1, 2. (a) Yintoni enokusenza sibuze ukuba “kuya kude kube nini”? (b) Kutheni sinokukhuthazwa ngumzekelo wabakhonzi bakaYehova bamandulo?

“KUYA kude kube nini?” Lo mbuzo wabuzwa ngabaprofeti abathembekileyo uIsaya noHabhakuki. (Isa. 6:11; Hab. 1:2) Xa wayebhala iNdumiso 13, uKumkani uDavide wawubuza kwakane naye lo mbuzo othi: “Koda kube nini na?” (INdu. 13:1, 2) KwaneNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu yabuza lo mbuzo mnye kuba yayingqongwe ngabantu abangenalukholo. (Mat. 17:17) Nathi masingothuki xa ngamanye amaxesha sizibona sesibuza kwalo mbuzo mnye.

² Yintoni enokusenza sibuze umbuzo othi: “Kuya kude kube nini”? Mhlawumbi kungenxa yokuba sikhe sadlelw’ indlala. Okanye sinyamezele ukwaluphala, izigulo, neengxaki zokuphila kula ‘maxesha amanqam ekunzima ukujamelana nawo.’ (2 Tim. 3:1) Okanye mhlawumbi sityhafiswa yindlela abacinga ngayo abantu abasingqongileyo. Nokuba yeyiphi imeko, kuyasikhuthaza nyhani ukwazi ukuba abakhonzi bakaYehova abathembekileyo bamandulo bawubuza ngokukhululekileyo lo mbuzo osenokuba usezingqondweni zethu namhlanje, ibe abazange bagxekwe ngenxa yokuwubuza!

3. Yintoni enokusinceda xa sisebunzimeni?

 ³ Yintoni enokusinceda xa sineengxaki ezinzima njengezi? Umfundi uYakobi, umninawa kaYesu ngonina, waphefumlelwa ukuba asichazele athi: “Yibani nomonde, ke ngoko, bazalwana, de ibe bubukho beNkosi.” (Yak. 5:7) Sonke kufuneka sibe nomonde. Kodwa kuthetha ntoni ukuba nolu phawu lukaThixo, ibe sinokulubonisa njani?

4, 5. (a) Kuthetha ntoni ukuba nomonde, ibe sinowubonisa njani? (b) Umfundi uYakobi ukuzekelisa njani ukuba nomonde? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁴ Ngaphandle kokuba bancedwe nguThixo, abantu abangafezekanga abanakukwazi ukuba nomonde ngendlela efunekayo, kuba ngokutsho kweBhayibhile, umonde uveliswa ngumoya oyingcwele. Umonde sisipho esivela kuThixo, ibe uyenye indlela egqwesileyo esibonisa ngayo ukuba siyamthanda. Kanti ukwayindlela esibonisa ngayo ukuba siyabathanda abantu. Luyaphola uthando xa singenamonde luze luqine xa sinomonde. (1 Kor. 13:4; Gal. 5:22) Umonde uhambisana nezinye iimpawu ezibalulekileyo zamaKristu. Ngokomzekelo, uhlobene kakhulu nokunyamezela, okusinceda sikwazi ukumelana neemeko ezinzima sinethemba lokuba kuza kulunga. (Kol. 1:11; Yak. 1:3, 4) Umonde uphind’ usenze singaziphindezeli xa siviswa ubuhlungu kwaye usenza siqine singagungqi noba sekumnyam’ entla. Ukongezelela, iBhayibhile isibongoza ukuba siyamkele into yokuba kufuneka silinde. Le ngongoma ivezwa kuYakobi 5:7, 8. (Mfunde.)

⁵ Kutheni sifanele siyamkele into yokuba simele simlinde uYehova? UYakobi ufanisa imeko esikuyo neyomlimi. Nakuba umlimi esebenza nzima ukutyala imbewu, akanakukwazi ukulawula imozulu okanye ukukhula kwezo zityalo. Akanakukwazi nokulenza libaleke ixesha. Uyayamkela into yokuba kufuneka asilinde ngomonde “isiqhamo esixabisekileyo somhlaba.” Ngokufanayo, nathi kukho izinto ezininzi esingenakukwazi ukuzilawula njengoko silindele ukuba kuzaliseke izithembiso zikaYehova. (Marko 13:32, 33; IZe. 1:7) Njengomlimi, kufuneka silinde ngomonde.

