1, 2. Abanye abantu bacinga ntoni ngoThixo?

ABANTU abaninzi bacinga ukuba uThixo akazihoyanga izinto abazenzayo. Bacinga ukuba akazikhathalelanga izinto ezenzeka kubo. Ngokomzekelo, emva kokuba ummandla omkhulu wePhilippines untlithwe sisaqhwithi ngoNovemba 2013, omnye usodolophu wathi: “Makube uThixo ebesathe tshalala.”

² Abanye abantu bacinga ukuba uThixo akaziboni izinto abazenzayo. (Isaya 26:10, 11; 3 Yohane 11) Nabanye abantu bemihla yompostile uPawulos babecinga njalo. Wathi ngabo: “Babengakholiswa kukumgqala uThixo.” Babengengomalungisa, bengendawo, bebawa yaye bebabi.—Roma 1:28, 29.

3. (a) Yiyiphi imibuzo emasizibuze yona? (b) EBhayibhileni sidla ngokubhekisela entwenini “isandla” sikaThixo?

³ Sinjani thina? Siyazi ukuba uYehova uyibona yonke into esiyenzayo. Kodwa ngaba siyakholelwa ukuba uYehova unomdla kuthi? Ngaba siyasibona isandla sakhe sisinceda ebomini bethu? EBhayibhileni “isandla” sikaThixo sidla  ngokubhekisela kumandla akhe. Usebenzisa amandla akhe ekuncedeni abakhonzi bakhe nokuze oyise iintshaba zakhe. (Funda iDuteronomi 26:8.) UYesu wathi, abanye abantu babeya “kumbona uThixo.” (Mateyu 5:8) Ngaba singabanye babo bantu? ‘Singambona’ njani uThixo? Makhe sibone imizekelo eseBhayibhileni yabo basibonayo isandla sikaThixo nabo bangazange basibone. Siza kubona nendlela ukholo olusinceda ngayo sibone isandla sikaThixo.

4. Kwakutheni ukuze iintshaba zikaSirayeli zingafuni ukusibona isandla sikaThixo?

⁴ Mandulo, abantu abaninzi babenethuba lokuzibonela nokuzivela indlela uThixo awayemnceda ngayo uSirayeli. UYehova wenza imimangaliso ukuze akhulule abantu bakhe eYiputa nokuze oyise ookumkani abaninzi kwiLizwe Lesithembiso. (Yoshuwa 9:3, 9, 10) Nangona abanye ookumkani babevile baza babona indlela uYehova abasindise ngayo abantu bakhe, “badibana bonke ukuze balwe imfazwe noYoshuwa noSirayeli.” (Yoshuwa 9:1, 2) Xa babesilwa noSirayeli, abo kumkani babe sethubeni lokuzibonela isandla sikaThixo. Ngenxa yamandla kaYehova amakhulu, “ilanga lanqumama, nenyanga yema ngxi, de uhlanga lwaziphindezela kwiintshaba zalo.” (Yoshuwa 10:13) Kodwa uYehova wazivumela iintliziyo zeentshaba zikaSirayeli ukuba “zibe lukhuni,” ukuze zilwe namaSirayeli. (Yoshuwa 11:20) Iintshaba zamaSirayeli zoyiswa kuba zazingafuni ukuyibona into yokuba uYehova uyabalwela abantu bakhe.

5. UKumkani uAhabhi wayengafuni ukukholelwa ntoni?

⁵ Kamva, uKumkani uAhabhi ongendawo, wayenamathuba amaninzi okubona isandla sikaThixo. UEliya wathi kuye: “Akuyi kubakho mbethe namvula, ngaphandle komyalelo welizwi lam!” (1 Kumkani 17:1) Oku kwakusenzeka ngenxa yesandla sikaThixo, kodwa uAhabhi akazange akukholelwe oko. Emva koko, uEliya wathandaza kuYehova, yaye wamphendula ngokuthi ahlise umlilo ezulwini. UAhabhi wakubona oko. Kamva, uEliya waxelela uAhabhi ukuba uYehova uza kuyiphelisa imbalela aze anise izantyalantyala zemvula. (1 Kumkani 18:22-45) UAhabhi wayibona yonke le mimangaliso kodwa zange avume ukuba uwabonile amandla kaYehova. Sifunda ntoni kule mizekelo? Nathi simele sisikhangele isandla sikaThixo ebomini bethu.

