1, 2. (a) Yintoni ekwenza uqiniseke ukuba uYehova uyabathanda abantu bakhe? (b) Badalwe njani abantu?

YINTONI ekwenza uqiniseke ukuba uYehova uyabathanda abantu bakhe? Ngaphambi kokuba uphendule, khawujonge le mizekelo: Kangangeminyaka abazalwana noodade babekhuthaza uTaylene. Babemxelela lo dade ukuba angafuni ukwenza okungaphaya kwamandla akhe. Uthi: “Ukuba uYehova ebengandithandi, ngengakhange aqhubeke endinika esi siluleko.” UBrigitte, owaswelekelwa ngumyeni waza wakhulisa abantwana ababini, uthi: “Kunzima kakhulu ukukhulisa abantwana kweli hlabathi likaSathana, ndingasathethi ke xa uwedwa. Kodwa ndiqinisekile ukuba uYehova uyandithanda kuba ebesoloko enam kumaxesha anzima nabuhlungu, akazange andiyekele koko ndingenakukunyamezela.” (1 Korinte 10:13) USandra ugula kakhulu sisifo esinganyangekiyo. Kwenye indibano, udade othile wabonisa uSandra inkathalo. Umyeni kaSandra uthi: “Nangona sasingamazi, inkathalo yakhe yasenza savuya kakhulu. Nezona  zinto zincinci esizenzelwa ngabazalwana bethu, zindibonisa indlela uYehova asithanda ngayo.”

² UYehova usidale sakufuna ukuthanda abantu nokuziva sithandwa. Noko ke, kulula ukudimazeka ngenxa yokugula, iingxaki zemali okanye xa ukushumayela kwethu kungavelisi miphumo. Ukuba sivakalelwa kukuba uYehova akasasithandi, simele sikhumbule ukuba sixabisekile kuye yaye uyasinceda esibambe ngesandla sethu sasekunene. Akasoze asilibale ukuba sithembekile kuye.—Isaya 41:13; 49:15.

3. Yintoni enokusenza siqiniseke ngakumbi ukuba uthando lukaYehova luhlala luhleli?

³ La maNgqina sithethe ngawo ayeqinisekile ukuba uThixo wawaxhasa kumaxesha anzima. Nathi sinokuqiniseka ukuba uyasixhasa. (INdumiso 118:6, 7) Kweli nqaku, siza kuthetha ngezipho ezine ezisibonisa ukuba uYehova uyasithanda. Ezo zipho (1) yindalo, (2) iBhayibhile, (3) umthandazo (4) nentlawulelo. Ukucamngca ngezinto ezintle uYehova azenzileyo kunokusinceda siluxabise uthando lwakhe oluhlala luhleli.—Funda iNdumiso 77:11, 12.

4. Sifunda ntoni kwindalo kaYehova?

⁴ Xa sijonge indalo kaYehova, siye sibone indlela asithanda ngayo. (Roma 1:20) Ngokomzekelo, uYehova udale umhlaba ngenjongo yokuba singaneli nje ukuphila kuwo kodwa sibunandiphe ubomi. Siyakudinga ukutya, kodwa uYehova akaphelelanga ekusinikeni ukutya okuyimfuneko, usinike iintlobo ngeentlobo zokutya ukuze sikunandiphe! (INtshumayeli 9:7) Udade onguCatherine uyakuthanda ukubukela indalo, ingakumbi xa kusentwasahlobo eKhanada. Uthi: “Kumnandi ukubukela indalo ngeli xesha, ukuntshula kweentyatyambo, ukufuduka kweentaka, nditsho nengcungcu ethanda ukuza kutya efestileni yam yasekhitshini. UYehova ebengenakusinika izinto ezintle kangaka kanti akasithandi.” UBawo wethu uyayithanda indalo yakhe, yaye ufuna nathi isonwabise.—IZenzo 14:16, 17.

5. Uthando lukaYehova lubonakala njani kwindlela abantu abadalwe ngayo?

⁵ UYehova usidale sakwazi ukwenza umsebenzi owanelisayo yaye siwunandiphe. (INtshumayeli 2:24) Wanika abantu umsebenzi wokuzalisa umhlaba, bawulime baze banyamekele iintlanzi, iintaka nezinye izinto eziphilayo. (Genesis 1:26-28) Nathi usidale saneempawu ezintle ukuze sikwazi ukumxelisa!—Efese 5:1.

6. Kutheni simele silixabise kakhulu iLizwi likaThixo?

⁶ UYehova usinike iBhayibhile kuba esithanda kakhulu. Isixelela ngezinto esimele sizazi ngaye nendlela avakalelwa ngayo ngabantu. Ngokomzekelo, iBhayibhile isixelela ngendlela uYehova  awayevakalelwa ngayo ngamaSirayeli awayesoloko emvukela. INdumiso 78:38 ithi: “Wayenenceba; wayezigubungela iziphoso aze angonakalisi. Izihlandlo ezininzi wayewubuyisa umsindo wakhe, yaye wayengawuvuseleli umsindo wakhe.” Ukucamngca ngale vesi kungakunceda ubone indlela uYehova akuthanda nakukhathalele ngayo. Ngoko sinokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova usikhathalele ngeyona ndlela.—Funda eyoku-1 kaPetros 5:6, 7.