6. Sifunda ntoni kumprofeti uMika?

⁶ Iimeko esiphila kuzo namhlanje ziyafana nezemihla yomprofeti uMika. Wayephila ngexesha ekwakulawula uKumkani uAhazi owayengendawo, imihla ekwakusenzeka zonk’ iintlobo zokurhwaphiliza. ‘Izandla zabantu zaziphezu kobubi, ukuba bakwenze kakuhle.’ (Funda uMika 7:1-3.) UMika wayesazi ukuba yena wayengenakukwazi ukuyitshintsha loo meko. Ngoko, yintoni awayenokuyenza? Uthi: “Kodwa mna ke, ndiza kuhlala ndikhangele kuYehova. Ndiza kubonisa isimo sengqondo sokulindela kuThixo wosindiso lwam. UThixo wam uya kundiva.” (Mika 7:7) NjengoMika, nathi kufuneka silinde.

7. Kutheni kunganelanga ukulinda nje uYehova azalisekise izithembiso zakhe?

⁷ Ukuba sinokholo olufana nolukaMika, siya kukuvuyela ukumlinda uYehova. Imeko yethu ayifani neyebanjwa elilinde imini eliza kuxhonywa ngayo. Liyanyanzeleka lilinde, ibe kulo ngaske ingafiki loo mini. Yahluke kakhulu eyethu imeko! Sikulungele ukumlinda uYehova kuba siyazi uza kusinika ubomi obungenasiphelo ngexesha elililo! Ngoko sinyamezela ngokupheleleyo ngomonde sivuya. (Kol. 1:11, 12) Ukuba silinda sikhalaza yaye simbombozela sisithi uYehova uyacotha, siya kumcaphukisa uThixo wethu.—Kol. 3:12.

8. Yintoni ekufuneka siyikhumbule njengoko sicingisisa ngemizekelo yamadoda namabhinqa athembekileyo amandulo?

⁸ Siya kukufuna ngakumbi ukulinda ukuba sicinga ngamadoda namabhinqa athembekileyo amandulo awahlala elinde uYehova ukuba azalisekise izithembiso zakhe. (Roma 15:4) Njengoko sicingisisa nzulu ngemizekelo yawo, kuhle ukukhe sicinge ngexesha awalichithayo elindile, isizathu sokuba akulungele ukulinda, nezinto awasikelelwa ngazo ngenxa yokulinda.

9, 10. UAbraham noSara kwafuneka bamlinde ixesha elingakanani uYehova?

⁹ Masenze umzekelo ngoAbraham noSara. Ngabanye babantu ‘abathi ngokholo nomonde bazidla ilifa izithembiso.’ IZibhalo zisichazela ukuba “emva kokuba uAbraham ebonise umonde,” wasifumana isithembiso uYehova awayemthembise sona sokuba uza kumsikelela aze ayandise inzala yakhe. (Heb. 6:12, 15) Kwakutheni ukuze kufuneke uAbraham abe nomonde? Ngamafutshane nje, kwakuza kuthath’ ixesha ukuba sizaliseke eso sithembiso. Umnqophiso uYehova awawenza noAbraham waqalisa ukusebenza ngoNisan 14, 1943 B.C.E. Kuxa uAbraham noSara kunye nendlu yakhe bawela uMlambo umEfrate bengena kwiLizwe Lesithembiso. Kwafuneka uAbraham alinde iminyaka eyi-25 yonke ngaphambi kokuba kuzalwe unyana wakhe uIsake ngo-1918 B.C.E., ibe kwafuneka alinde eminye iminyaka eyi-60 yonke ngaphambi kokuba kuzalwe abazukulwana bakhe uEsawu noYakobi ngo-1858 B.C.E.—Heb. 11:9.