6, 7. Yintoni eyayisaziwa ngamaGibheyon nanguRahabhi?

⁶ AmaGibheyon ayehluke kakhulu kwiintlanga ezaziwangqongile. Asibona isandla sikaThixo. Kunokuba alwe namaSirayeli, amaGibheyon afuna ukwenza uxolo nawo. Ngoba? Athi avile ngoYehova nangezinto zonke azenzileyo. (Yoshuwa 9:3, 9, 10) Yaba bubulumko ukuyibona kwawo into yokuba uYehova uyawalwela amaSirayeli.

 ⁷ NoRahabhi wasibona isandla sikaYehova. WayengengomSirayeli, kodwa weva ngendlela uYehova awabakhulula ngayo abantu bakhe eYiputa. Xa iintlola ezimbini ezingamaSirayeli zeza kuye, wathi kuzo: “Ndiyazi ukuba uYehova ngokuqinisekileyo uza kuninika eli lizwe.” URahabhi wayenokholo lokuba uYehova uza kumsindisa kunye nentsapho yakhe. Wabonisa ukholo kuYehova nangona wayesazi ukuba oko kwakuza kumfaka engozini.—Yoshuwa 2:9-13; 4:23, 24.

8. Amanye amaSirayeli asibona njani isandla sikaThixo?

⁸ Ngokungafaniyo noKumkani ongendawo uAhabhi, amanye amaSirayeli awawubonayo umlilo usehla uvela ezulwini ngenxa yomthandazo kaEliya, aqonda ukuba nguThixo owayesenza oku. Akhwaza athi: “UYehova nguThixo oyinyaniso!” (1 Kumkani 18:39) Ayeqinisekile ukuba awabonile amandla kaThixo.

9. Singambona njani uYehova nesandla sakhe namhlanje?

⁹ Siye sathetha ngemizekelo emihle nemibi esinceda sazi ukuba kuthetha ukuthini “ukubona uThixo” okanye ukubona isandla sakhe. Njengoko sisiya simazi uYehova neempawu zakhe, siyasibona isandla sakhe ‘ngamehlo eentliziyo zethu.’ (Efese 1:18) Le nto isenza sifune ukuxelisa abantu abathembekileyo bamandulo nabangoku abazibonele ngokwabo indlela uYehova abanceda ngayo abantu bakhe. Sekunjalo, ngaba sinabo ubungqina bokuba uThixo uyabanceda abantu namhlanje?

10. Bubuphi ubungqina esinabo bokuba uYehova usabanceda abantu kule mihla? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

¹⁰ Sinobungqina obuyintabalala bokuba uYehova usabanceda abantu kule mihla. Kukangaphi sisiva amava abo baye bathandazela uncedo lukaThixo ebomini babo baza baphendulwa? (INdumiso 53:2) Ngokomzekelo, ngoxa wayeshumayela kwisiqithi sasePhilippines, uAllan wadibana nebhinqa elalichiphiza iinyembezi. Uthi, “Kuloo ntsasa, lathandaza kuYehova licela ukuba iNgqina likaYehova lilityelele.” Xa lalikwishumi elivisayo, lalifunda iBhayibhile namaNgqina, kodwa emva kokuba litshatile laza lafudukela kweso siqithi, layeka ukufunda. Lalichukumisekile yindlela uThixo awawuphendula ngokukhawuleza ngayo umthandazo walo. Kungaphelanga nonyaka, lazahlulela kuYehova.

11, 12. (a) UYehova ubanceda njani abakhonzi bakhe? (b) Khawuchaze indlela uYehova awamnceda ngayo omnye udade.

¹¹ Abakhonzi bakaYehova abaninzi baye bazibonela isandla sikaThixo sibanceda bohlukane nemikhwa emibi njengokutshaya, ukusebenzisa kakubi iziyobisi okanye ukubukela iphonografi. Abanye bathi baye bazama ukuziyekela ngokwabo ukwahlukana nale mikhwa kodwa abakwazi. Sekunjalo, xa bacela kuYehova, wabanika “amandla angaphaya koko kuqhelekileyo,” baza ekugqibeleni bayiyeka le mikhwa.—2 Korinte 4:7; INdumiso 37:23, 24.

