1. Ucinga ukuba unjani uYehova?

 WAKHA wazama ukuba nombono wokuba inokuba unjani uYehova? Xa uthandaza, uye ucinge ukuba uthetha nomntu onjani? Ngoxa uYehova engabonakali, iBhayibhile imchaza ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo. Ithi uYehova “ulilanga nekhaka” iphinde ithi “ungumlilo otshabalalisayo.” (INdu. 84:11; Heb. 12:29) Omnye umbhali weBhayibhile umfanisa nelitye lesafire, intsimbi ebengezelayo nomnyama oqaqambileyo. (Hez. 1:26-28) Ezinye zezi ndlela achazwa ngazo zinokusimangalisa okanye zisenze soyike.

2. Yintoni esenokwenza kube nzima kwabanye abantu ukusondela kuYehova?

² Kusenokuba nzima ukukholelwa ukuba uYehova uyasithanda kuba akabonakali. Abanye bacinga ukuba soze bathandwe nguYehova ngenxa yezinto ezimbi eziye zenzeka kubo. Mhlawumbi babengathandwa ngootata babo. UYehova uyayiqonda indlela esiziva ngayo nesizathu sokuba kusenokuba nzima ukusondela kuye. Ukuze asincede, kwiLizwi lakhe uyasixelela ukuba ungumntu onjani.

3. Kutheni simele sifunde ngothando analo uYehova?

³ Igama elimchaza kakuhle uYehova lelithi uthando. IBhayibhile ithi “uThixo uluthando.” (1 Yoh. 4:8) Yonke into ayenzayo uyenza ngenxa yalo. Uthando analo lunamandla kakhulu futhi akalubonakalisi kubantu abamthandayo kuphela, ude alubonakalise nakwabo bangamthandiyo. (Mat. 5:44, 45) Kweli nqaku siza kufunda ngoYehova nothando analo. Xa sisiya sifunda ngoThixo wethu, siza kuya simthanda.

UYEHOVA USITHANDA KAKHULU

4. Uthando analo uYehova lukwenza uzive njani? (Jonga nomfanekiso.)

⁴ ‘UYehova unothando.’ (Yak. 5:11, umbhalo osemazantsi) EBhayibhileni uzifanisa nomama onothando. (Isa. 66: 12, 13) Khawube nombono kamama ekhathalele usana lwakhe aluthandayo. Uyalusingatha aze athethe nalo kamnandi ngelizwi elizolileyo. Xa lukhala okanye lusezintlungwini, uyaqiniseka ukuba luyayifumana into oluyidingayo. Xa sisentlungwini sinokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova uyasithanda. Umdumisi wathi: “Xa amaxhala ayengaphezu kwamandla am, wena wandithuthuzela waza wandenza ndazola.”​—INdu. 94:19.

5. Luthetha ntoni uthando lukaYehova olungagungqiyo kuwe?

⁵ UYehova akagungqi. (INdu. 103:8) Akayeki ukusithanda xa siye senza into engafanelekanga. Uhlanga lwakwaSirayeli lwamphoxa kaninzi uYehova; kodwa xa lwaguqukayo, wabonisa ukuba uluthanda ngokungagungqiyo ngokuthi kulo: “Ubaluleke kakhulu kum, ndakunika isidima, ibe ndiye ndakuthanda.” (Isa. 43:4, 5) UThixo usabathanda ngaloo ndlela ke abantu bakhe. Sinokuhlala siqinisekile ngaloo nto. Nokuba siye samona kakhulu, uYehova akasilahli. Xa siguquka size sibuyele kuye siza kubona ukuba usasithanda. Usithembisa ukuba ‘uza kusixolela kakhulu.’ (Isa. 55:7) Xa ichaza indlela axolela ngayo iBhayibhile ithi ‘sihlaziywa nguYehova ngokwakhe.’​—IZe. 3:19.

6. UZekariya 2:8 usifundisa ntoni ngoYehova?

⁶ Funda uZekariya 2:8. Ekubeni esithanda, uYehova uyakhawuleza ukuyiqonda indlela esiziva ngayo futhi ufuna nyhani ukusikhusela. Xa sikhathazekile, naye uyakhathazeka. Ngoko sinokuqiniseka ukuba uza kusiphendula xa sithandaza sisithi: “Ndikhusele njengelihlo lakho.” (INdu. 17:8) Ilihlo yeyona nto inochuku emzimbeni futhi lixabisekile. Ngoko xa uYehova esifanisa nelihlo lakhe uba ngathi uthi, ‘Nabani na owenzakalisa nina bantu bam, wenzakalisa into exabisekileyo kum.’

