOVA wasidala ngendlela emangalisayo. Ngokwesibonelo wasinika ingqondo esinceda ukuthi sicabange ukuze senelise ukuphuma lamacebo angasisiza nxa siphakathi kwenhlupho njalo sihlele lalokho esifisa ukukwenza empilweni. (Zaga. 2:11) Wasinika lamandla ayiwo asinceda ukuthi siphumelele ukwenza loba yini esiyabe siyihlosile. (Flp. 2:13) UJehova waphinda wasinika lomzwangedwa, umuzwa osisiza ukuthi senelise ukwehlukanisa okubi lokuhle lokuthi silungisise amaphutha ethu nxa siphambanisile.—Rom. 2:15.

2. UJehova ufuna sizisebenzise njani izipho asinike zona?

² UJehova ukhangelele ukuthi sizisebenzise kuhle izipho asinike zona. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi uyasithanda futhi uyakwazi ukuthi nxa singazisebenzisa kuhle sizathokoza kakhulu. LaseLizwini lakhe usikhuthaza kanengi ukuthi sikwenze lokhu. Ngokwesibonelo eMibhalweni yesiHebheru sithola amazwi la  athi: “Amalungiselelo abakhutheleyo anika umvuzo” njalo “lokho isandla sakho esingakwenza kwenze ngamandla akho wonke.” (Zaga. 21:5; UmTshu. 9:10) EMibhalweni yamaKhristu yesiGiriki sitshelwa ukuthi “njengokuba silethuba kasenzeni okulungileyo ebantwini bonke” lokuthi ‘lowo lalowo kumele asebenzise loba yisiphi isipho ekusizeni abanye.’ (Gal. 6:10; 1 Phet. 4:10) Kuyacaca ukuthi uJehova ufuna sisebenzise kuhle izipho asinike zona ukuze sincedakale njalo sincede labanye.

3. Kuyini esingeke senelise ukukwenza?

³ Loba kunjalo uJehova uyakwazi ukuthi zikhona izinto esingeke senelise ukuzenza ngamandla ethu. Kasingeke senelise ukususa isono lokufa futhi ngeke sitshele abanye ukuthi baphile njani ngoba bonke abantu balenkululeko yokuzikhethela. (1 AmaKho. 8:46) Kanti njalo kufanele sikhumbule ukuthi sibancane kakhulu kuJehova lanxa singabe silolwazi olunengi kumbe sesibone okunengi empilweni.—Isaya. 55:9.

4. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

⁴ Kumele sinamathele kuJehova kukho konke esikwenzayo sethembe ukuthi uzasiqondisa, asisekele futhi asisize lasezintweni esingeke sizenze ngawethu amandla. Loba kunjalo lathi kumele sizame ukwenza esingabe sisenelisa ukukwenza. (Bala iHubo 37:3.) Kufanele ‘sithembe kuJehova senze okulungileyo.’ Singakwenza njani lokhu? Ake sixoxe ngoNowa, uDavida kanye labanye ababethembekile kuJehova sibone ukuthi bona bakwenza njani. Sizabona lokuthi kuyini ababengeke bakwenze lalokho ababengakwenza.

5. Chaza ukuthi uNowa wayephila labantu abanjani.

⁵ UNowa wayehlala phakathi kwabantu ababethanda “ubudlwangudlwangu” lokuziphatha okubi. (Gen. 6:4, 9-13) Wayekwazi ukuthi sasizafika isikhathi lapho uJehova ayezabatshalalisa khona labobantu. Kodwa kumele ukuthi kwakumkhathaza kakhulu ukuphila labantu ababexhwale kangako. Lanxa kunjalo uNowa wananzelela ukuthi kukhona ayengeke enelise ukukwenza lokuthi kukhona ayengakwenza.

6, 7. (a) Kuyini uNowa ayengeke akwenze? (b) Thina sifanana njani loNowa?

