1. Kutheni uYehova enguMbumbi omkhulu?

NGONOVEMBA 2010, umntu othile wayefuna ukuthenga ivazi yodongwe endala yamaTshayina eyiyathengiswa ngemali emalunga needola eziyi-70 miliyoni, eNgilani. Iyamangalisa into yokuba umbumbi unokubumba into engenamsebenzi njengodongwe, ayenze ibe yivazi entle yexabiso. UYehova, uMbumbi wethu, mkhulu lee kunaye nawuphi na umbumbi ongumntu. IBhayibhile ithi uYehova wenza umntu ofezekileyo “ngothuli lomhlaba” oko kukuthi, ngodongwe. (Genesis 2:7) Loo mntu, uAdam, waba ‘ngunyana kaThixo’ yaye wenziwa wakwazi ukuxelisa iimpawu zakhe.—Luka 3:38.

2, 3. Sinokusixelisa njani isimo sengqondo samaSirayeli awaguqukayo?

² Xa uAdam wavukela uMdali wakhe, wayeka ukuba ngunyana kaThixo. Kodwa abaninzi kwinzala kaAdam baye bazikhethela uYehova njengoMlawuli. (Hebhere 12:1) Ngokuthobela ulwalathiso loMdali, baye babonisa ukuba bakhetha yena, kungekhona uSathana, ukuba abe nguBawo noMbumbi wabo. (Yohane 8:44) Ukuthembeka kwabo  kuThixo kusikhumbuza oko kwathethwa ngamaSirayeli aguqukileyo xa athi: “Yehova, wena unguBawo. Siludongwe, yaye wena unguMbumbi wethu; thina sonke singumsebenzi wesandla sakho.”—Isaya 64:8.

³ Nanamhlanje abakhonzi bokwenene bakaYehova, bawa bevuka bezama ukuthobeka nokumthobela. Bakujonga njengelungelo ukubiza uYehova njengoBawo yaye bafuna abe nguMbumbi wabo. Ngaba sikulungele ukuba njengodongwe oluthambileyo uThixo anokulubumba lube sisitya esixabisekileyo? Ngaba sijonga bonke abazalwana noodadewethu njengodongwe olungekagqitywa ukubunjwa nguThixo? Ukuze sincedakale sibe nesimo sengqondo esifanelekileyo siza kuthetha ngendlela uYehova abakhetha ngayo abo afuna ukubabumba, nesizathu sokubabumba kwakhe kunye nendlela akwenza ngayo oko.

4. UYehova ubakhetha njani abo abatsalela kuye? Yenza imizekelo.

⁴ UYehova akabajongi abantu ngendlela thina esibajonga ngayo. Kunoko uhlola intliziyo aze abone oyena mntu singuye ngaphakathi. (Funda eyoku-1 kaSamuweli 16:7b.) UYehova wakubonisa oku xa waseka ibandla lamaKristu. Watsalela kuye nakuNyana wakhe abantu abaninzi ababebonwa ngabantu njengabangento-yanto. (Yohane 6:44) Ngokomzekelo, omnye umntu owayenjalo yayingumFarisi ogama linguSawule, ‘owayengumnyelisi, umtshutshisi nomntu osileyo.’ (1 Timoti 1:13) Kodwa uYehova wayihlola intliziyo kaSawule waza akavakalelwa kukuba uludongwe olungento-yanto. (IMizekeliso 17:3) Kunoko, uYehova wabona ukuba uSawule unokubunjwa abe ‘sisitya esinyuliweyo’ aze ashumayele “ezintlangeni nakookumkani noonyana bakaSirayeli.” (IZenzo 9:15) UYehova waphinda wakhetha nabanye abantu awababumbela ‘umsebenzi obekekileyo’ kuquka nabo babengamanxila, ababeziphethe kakubi kunye namasela. (Roma 9:21; 1 Korinte 6:9-11) Njengoko babefunda iZibhalo, bomeleza ukholo lwabo kuYehova baza bamvumela ukuba ababumbe.

5, 6. Ukumthemba kwethu uYehova njengoMbumbi, kumele kuyichaphazele njani indlela esibajonga ngayo (a) abantu kwintsimi yethu? (b) abazalwana noodadewethu?