7. Kutheni kufuneka siqiniseke nyhani ukuba uYehova uyasithanda?

⁷ UYehova ufuna uqiniseke ukuba uyakuthanda. Uyazi ukuba ngenxa yezinto eziye zenzeka kuthi, sisenokuzibuza ukuba angasithanda nyhani na. Okanye kusenokwenzeka ukuba ngoku kwenzeka izinto ezenza kube nzima ukuqiniseka ukuba uYehova uyasithanda. Yintoni enokusenza siqiniseke nyhani ukuba uyasithanda? Kukufunda indlela uYehova abonisa ngayo ukuba uyamthanda uYesu, abathanjiswa, nathi xa sisonke.

 UYEHOVA UBONISA NJANI UKUBA UYASITHANDA?

8. Yintoni eyayisenza uYesu aqiniseke ukuba uyathandwa nguTata wakhe?

⁸ Sekuyiminyaka engenakubaleka uYehova noNyana wakhe bethandana. Kwindalo yonke abakho abantu abakhe bathandana ixesha elide njengabo. Njengoko sifunda kuMateyu 17:5, uYehova wayengayifihli into yokuba uyamthanda uYesu. UYehova wayenokusuka athi, ‘Lo ngulowo undivuyisayo.’ Kodwa kuba wayefuna siyazi indlela amthanda ngayo uYesu, wathi “Lo nguNyana wam endimthandayo.” UYehova wayezidla ngoYesu nangento eyayiza kwenziwa ngulo Nyana wakhe. (Efe. 1:7) NoYesu wayeqiniseke nyhani ukuba uTata wakhe uyamthanda, engayithandabuzi nakancinci loo nto. Wayeyiphindaphinda kaninzi into yokuba uyathandwa nguTata wakhe.​—Yoh. 3:35; 10:17; 17:24.

9. NgesiGrike ichazwa njani indlela uYehova abathanda ngayo abathanjiswa? (Roma 5:5)

⁹ UYehova uchaza nendlela abathanda ngayo abathanjiswa. (Funda amaRoma 5:5.) NgesiGrike, le vesi ithetha ukuba uYehova ubathanda kakhulu abathanjiswa. Indlela abathanda ngayo ide ithelekiswe nomsinga wamanzi. Nabo bayazi ukuba ‘bayathandwa nguThixo.’ (Yude 1) Umpostile uYohane wachaza indlela abaziva ngayo esithi: “Ndlela le asithanda ngayo uTata, side sibizwe ngokuba singabantwana bakaThixo!” (1 Yoh. 3:1) Ngaba uYehova uthanda abathanjiswa bodwa? Hayi, uYehova uye wabonisa ukuba usithanda sonke.

10. Yeyiphi eyona nto inkulu abonise ngayo uYehova ukuba uyakuthanda?

¹⁰ Yeyiphi eyona nto inkulu abonise ngayo uYehova ukuba uyasithanda? Lidini loNyana wakhe. Ngalo uye wabonisa ukuba unothando ukodlula nabani na owakha waphila. (Yoh. 3:16; Roma 5:8) UYehova wanikela ngoNyana wakhe amthandayo ukuba afele bonke abantu ukuze izono zethu zixolelwe nokuze sibe ngabahlobo Bakhe. (1 Yoh. 4:10) Xa sisiya sicingisisa ngexabiso uYehova noYesu abalibhatalayo, sinokuya siyiqonda indlela abasithanda ngayo xa sisonke. (Gal. 2:20) UYehova zange asihlawulele ngedini likaYesu nje kuba efuna ubulungisa, wasihlawulela ngenxa yokuba esithanda. UYehova wabonisa ukuba uyasithanda ngokunikela ngoNyana wakhe amxabise kakhulu, uYesu. UYehova wayivumela into yokuba uNyana wakhe eve iintlungu aze afe ngenxa yethu.

11. Sifunda ntoni kuYeremiya 31:3?

¹¹ Njengokuba sibonile, uYehova akayifihli indlela asithanda ngayo, uyasixelela. (Funda uYeremiya 31:3.) Kuba esithanda, usitsalele kuye. (Thelekisa iDuteronomi 7:7, 8.) Akukho nomnye umntu okanye into enokumenza angasithandi. (Roma 8:38, 39) Indlela asithanda ngayo ikwenza uzive njani wena? Funda iNdumiso 23, uze ubone ukuba uthando analo uYehova lwamenza waziva njani uDavide, nokuba lunokusenza sizive njani thina.