⁶ Ayengeke akwenze: Lanxa uNowa wazimisela ukuxwayisa abantu ababi ngalokho uNkulunkulu  ayezakwenza, wayengeke ababambe ngamandla ukuthi bakwamukele ayebatshela khona. Kanti njalo wayengeke enze ukuthi uZamcolo uphangise ukufika. Kwakumele athembe ukuthi uJehova wayezasigcwalisa isithembiso sakhe sokubhubhisa bonke labobantu ababexhwalile lokuthi wayezakwenza lokhu ngesikhathi esifaneleyo.—Gen. 6:17.

⁷ Lathi lamuhla siphila emhlabeni ogcwele abantu ababi njalo siyakwazi ukuthi uJehova uthembisa ukubabhubhisa. (1 Joh. 2:17) Loba kunjalo ngeke sibabambe ngamandla ukuthi bamukele izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso esizitshumayelayo futhi ngeke senze ukuthi ‘ukuhlupheka okukhulu’ kuphangise ukufika. (Mat. 24:14, 21) Kumele silingisele uNowa, sethembe ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzangenela masinyane. (Hubo. 37:10, 11) Sileqiniso lokuthi uJehova uzayigcwalisa injongo yakhe, kasoze abayekele abantu beqhubeka besenza izinto ezimbi.—Hab. 2:3.

8. Kuyini uNowa akwenzayo? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁸ Ayengakwenza: UNowa kazange alahle ithemba ngenxa yokuthi kwakulezinto ezaziphezu kwamandla akhe kodwa waqhubekela phambili wenza lokho ayesenelisa ukukwenza. Waqina ngokuba ‘ngumtshumayeli wokulunga,’ ememezela umlayezo ayewuphiwe. (2 Phet. 2:5) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi lokhu kwaluqinisa kakhulu ukholo lwakhe. Waphinda wasebenza gadalala esenza umsebenzi wokwakha umkhumbi uNkulunkulu ayemnike wona.—Bala uHebheru 11:7.

9. Singamlingisela njani uNowa?

⁹ Lathi njengoNowa kumele ‘sizinikele ngokupheleleyo emsebenzini weNkosi.’ (1 Khor. 15:58) Umsebenzi lo ugoqela ukwakha lokulungisa izakhiwo zethu zokukhonzela, ukuncedisa emihlanganweni emincane lemikhulu kumbe ukuyaphathisa ewofisini yegatsha loba eyokuhumutsha. Kanti njalo ukukhuthala emsebenzini wokutshumayela kuyasisiza ukuthi sihlale silethemba eliqinileyo. Omunye udadewethu wathi: “Nxa utshela abanye ngezibusiso zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu usuka unanzelele ukuthi abantu kabalalo ithemba, babona angathi inhlupho zabo ngeke zafa zaphela.” Kuyakhanya sibili ukuthi umsebenzi wokutshumayela uyasinceda ukuthi sihlale silethemba eliqinileyo ngekusasa  lethu lokuthi sizimisele ukuqhubeka sisemncintiswaneni wokuphila.—1 Khor. 9:24.

10. Chaza ukuthi kwenzakalani kuDavida.

¹⁰ UJehova wachaza iNkosi uDavida ngokuthi ‘yindoda ethandwa yinhliziyo [yakhe].’ (ImiSeb. 13:22) Kunengi okuhle uDavida akwenzayo empilweni yakhe. Lanxa kunjalo wawela esonweni ngokufeba loBhathisheba. Okubi kakhulu yikuthi wazama lokufihla isono sakhe ngokuhlela ukuthi u-Uriya indoda kaBhathisheba ibulawe empini. Waze wamphathisa lencwadi eyayilombiko walokho okwakumele kwenziwe ukuze icebo lakhe liphumelele. (2 Sam. 11:1-21) Kodwa-ke isono sikaDavida sacina sivelile ngoba phela okulempondo akufihlwa emgodleni. (Mak. 4:22) Manje wenzani ngemva kwalokho?

11, 12. (a) UDavida wayengeke enzeni ngesono ayesenzile? (b) Kuyini esingaqiniseka ngakho nxa singaphenduka ngeqiniso?