⁵ Simthembile uYehova ukuba uyakwazi ukukhetha nokutsala abantu abafanelekileyo. Yiyo loo nto singamele sibagwebe abantu abakwintsimi yethu nabakwibandla lethu. Ngokomzekelo, khawuve indlela uMichael awayesabela ngayo xa etyelelwa ngamaNgqina kaYehova. Uthi: “Ndandivele ndijonge kwelinye icala ndingabahoyi ngokungathi abathethi nam. Ndandikrwada nyhani! Kamva, kwenye indawo ndadibana nenye intsapho endandiyihlonela ngenxa yehambo yayo. Ngenye imini, ndothuka kakhulu ndakuva ukuba, kanti ngamaNgqina kaYehova!  Indlela ababeziphethe ngayo yandenza ndacingisisa ngokuba yintoni kanye le indenza ndibe nocalucalulo. Ndakhawuleza ndaqonda ukuba isimo sam sengqondo sasibangelwa kukungazi, nokuva izinto ezazithethwa ngabantu kungekhona inyani.” UMichael watsho wafuna ukwazi ngakumbi, waza wamkela isifundo seBhayibhile. Kamva wabhaptizwa waza wangenela inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo.

⁶ Xa sivumela uYehova abe ngumbumbi wethu, indlela esibajonga ngayo abazalwana noodadewethu nayo iya kutshintsha. Siya kujonga ngamnye kubo njengabo basabunjwa nguYehova. Le yindlela uYehova abajonga ngayo. Ubona iintliziyo zabo yaye uyazi ukuba ukungafezeki kwabo kokwexeshana, kwaye banokuba ngabantu abangcono ngenye imini. (INdumiso 130:3) Sinokumxelisa uYehova ngokubajonga ngendlela abajonga ngayo abazalwana bethu. Simele sisebenzisane noMbumbi wethu ukuze sincede abazalwana noodadewethu benze inkqubela. (1 Tesalonika 5:14, 15) Abadala emabandleni bamele bamisele umzekelo omhle kule nkalo.—Efese 4:8, 11-13.

7. Kutheni uluxabisa uqeqesho lukaYehova?

⁷ Bambi abantu basenokuthi: ‘Andizange ndiluxabise uqeqesho lwabazali bam de ndaba nabam abantwana.’ Njengoko sikhula, sinokuyixabisa ingqeqesho kuba siyijonga njengembonakaliso yothando. (Funda amaHebhere 12:5, 6, 11.) Ewe, uYehova uyasithanda njengabantwana bakhe, kungenxa yoko le nto esiqeqesha ngomonde okanye esibumba. Ufuna sibe zizilumko, sonwabe size simthande njengoBawo wethu. (IMizekeliso 23:15) Akathandi ukusibona sibandezeleka size sife njengaboni abangaguqukiyo.—Efese 2:2, 3.

8, 9. Usifundisa njani uYehova namhlanje, yaye le mfundo iza kubakhona na kwikamva?

⁸ Ngaphambi kokuba simazi uYehova, kusenokwenzeka ukuba sasineempawu ezimbi ezininzi. Kodwa uYehova uye wasibumba wasinceda satshintsha yaye ngoku sinobuntu obuhle. (Isaya 11:6-8; Kolose 3:9, 10) Siphila kwiparadesi yokomoya. Le yimeko ekhethekileyo ayenzileyo uYehova kule mihla yethu esinceda sibumbeke. Kule meko, siziva sikhuselekile nakubeni ihlabathi elisingqongileyo likhohlakele. Abo baye bakhula bengalufumani uthando ezintsatsheni zabo, ngoku banandipha uthando oluvela kubazalwana noodade kule paradesi yokomoya. (Yohane 13:35) Nathi siye safunda ukubonisa uthando kwabanye. Kodwa okubaluleke nangakumbi kukuba, siye samazi uYehova yaye ngoku sinandipha uthando lwakhe lobuzali.—Yakobi 4:8.

⁹ Kwihlabathi elitsha siza kungenelwa ngokupheleleyo kwiparadesi yokomoya. Kwakhona siza kunandipha  iparadesi yokoqobo phantsi kolawulo loBukumkani bukaThixo. Ngelo xesha uYehova uya kuqhubeka esibumba yaye esifundisa ngendlela esingenakuyithelekelela okwangoku. (Isaya 11:9) Kwakhona uYehova uya kwenza imizimba neengqondo zethu zifezeke. Oku kuya kwenza kube lula ukuyiqonda nokuyithobela ngokupheleleyo imiyalelo yakhe. Ngoko masiqhubeke simvumela uYehova ukuba asibumbe, yaye masimbonise ukuba siyabuxabisa obu bungqina bokusithanda kwakhe.—IMizekeliso 3:11, 12.