 ¹⁰ Ungakanani umhlaba owafunyanwa nguAbraham? Sixelelwa ukuba: “[UYehova] akamnikanga nayiphi na into [uAbraham] njengelifa kulo, hayi, nendawana le engangonyawo; kodwa wathembisa ukumnika lona libe lelakhe, aze emva kwakhe alinike imbewu yakhe, ngoxa wayengekabi namntwana.” (IZe. 7:5) Inzala ka-Abraham ayizange iwufumane loo mhlaba de kwadlula iminyaka eyi-430 ewele umEfrate xa yaba luhlanga.—Eks. 12:40-42; Gal. 3:17.

11. Yintoni eyabangela uAbraham akulungele ukumlinda uYehova, kwaye uza kufumana ziphi iintsikelelo ngomonde wakhe?

¹¹ UAbraham wakulungela ukulinda, kuba wayenokholo kuYehova. (Funda eyamaHebhere 11:8-12.) UAbraham wayengenangxaki nokulinda, nangona engazange azibone zizaliseka zonke izinto awayezithenjiswe esaphila. Kodwa, khawube nombono wemincili aya kuba nayo xa evusiwe kumhlaba oyiparadesi. Uza kumangaliswa kukubona indlela iBhayibhile ethetha kakhulu ngayo ngobomi bakhe nangenzala yakhe. * Yiba nombono wendlela aya kukuvuyela ngayo ukuyiqonda kakuhle indima yakhe ebalulekileyo ekufezeni injongo kaYehova ngembewu ethenjisiweyo! Ngokuqinisekileyo, uya kubona ukuba ukulinda kwakhe kwakungeyonkcitha-xesha.

12, 13. Kwakutheni ukuze uYosefu kufuneke abe nomonde, ibe wawubonisa njani umoya omhle?

¹² UYosefu osisizukulwana sika-Abraham naye wakulungela ukulinda ngomonde. Wadlelw’ indlala kaliqela. Okokuqala, xa wayeneminyaka eyi-17, abakhuluwa bakhe bamthengisa waba likhoboka. Kamva, wavalelwa entolongweni etyholwa ngokuzama ukudlwengula inkosikazi yenkosi yakhe. (Gen. 39:11-20; INdu. 105:17, 18) Nangona yena wayesenza ubulungisa, kubonakala ngathi wayesohlwaywa kunokuba asikelelwe. Kodwa emva kweminyaka eyi-13, izinto zatshintsha ngokukhawuleza kakhulu. Wakhululwa entolongweni waza wabekwa kwisikhundla esiphakame kakhulu, ingukumkani waseYiputa kuphela owayemkhulu kunaye.—Gen. 41:14, 37-43; IZe. 7:9, 10.

¹³ Ngaba uYosefu waba nenzondo kuba edlelw’ indlala? Ngaba wayengasamthembi uThixo wakhe, uYehova? Hayi. Yintoni eyamnceda walinda ngomonde? Lukholo awayenalo kuYehova. Wabona ukuba nguYehova owayelawula izinto. Qaphela indlela ebonakala ngayo loo nto kumazwi awawabhekisa kubantakwabo: “Musani ukoyika, kuba ndisesikhundleni sikaThixo yini na? Nina, nacinga ububi ngam. Ke yena uThixo wacinga okulungileyo ngenjongo yokwenza njengoko kwenzekile namhla.” (Gen. 50:19, 20) UYosefu wabona ukuba ukulinda kwakhe kwakungeyonkcitha-xesha.

14, 15. (a) Yintoni ebangel’ umdla ngomonde kaDavide? (b) Yintoni eyanceda uDavide walinda ngomonde?

¹⁴ UKumkani uDavide naye wadlelw’ indlala kaninzi. Nangona uYehova wamnyula esemncinci ukuba abe ngukumkani wexesha elizayo wakwaSirayeli, uDavide kwafuneka alinde iminyaka eyi-15 ngaphambi kokuba abe ngukumkani wesizwe sakhe. (2 Sam. 2:3, 4) Kwangelo xesha uKumkani uSawule ongathembekanga wayefuna ukumcima igama uDavide. * Ngenxa yoko, uDavide kwafuneka  abe yimbacu, abalekele kwamanye amazwe nasemiqolombeni entlango. Nasemva kokuba uSawule efele emfazweni, uDavide kwafuneka alinde eminye iminyaka esixhenxe ngaphambi kokuba alawule wonke uSirayeli.—2 Sam. 5:4, 5.