UKUTHANDWA NGUYEHOVA KUKWENZA UZIVE NJANI?

12. Ithetha ngantoni iNdumiso 23?

¹² Funda iNdumiso 23:1-6. INdumiso 23 yingoma ebonisa indlela uDavide awayeqiniseke ngayo ukuba uYehova uyamthanda futhi umkhathalele. Umbhali wendumiso uDavide uchaza indlela awayevana ngayo noMalusi wakhe, uYehova. Wayeziva ekhuselekile xa ekhokelwa nguYehova, futhi wayexhomekeke kuye ngayo yonke into. Wayesazi ukuba uYehova wayeza kumthanda ubomi bakhe bonke. Yintoni eyayimenza aqiniseke kangaka?

13. Kwakutheni ukuze uDavide aqiniseke ukuba uYehova umkhathalele?

¹³ “Andizukudinga nto.” UDavide wayeziva ekhathalelwe kuba uYehova wayesoloko emnika  izinto azidingayo. Wayesazi nokuba uYehova ngumhlobo wakhe futhi uyavuyiswa nguye. Yiloo nto wayeqinisekile ukuba nokuba kwakuza kwenzeka ntoni kuye, uYehova wayeza kusoloko emnika zonke izinto azidingayo. Ngenxa yokuba uDavide wayemthembile uYehova ukuba uyamthanda futhi umkhathalele, watsho wayeka ukuba nexhala, wonwaba waza waneliseka.​—INdu. 16:11.

14. Yeyiphi indlela uYehova asenokubonisa ngayo ukuba usikhathalele?

¹⁴ UYehova usikhathalele, ngokukodwa xa izinto zingasihambeli kakuhle. UClaire, a okhonze eBheteli iminyaka engaphezu kweyi-20 wayengazi ukuba intsapho yakhe ayincede njani xa yayineengxaki ezinkulu, enye emva kwenye. Utata wakhe waba nestrowukhu, udadewabo wakhutshelwa ngaphandle, lawa ishishini lakowabo, yaza intsapho yakowabo ayabi nendawo yokuhlala. UYehova wabonisa njani ukuba ubakhathalele? UClaire uthi: “UYehova waqiniseka ukuba intsapho yasekhaya isoloko inazo izinto ezidingayo suku ngalunye. Amaxesha amaninzi uYehova wayesinika izinto ezingaphezu kwezo ndandizilindele. Ndisoloko ndicinga ngendlela uYehova aye wasinceda ngayo. Soze ndiyilibale indlela abonise ngayo ukuba uyasithanda. Ukucinga ngezi zinto kundinceda ndiqhubeke ndimkhonza uThixo ndivuya xa ndisiba neengxaki.”

15. Yintoni eyamenza wahlaziyeka uDavide? (Jonga nomfanekiso.)

¹⁵ “Uyandihlaziya.”  Ngamanye amaxesha iingxaki awayesiba nazo uDavide zazimkhathaza kakhulu. (INdu. 18:4-6) Kodwa kwakumhlaziya ukuthandwa nokukhathalelwa nguYehova. UYehova wasa lo mhlobo  wakhe wayetyhafile ‘kumadlelo anengca nakwiindawo zokuphumla ezinamanzi.’ Loo nto yamomeleza uDavide watsho waqhubeka ekhonza evuya.​—INdu. 18:28-32.

16. Ukuthandwa nguYehova kukuhlaziye njani?

¹⁶ Nanamhlanje, ‘kungenxa yothando lukaYehova olungagungqiyo le nto singafikeleli esiphelweni’ xa sineengxaki. (IZili. 3:22; Kol. 1:11) Cinga ngento eyenzeka kuRachel. Wakhathazeka kakhulu xa umyeni wakhe wamshiyayo, waza washiya noYehova ngexesha lekhorona. Yintoni awayenzayo uYehova? Uthi: “UYehova waqiniseka ukuba ndiziva ndithandwa. Wenza kwakho abahlobo ababechitha ixesha kunye nam, bendiphathel’ ukutya, bendithumelela imiyalezo emnandi nezibhalo, bendincumela, behlala bendikhumbuza ukuba uYehova undikhathalele. Ndimbulela qho uYehova ngokundinika intsapho enkulu nendithandayo.”