10. UYesu wabubonisa njani ubuchule nomonde boyena Mbumbi Mkhulu?

¹⁰ Njengokuba umbumbi onobuchule elwazi kakuhle uhlobo lodongwe alubumbayo, uMbumbi wethu uYehova, usazi kakuhle. Uyabazi ubuthathaka bethu, ukusikelwa kwethu umda nenkqubela esele siyenzile ukuza kuthi ga ngoku yaye ubumba ngamnye wethu ecinga ngezi meko. (Funda iNdumiso 103:10-14.) Sinokufunda indlela uYehova asijonga ngayo ngokujonga indlela uYesu awasabela ngayo kwiimpazamo zabapostile. Ngamanye amaxesha, abapostile babephikisana ngokuba nguwuphi omkhulu. Ukuba wawulapho phakathi kwabapostile, wawuya kubajonga njani? Mhlawumbi wawusenokuthi, abalulo udongwe oluthambileyo. Kodwa yena uYesu wayesazi ukuba babenako ukubunjwa xa babenokusiphulaphula isiluleko sakhe sothando nesobubele ukuba nje babenokuxelisa ukuthobeka kwakhe. (Marko 9:33-37; 10:37, 41-45; Luka 22:24-27) Emva kokuba uYesu evusiwe, abapostile bafumana umoya kaThixo, yaye abazange banikele ngqalelo ekubeni nguwuphi omkhulu kubo. Kunoko, banikela ingqalelo kumsebenzi ababewunikwe nguYesu.—IZenzo 5:42.

11. UDavide wazingqina njani efana nodongwe oluthambileyo, yaye sinokumxelisa njani?

¹¹ Namhlanje uYehova usebenzisa iBhayibhile, umoya oyingcwele kunye nebandla ukuze asibumbe. Inokusibumba njani iBhayibhile? Simele siyifunde, sicingisise ngoko sikufundayo size sicele uYehova asincede sikusebenzise oko sikufundileyo. UKumkani uDavide wabhala wathi: “Ndikukhumbule esingqengqelweni sam, ebudeni bemilindo yasebusuku ndicamngca ngawe.” (INdumiso 63:6) Waphinda wabhala wathi: “Ndiya kumbonga uYehova, ondinike icebiso. Eneneni, ebudeni bobusuku izintso zam zindilungisile.” (INdumiso 16:7) Ewe, uDavide wayecingisisa ngesiluleko sikaYehova, aze asivumele ukuba sibumbe iimvakalelo nezona ngcinga zakhe zinzulu, naxa kwakunzima ukusamkela. (2 Samuweli 12:1-13) UDavide wasimisela umzekelo omhle wokuthobeka nokuthobela. Ngoko khawuzibuze: ‘Xa ndifundisisa iBhayibhile, ngaba ndiyacingisisa ngayo ndize ndivumele isiluleko sikaThixo sichukumise iimvakalelo nezona ngcinga zam zinzulu? Ngaba ndingakwenza nangakumbi oku?’—INdumiso 1:2, 3.

12, 13. UYehova usibumba njani esebenzisa umoya oyingcwele kunye nebandla lamaKristu?

¹² Umoya oyingcwele unokusibumba ngeendlela eziliqela. Ngokomzekelo, unokusinceda sifunde ukuxelisa ubuntu bukaYesu, size sivelise iinxalenye ezahlukeneyo zesiqhamo somoya. (Galati 5: 22, 23) Enye inxalenye yeso siqhamo luthando. Siyamthanda uThixo yaye sifuna ukumthobela size sibunjwe nguye, kuba siyazi ukuba imiyalelo yakhe yenzelwe ukunceda thina. Ukongezelela, umoya oyingcwele unokusinika amandla okuphepha ukubunjwa leli hlabathi lingendawo. (Efese 2:2) Xa umpostile uPawulos wayeselula, waphenjelelwa ziinkokeli zonqulo zamaYuda ezazinekratshi. Kodwa umoya oyingcwele wamnceda watshintsha. Kamva wabhala wathi: “Ezintweni zonke ndinamandla ngenxa yalowo undomelezayo.” (Filipi 4:13) Nathi simele sicele umoya oyingcwele, sisazi ukuba uYehova uya kuyiphendula imithandazo yethu enyanisekileyo.—INdumiso 10:17.