7. Kutheni kufuneka siyixabise iBhayibhile?

⁷ IBhayibhile imele ibe yeyona nto ixabisekileyo kuthi. Ngoba? Kuba uYehova uthetha nathi esebenzisa iLizwi lakhe. Xa umzali nomntwana bencokola ngokukhululekileyo, bathandana baze bathembane ngakumbi. UYehova nguBawo wethu onothando. Nakuba singazange  sambona okanye sive ilizwi lakhe, xa sifunda iBhayibhile kuba ngathi uthetha nathi nqo. Sifanele singayeki ukummamela! (Isaya 30:20, 21) Xa sifunda iLizwi likaThixo, siye simazi size simthembe uYehova osikhokelayo nosikhuselayo.—Funda iNdumiso 19:7-11; IMizekeliso 1:33.

8, 9. UYehova ufuna sazi ntoni? Yenza umzekelo oseBhayibhileni.

⁸ UYehova ufuna sazi ukuba uyasithanda yaye ujonga ngaphaya kokungafezeki kwethu. Ukhangela okulungileyo kuthi. (2 Kronike 16:9) Makhe sibone indlela uYehova awakubona ngayo okulungileyo kuKumkani uYehoshafati wakwaYuda. UYehoshafati wenza isigqibo esingesiso ngokulandela uKumkani uAhabhi wakwaSirayeli ukuze balwe nama-Asiriya eRamoti-giliyadi. Nakuba abaprofeti bobuxoki abayi-400 baxelela uAhabhi ongendawo ukuba uza koyisa edabini, umprofeti wokwenyani kaYehova uMikaya wathi kuYehoshafati nakuAhabhi, ukuba bayile edabini baza koyiswa. Yiloo nto kanye eyenzekayo. UAhabhi wafela edabini, ibe noYehoshafati wasinda cebetshu. Emva kwedabi, uYehova wasebenzisa uYehu ukuba aluleke uYehoshafati ngenxa yempazamo yakhe. Kodwa ke uYehu wamxelela nokuba: “Kukho izinto ezilungileyo ezifunyenweyo kuwe.”—2 Kronike 18:4, 5, 18-22, 33, 34; 19:1-3.

⁹ Kwiminyaka ngaphambili, uYehoshafati waxelela iinkosana, abaLevi nababingeleli ukuba baye kuzo zonke izixeko zakwaYuda ukuze bafundise abantu uMthetho kaYehova. Baphumelela ekufundiseni kuba nabantu bezinye iintlanga bamazi uYehova. (2 Kronike 17:3-10) Nangona uYehoshafati waye waphambuka, uYehova akazange azilibale izinto ezintle awayezenzile. Loo mzekelo uyasithuthuzela kakhulu, kuba ngamanye amaxesha siyazenza iimpazamo. Noko ke, ukuba siyazimisela ekukhonzeni uYehova, uya kuqhubeka esithanda yaye akasoze azilibale izinto ezintle esizenzileyo.

10, 11. (a) Kutheni umthandazo usisipho esikhethekileyo esivela kuYehova? (b) UThixo unokuyiphendula njani imithandazo yethu? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

¹⁰ Ubawo onothando uzipha ixesha lokumamela abantwana bakhe xa befuna ukuthetha naye. Ufuna ukwazi indlela abavakalelwa ngayo kuba ubakhathalele ngeyona ndlela. Kunjalo ke nangoBawo wethu onothando, uYehova. Uyasiphulaphula xa sithandaza kuye. Kulilungelo nyhani ukuthetha noBawo wethu!

¹¹ Sinokuthandaza kuYehova nanini na. Ungumhlobo wethu, yaye usoloko ekulungele ukuyiphulaphula imithandazo yethu. UTaylene, ebesikhe sathetha ngaye, uthi: “Ungathetha yonke into kuye, nokuba yintoni, akayi kukuphazamisa.” Xa sichazela uYehova ezona zinto sizicingayo, unokusiphendula ngesibhalo, ngenqaku elithile kwiincwadi zethu okanye ngokhuthazo lomzalwana okanye udade. UYehova uyaziva ezona zicelo zethu, yaye uyaziqonda iimeko zethu kwanaxa abanye bengaziqondi. Indlela ayiphendula ngayo imithandazo yethu ibonisa ukuba uthando lwakhe luhlala luhleli.