¹¹ Ayengeke akwenze: UDavida wayengeke enelise ukubuyisela emuva umonakalo ayesewenzile. Wayengenelisi lokubalekela impumela ebuhlungu eyayizakuba khona ngenxa yesono sakhe. Eminye impumela yakhona yayizamthwalisa nzima okwempilo yakhe yonke. (2 Sam. 12:10-12, 14) Yikho kwakudingeka ukuthi abe lokholo sibili. Kwakumele athembe ukuthi nxa angaphenduka ngeqiniso uJehova wayezamthethelela njalo amncede ukuthi enelise ukubekezelela impumela ebuhlungu eyayibangelwe yisono ayesenzile.

¹² Sonke siyaphambanisa ngoba silesono njalo ezinye izono esizenzayo zinkulu kakhulu. Kwezinye izikhathi kasenelisi ukususa lokho esiyabe sikuphambanisile ngoba angachitheka achithekile. Kuyabe sekumele siphile layo impumela yakhona. (Gal. 6:7) Kodwa siyaqiniseka ukuthi nxa singaphenduka ngeqiniso uJehova uzasisekela njalo asincedise ukuthi senelise ukubekezelela ubuhlungu obubangelwa yimpumela yesono esisenzileyo.—Bala u-Isaya 1:18, 19; ImiSebenzi 3:19.

13. UDavida wabulungisisa njani ubuhlobo bakhe loJehova?

¹³ Ayengakwenza: UDavida kwakumele alungisise ubuhlobo bakhe loJehova, yikho wavuma ukuthi uJehova amsize abuyele endleleni eyiyo. Wakutshengisa lokhu ngokwamukela iseluleko asiphiwa nguNathani umphrofethi kaJehova. (2 Sam. 12:13) Okunye akwenzayo yikuthandaza kuJehova evuma izono zakhe njalo etshengisa lokuthi uyafuna sibili ukuthi amthethelele. (Hubo. 51:1-17) Kazange avumele isono sakhe simenze abhazalale kodwa wafunda isifundo futhi kasiphindanga lesosono. UDavida wafa ethembekile njalo uJehova ulokhu ebukhumbula ubuqotho bakhe.—Heb. 11:32-34.

14. Sifundani endabeni kaDavida?

¹⁴ Sifundani endabeni kaDavida? Sifunda ukuthi nxa singenza isono kumele siphenduke njalo sicele ukuthi uJehova asithethelele. Kufanele sivume izono zethu kuye. (1 Joh. 1:9) Kanti njalo kumele siye lasebadaleni ngoba yibo abangasinceda ukuthi silungisise ubuhlobo bethu loJehova. (Bala uJakhobe 5:14-16.) Nxa singenza njalo kuzakhanya ukuthi siyafuna ukuthi uJehova asithethelele futhi asiduduze ebuhlungwini esiyabe sibuzwa. Ngakho kumele sifunde emaphutheni ethu, siqhubeke sikhonza uJehova njalo sihlale silethemba eliqinileyo ngekusasa.—Heb. 12:12, 13.

15. Sifundani endabeni kaHana?

¹⁵ Kungenzakala ukuthi bakhona abanye obakhumbulayo abathemba kuJehova njalo benza okusemandleni abo ukuze balwisane lobunzima ababekubo. Ngokwesibonelo uHana wayengeke enze lutho ngohlupho lwakhe lokuba yinyumba. Lanxa kunjalo wayelethemba lokuthi uJehova uzamduduza njalo kazange ayekele  ukuyakhonza ethabanikeli lokuthandaza kuJehova. (1 Sam. 1:9-11) Waba yisibonelo esihle kakhulu okumele sisilingisele. Nxa sithwele nzima ngenxa yokugula kumbe ezinye nje inhlupho eziphezu kwamandla ethu kumele sethule ukukhathazeka kwethu kuJehova ngoba yena uyasikhathalela. (1 Phet. 5:6, 7) Okunye okumele sikwenze yikuqhubeka singena imihlangano njalo sisebenzise konke esikuphiwa yinhlanganiso kaJehova.—Heb. 10:24, 25.