17. Kwakutheni ukuze uDavide ‘angoyiki ukwenzakala’?

¹⁷ “Andoyiki kwenzakala, kuba unam wena.” Ubomi bukaDavide babusoloko busengozini, neentshaba zakhe zininzi futhi zinamandla. Sekunjalo, ukuthandwa nguYehova kwamenza waziva ekhuselekile. Kuzo zonke iingxaki awayenazo, wayesazi ukuba uYehova ukunye naye. Loo nto yamenza wayeka ukoyika. Yiloo nto kwingoma yakhe esithi: “[UYehova] wandisindisa kuzo zonke izinto endizoyikayo.” (INdu. 34:4) UDavide wayekhe oyike kakhulu, kodwa ukwazi ukuba uYehova uyamthanda kwakumnceda ayeke ukoyika.

18. Ukuqiniseka ukuba uYehova uyakuthanda kunokukomeleza njani xa usoyika?

¹⁸ Ukwazi ukuba uYehova uyasithanda kusinceda njani somelele xa kusenzeka izinto ezisoyikisayo? Omnye uvulindlela, uSusi, uchaza indlela abaziva ngayo yena nomyeni wakhe xa unyana wabo wazibulalayo. Uthi: “Ukwehlelwa yinto ebuhlungu ungalindelanga kuyothusa. Kukwenza ube nexhala lokuba kusenokwenzeka ezinye izinto ezimbi. Nangona kunjalo, indlela asithanda ngayo uYehova isenze saziva sikhuselekile.” URachel ekukhe kwathethwa ngaye uthi: “Ngobunye ubusuku ndandikhathazeke kakhulu, ndinexhala futhi ndisoyika. Ndathetha noYehova ngokuvakalayo. Ngoko nangoko wenza into eyenziwa ngumama kusana lwakhe, wandithuthuzela, wandenza ndazola. Emva koko ndalala. Soze ndiyilibale loo nto.” Ngenxa yokungavumi ukuba lijoni, omnye umdala onguTasos wavalelwa etrongweni iminyaka eyi-4. Wayibona njani indlela  uYehova amthanda namkhathalele ngayo? Uthi: “UYehova wandinika izinto ezingaphezu kwezo ndandizidinga. Le nto yandenza ndaqiniseka ukuba ndinokumthemba ngentliziyo yam yonke. Enye into, ngomoya wakhe uYehova wandenza ndonwaba ngoxa ndandikwindawo ekungekho mnandi kuyo. Le nto yandenza ndaqiniseka ukuba xa ndisiya ndisondela kuye, ndiza kuya ndiyibona indlela andithanda ngayo. Ngoko ndaqalisa ukuba nguvulindlela othe ngxi ndisetrongweni.”

SONDELA KUTHIXO WAKHO OKUTHANDAYO

19. (a) Ukwazi ukuba uThixo uyasithanda kuza kusenza sithandaze njani? (b) Yeyiphi oyithanda kakhulu wena kwindlela oluchazwa ngayo uthando lukaYehova? (Jonga ibhokisi ethi, “ Amazwi Asenza Sibone Ukuba UYehova Uyasithanda.”)

¹⁹ Zonke izinto ezenzeke kula maKristu sithethe ngawo zibonisa ukuba uYehova, “uThixo onothando” unathi. (2 Kor. 13:11) Unomdla kuye ngamnye wethu. Siqinisekile ukuba ‘siphahlwe luthando lwakhe olungagungqiyo.’ (INdu. 32:10) Xa sicingisisa ngeendlela abonise ngazo ukuba uyasithanda, uza kuya esiba ngumntu wokwenene kuthi, sitsho sizive sisondele kakhulu kuye. Sinokuthetha naye sikhululekile, simxelele indlela esiludinga ngayo uthando lwakhe. Sinokumxelela zonke izinto esinexhala lazo siqinisekile ukuba uyayiqonda indlela esiziva ngayo, futhi uyafuna ukusinceda.​—INdu. 145:18, 19.

20. Uthando lukaYehova lusisondeza njani kuye?

²⁰ Njengokuba siye sifune ukusondela kumlilo ofudumeleyo ngemini ebandayo, nothando lukaYehova lusenza sifune ukusondela kuye. Ngoxa uthando lukaYehova lunamandla, lunabo nobubele. Ngoko makukuvuyise ukuthandwa nguYehova. Akwaba sonke lungasenza sithi: “Ndiyamthanda uYehova”!​—INdu. 116:1.