¹³ UYehova usebenzisa ibandla kunye nabadala ukuze abumbe ngamnye wethu. Ngokomzekelo, xa abadala bephawula ukuba sinobuthathaka obuthile, baye bazame ukusinceda. Sekunjalo, abaye banikele isiluleko ngokokubona kwabo (Galati 6:1) Kunoko, ngokuthobeka bathandaza kuYehova bacele ukuqonda nobulumko. Emva koko, benza uphando besebenzisa iBhayibhile neencwadi zethu zamaKristu ukuze bafumane inkcazelo eza kusinceda. Ukuba abadala beza kuwe baze bakunike isiluleko sobubele nesothando, mhlawumbi ngendlela onxibe ngayo, khumbula ukuba obu bubungqina bokuba uThixo uyakuthanda. Xa ulisebenzisa elo cebiso, uya kuba njengodongwe oluthambileyo uYehova akwaziyo ukulubumba, kwaye uya kungenelwa.

14. Nakubeni uYehova enegunya, ubonisa njani ukuba uyalihlonela ilungelo lethu lokuzikhethela?

¹⁴ Ukuba siyayiqonda indlela uYehova asibumba ngayo, oko kunokusinceda ukuba sibe nolwalamano oluhle nabazalwana noodadewethu. Kwakhona siya  kuba nesimo sengqondo esihle ngabantu abakwintsimi yethu, kuquka nezifundo zethu zeBhayibhile. Ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, umbumbi wayemele aqale alucoce udongwe ngokususa amatye nobunye ubumdaka ngaphambi kokuba alubumbe. UMbumbi Omkhulu uYehova, unceda abantu abafuna ukubunjwa. Akabanyanzeli ukuba batshintshe, kunoko ubabonisa imilinganiselo yakhe ecocekileyo. Emva koko, bamele bazigqibele ngokwabo ukuba baza kulwenza kusini na utshintsho olufunekayo.

15, 16. Izifundo zeBhayibhile zinokubonisa njani ukuba zifuna uYehova azibumbe? Zekelisa.

¹⁵ Khawucinge ngoko kwenzeka kuTessie, udade ohlala eOstreliya. Kwakulula ngaye ukufunda oko iBhayibhile ikutshoyo. Kodwa akazange enze nkqubela ingako, yaye akazange aye ezintlanganisweni. Udade owayefunda kunye naye, wathandaza kuYehova waza wagqiba kwelokuba asiphelise eso sifundo. Emva koko kwenzeka into emangalisayo. Kwisifundo sabo, uTessie wachazela lo dade isizathu sokuba engekenzi nkqubela. Wamxelela ukuba uvakalelwa ngathi uzenza umntu angenguye kuba wayekuthanda ukungcakaza. Kodwa ngoku wayegqibe kwelokuba ayeke ukungcakaza.

¹⁶ Kungabanga kudala, uTessie waqalisa ukuya ezintlanganisweni waza wavelisa iimpawu zobuKristu nakubeni abanye babahlobo bakhe bangaphambili babehlekisa ngaye. Ekuhambeni kwexesha uTessie wabhaptizwa waza waba nguvulindlela othe ngxi, ngoxa wayenabantwana abancinane. Icacile ke into yokuba xa izifundo zeBhayibhile ziqalisa ukwenza utshintsho ukuze zivuyise uThixo, uya kusondela kuzo aze azibumbe zibe zizitya ezixabisekileyo.

17. (a) Yintoni oyithandayo ngokubunjwa nguYehova? (b) Ziziphi iinxalenye zokubunjwa esiza kuthetha ngazo kwinqaku elilandelayo?

¹⁷ Nanamhlanje abanye ababumbi basalubumba ngocoselelo udongwe lube ziivazi ezintle ngezandla. Ngendlela efanayo, uYehova uyasibumba ngomonde esebenzisa isiluleko aze abukele ngokusondeleyo indlela esiza kusabela ngayo. (Funda iNdumiso 32:8.) Ngaba uyayibona into yokuba uYehova unomdla kuwe? Ngaba uyayibona indlela uYehova akubumba ngayo ngocoselelo? Ukuba kunjalo, ziziphi iimpawu eziya kukunceda uhlale uludongwe oluthambileyo uYehova anokulubumba? Ziziphi iimpawu omele uziphephe ukuze ungafani nodongwe oluqinileyo, olungabumbekiyo? Abazali banokuncedisana njani noYehova ekubumbeni abantwana babo? Inqaku elilandelayo liza kuyiphendula le mibuzo.