¹⁵ Yintoni eyabangela uDavide akulungele ukulinda ngomonde? Usiphendula kwakule ndumiso inye abuza kuyo kane umbuzo othi, “Koda kube nini na?” Uthi: “Ke mna, ndikholose ngobubele bakho bothando; mayivuye intliziyo yam ngosindiso lwakho. Ndiya kumvumela ingoma uYehova, kuba uqhubene nam ngokunomvuzo.” (INdu. 13:5, 6) UDavide wayesazi ukuba uYehova uyamthanda ibe akasoz’ amshiye. Wayejonge kwixesha uYehova awayeza kumhlangula ngalo, ibe ecinga nangezinto awayesele emvuze ngazo. UDavide wabona ukuba ukulinda kwakungeyonkcitha-xesha.

16, 17. UYehova uThixo noYesu Kristu bangumzekelo ogqibeleleyo njani wokulungela ukulinda?

¹⁶ Xa uYehova esithi masibe nomonde, akathi senze into yena angayenziyo. Ungumzekelo ogqibeleleyo wokulinda. (Funda eyesi-2 kaPetros 3:9.) UYehova uye walinda ngomonde iminyaka engamawaka ukuze azinzise ngokupheleleyo imbambano eyaqala kumyezo wase-Eden. Ulilinde ngomonde ixesha apho igama lakhe liya kungcwaliswa ngokupheleleyo. Umphumo uya kuba kukusikelelwa kwabo “bahlala bemlindele.”—Isa. 30:18.

¹⁷ UYesu naye ukulungele ukulinda. Nangona wathembeka de kwasekugqibeleni xa wayelapha emhlabeni waza wasa idini lentlawulelo kuYehova ngo-33 C.E., kwafuneka alinde de kube ngo-1914 ukuze alawule. (IZe. 2:33-35; Heb. 10:12, 13) Uza kulinda de kuphele uLawulo Lweminyaka Eliwaka ngaphambi kokuba zonke iintshaba zakhe zitshatyalaliswe ngokupheleleyo. (1 Kor. 15:25) Uza kulinda kona, kodwa siqinisekile ukuba akuyonkcitha-xesha oko kulinda.

18, 19. Yintoni eza kusinceda sikulungele ukulinda ngomonde?

¹⁸ Asithandabuzi ukuba, wonke umntu kufuneka akulungele ukulinda. Yintoni eza kusinceda silinde? Kufuneka sicele uThixo asiphe umoya wakhe. Khumbula, umonde yinxalenye yesiqhamo somoya. (Efe. 3:16; 6:18; 1 Tes. 5:17-19) Cela uYehova akuncede ukwazi ukulinda ngomonde.

¹⁹ Kwakhona khumbula into eyanceda uAbraham, uYosefu, uDavide balinda uYehova ukuba azalisekise izithembiso zakhe. Babemthemba uYehova kwaye beyithemba nendlela azenza ngayo izinto. Abazange balibale kukucinga ngeziqu zabo nangokuphila tofotofo. Njengoko sihlola indlela izinto ezabahambela kakuhle ngayo, nathi siya kutsho sifune ukulinda.

20. Yintoni ekufuneka ngamnye kuthi azimisele ukuyenza?

²⁰ Nangona silingwa yaye sivavanywa, sizimisele ‘ukulinda.’ Ngamanye amaxesha siza kubuza sithi, “Kuya kude kube nini na Yehova?” (Isa. 6:11) Kodwa umoya oyingcwele kaThixo uza kuqinisa ngamnye kuthi, sithethe amazwi awathethwa nguYeremiya athi: “UYehova sisabelo sam . . . ngenxa yoko ndiya kulindela kuye.”—IZili. 3:21, 24.