16. Abazali bangafundani kuSamuyeli?

¹⁶ Nxa ungumzali olabantwana abatshiya ukukhonza khumbula indaba kaSamuyeli. Wayengeke ababambe ngamandla abantwabakhe ukuthi bahlale benamathele kulokho ayebafundise khona. (1 Sam. 8:1-3) Kwakumele indaba le ayitshiyele uJehova. Loba kunjalo yena kwakufanele ahlale ethembekile futhi esenza izinto ezithokozisa uYise osezulwini. (Zaga. 27:11) Lanamuhla bakhona abazali abalabantwana abatshiya ukukhonza uJehova. Bayakwazi ukuthi uJehova ukulindele ukwamukela bonke abalesifiso sokubuyela kuye njengobaba okukhulunywa ngaye emzekelisweni wendodana yolahleko. (Luk. 15:20) Lanxa kunjalo abazali laba kumele basebenze gadalala ukuze bahlale beqinile ekukhonzeni ngoba isibonelo sabo esihle singafuqa abantwababo ukuthi balungisise ubuhlobo babo loJehova.

17. Kungani isibonelo somfelokazi ongumyanga sikhuthaza?

¹⁷ Cabanga langomfelokazi ongumyanga owaphila ngesikhathi sikaJesu. (Bala uLukha 21:1-4.) Akulalutho ayengalwenza ukuze aqede ubugwelegwele obabusenziwa ethempelini ngalesosikhathi njalo wayengeke enze lutho ngobuyanga bakhe. (Mat. 21:12, 13) Lanxa kunjalo wanikela “okuzinhlamvana kwethusi okubili” okuyikho ‘ayelakho ukuthi kumphilise.’ Owesifazana lo watshengisa ukuthi uyamthemba ngenhliziyo yonke uJehova. Wayekwazi ukuthi nxa anganikela ukuze asekele ukukhonza kweqiniso uJehova wayezamnika konke akudingayo. Lathi uJehova uzasinika esikudingayo nxa singaqhubeka sifaka uMbuso kuqala kukho konke esikwenzayo.—Mat. 6:33.

18. Nika isibonelo somfowethu owatshengisa ukuthi uyamthemba uJehova.

¹⁸ Lalamuhla banengi abafowethu labodadewethu abatshengisa ukuthi bayamthemba uJehova njalo bayazama lokwenza okusemandleni abo ukuze balwisane lezinhlupho abahlangana lazo. Lokhu yikho kanye okwenziwa ngumfowethu uMalcolm owafa ngo-2015 elokhu ethembekile kuJehova. Okweminyaka eminengi yena lomkakhe bekhonza uJehova babesiba lezikhathi ezimnandi lezibuhlungu. UMalcolm wathi: “Impilo inzima njalo kwezinye izikhathi ngeke ukwazi ukuthi ikusasa lizabuya lani. Kodwa uJehova uyababusisa labo abamthembayo.” Waphinda wathi: “Khuleka kuJehova ucele ukuthi akunike amandla ukuze wenelise ukuqhubeka usenza okunengi enkonzweni. Qina ngalokho owenelisa ukukwenza, ungazikhathazi ngezinto eziphezu kwamandla akho.” *

19. (a) Kungani umbhalo wethu womnyaka ufanele? (b) Wena ufuna ukuwusebenzisa njani umbhalo wethu womnyaka?

¹⁹ Sikhangelele ukuthi singahlangana lobunzima obukhulu njengoba umumo lo wezinto ususiya komlindi uyacina. (2 Tim. 3:1, 13) Kuqakatheke kakhulu ukuthi sibophe ziqine, singavumi izinhlupho lezi zisiphambanise ekukhonzeni. Kumele simthembe uJehova njalo senze okusemandleni ethu ukuze silwisane lalezozinhlupho. Yikho kanye esikukhuthazwa ngumbhalo wethu womnyaka ka-2017 othi: “Themba kuJehova wenze okulungileyo.”—Hubo. 37:3.