12. Kutheni simele siyihlolisise imithandazo eseBhayibhileni? Yenza umzekelo.

 ¹² Sinokufunda izifundo ezibalulekileyo kwimithandazo eseBhayibhileni. Ngamanye amaxesha, kuyanceda ukuhlola eminye yale mithandazo kunqulo lwentsapho. Indlela esithandaza ngayo iya kuphucuka xa sicingisisa ngemithandazo esuka entliziyweni yabakhonzi bakaThixo bamandulo. Ngokomzekelo, khawukhe uhlolisise umthandazo kaYona esesiswini sentlanzi enkulu. (Yona 1:17–2:10) Hlolisisa nomthandazo kaSolomon osuka entliziyweni ethandaza kuYehova xa wayenikezela itempile. (1 Kumkani 8:22-53) Kanti camngca nangomthandazo kaYesu ongumzekelo. (Mateyu 6:9-13) Okubaluleke ngakumbi kukuba, ‘uzazise izibongozo zakho kuThixo’ rhoqo. Oko kuya kubangela ukuba, ‘uxolo lukaThixo olungaphaya kokuqonda luyilinde intliziyo yakho.’ Uxabiso esinalo ngothando lukaYehova oluhlala luhleli luya kuqhubeka lusithi chatha.—Filipi 4:6, 7.

13. Intlawulelo isinika liphi ithuba?

¹³ UYehova usinike isipho sentlawulelo ukuze “sizuze ubomi.” (1 Yohane 4:9) Ethetha ngolu thando lukaThixo, umpostile uPawulos wathi: “UKristu, wabafela abantu abangenabuthixo ngexesha elimiselweyo. Kungangenkankulu ukuba nabani na afele umntu olilungisa; eneneni, mhlawumbi, uthile angaba nobuganga bokumfela umntu olungileyo. Kodwa uThixo ubonakalisa uthando lwakhe kuthi ngokuthi, ngoxa sasisengaboni, uKristu asifele.” (Roma 5:6-8) Intlawulelo ngowona mzekelo wothando lukaThixo, yaye inika abantu ithuba lokuba basondele kuye.

14, 15. Ithetha ntoni intlawulelo (a) kumaKristu athanjisiweyo? (b) kwabo banethemba lokuphila emhlabeni?

¹⁴ Iqaqobana lamaKristu libona uthando lukaYehova oluhlala luhleli ngendlela ekhethekileyo. (Yohane 1:12, 13; 3:5-7) UThixo uye wabathambisa aba bantu ngomoya oyingcwele yaye ngenxa yaloo nto, bangabantwana bakhe. (Roma 8:15, 16) Ekubeni abanye babo beselapha emhlabeni, kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos athi bahleli “ndawonye kwezasezulwini iindawo ngokumanyene noKristu Yesu”? (Efese 2:6) Kungenxa yokuba uYehova ubanike ithemba lobomi obungunaphakade emazulwini.—Efese 1:13, 14; Kolose 1:5.

¹⁵ Bonke abo bangengobathanjiswa banokuba ngabahlobo bakaThixo ukuba banokholo kwintlawulelo. Nabo banethuba lokuthengwa babe ngabantwana bakaThixo baze baphile ngonaphakade emhlabeni oyiparadesi. Intlawulelo ibonisa indlela uYehova abathanda ngayo abantu bonke. (Yohane 3:16) Kusivuyisa  nyhani ukwazi ukuba xa sikhonza uThixo ngokuthembeka, uza kusipha obona bomi bumnandi kwihlabathi elitsha! Ngoko masibonise ukuba siyayixabisa intlawulelo, obona bungqina bothando lukaThixo oluhlala luhleli.

16. Kuya kusinceda ngantoni ukucamngca ngothando lukaThixo?

¹⁶ Asinakukwazi ukuzibala iindlela uYehova asibonise ngazo ukuba uyasithanda. UKumkani uDavide wacula wathi: “Hayi indlela ezixabiseke ngayo iingcamango zakho kum! Owu Thixo, hayi indlela esisikhulu ngayo isimbuku sazo! Ukuba bendingazama ukuzibala, zininzi ngakumbi kunentlabathi.” (INdumiso 139:17, 18) Ukucamngca ngeendlela ezininzi uYehova asithanda ngazo kuya kusenza simthande size sizimisele ukumkhonza ngamandla ethu onke.

17, 18. Ziziphi iindlela esinokubonisa ngazo ukuba siyamthanda uThixo?

¹⁷ Zininzi iindlela esinokumbonisa ngazo uYehova ukuba siyamthanda. Ngokomzekelo, sinokumbonisa ukuba siyamthanda ngokushumayela ngenzondelelo iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani. (Mateyu 24:14; 28:19, 20) Sinokulubonisa uthando kuThixo nangokunyamezela ngokuthembeka xa sivavanywa. (Funda iNdumiso 84:11; Yakobi 1:2-5.) Nokuba sesivavanywa ngamandla, sinokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova uyakubona oko yaye uza kusinceda, kuba sixabisekile kuye.—INdumiso 56:8.

¹⁸ Ukumthanda kwethu uYehova kusenza sicamngce ngazo zonke izinto ezimangalisayo azidalileyo. Sibonisa ukumthanda uYehova neLizwi lakhe ngokuyifundisisa iBhayibhile. Sithandaza qho kuYehova kuba siyamthanda ibe sifuna ukomeleza ubuhlobo bethu naye. Ibe xa sicamngca ngesipho esixabisekileyo sentlawulelo, siya simthanda nangakumbi. (1 Yohane 2:1, 2) Ezi zezinye zeendlela esibonisa ngazo ukuba siyaluxabisa uthando lukaYehova oluhlala luhleli.