¹² UYehova uyabanceda abakhonzi bakhe nokuba banyamezele ubunzima. Loo nto siyibona kumzekelo ka-Amy. Wayencedisa ekwakhiweni kweHolo yoBukumkani nekhaya labathunywa bevangeli kwisiqithi esikuLwandlekazi iPasifiki. Indlela yokuphila apho yayahlukile, umbane okanye amanzi edla ngokungabikho, izitrato zidamile, ekhumbula nentsapho yakhe yaye ehlala kwigunjana lasehotele. Ngenye imini wathetha ngomsindo kudade awayesebenza naye. Waba buhlungu kakhulu yiloo nto. Xa wabuyela kwigumbi lakhe kungekho mbane, wathandaza kuYehova ecela uncedo. Ukubuya kombane, wafunda inqaku elithetha ngabaphumelele eGiliyadi kwiMboniselo. Eli nqaku lalithetha kanye ngezi ngxaki naye wayezinyamezele. Uthi: “Kwakungathi uYehova uthetha nam ngoba busuku. Ndafumana ukhuthazo lokuqhubeka nesabelo sam.”—INdumiso 44:25, 26; Isaya 41:10, 13.

13. Bubuphi ubungqina esinabo bokuba uYehova uye wabanceda abantu bakhe balwela ilungelo labo lokushumayela?

¹³ UYehova uye wabanceda abantu nasekuthetheleleni iindaba ezilungileyo nokuba zibe semthethweni. (Filipi 1:7) Ngokomzekelo, xa abanye oorhulumente bebezama ukuvala umsebenzi wokushumayela, sikwazile ukuzithethelela ezinkundleni. Ubuncinane, siphumelele amatyala ayi-268 kwiinkundla eziphakamileyo  ehlabathini lonke, ayi-24 aphunyelelwe kwiNkundla YaseYurophu Elwela Amalungelo Abantu ukususela ngonyaka ka-2000. Izicacele into yokuba akukho mntu unokusinqanda isandla sikaThixo!—Isaya 54:17; funda uIsaya 59:1.

14. Bubuphi obunye ubungqina bokuba uThixo unabantu bakhe?

¹⁴ Ukushunyayelwa kweendaba ezilungileyo ehlabathini lonke bobunye ubungqina esinabo besandla sikaThixo. (Mateyu 24:14; IZenzo 1:8) Ibe nomanyano lwabakhonzi bakaYehova beentlanga zonke lukho ngenxa yokuncedwa nguYehova. Alukho umanyano olunje! Kwanabantu abangamkhonziyo uYehova bayatsho ukuba: “Ngokwenene uThixo uphakathi kwenu.” (1 Korinte 14:25) Sinobungqina obuninzi bokuba uThixo unabantu bakhe. (Funda uIsaya 66:14.) Wena, ngaba uyasibona isandla sikaYehova ebomini bakho?

15. Ngamanye amaxesha yintoni enokusenza singasiboni isandla sikaYehova ebomini bethu?

¹⁵ Ngamanye amaxesha, sisenokungasiboni isandla sikaThixo ebomini bethu. Ngoba? Xa sineengxaki, sinokulibala ukuba uYehova ebesincedile amaxesha amaninzi ngaphambili. Oku kwenzeka kuEliya. Wayenesibindi, kodwa xa uKumkanikazi uIzebhele wayefuna ukumbulala, woyika. Walibala okomzuzwana ukuba uYehova wayekhe wamnceda ngaphambili. IBhayibhile ithi uEliya wayefuna ukufa. (1 Kumkani 19:1-4) Wayenokulufumana phi uncedo nesibindi? KuYehova kaloku!—1 Kumkani 19:14-18.

16. Sinokumbona njani uThixo xa sineengxaki?

¹⁶ UYobhi wazihlupha kakhulu ngeengxaki awayenazo de izinto akazijonga ngendlela uYehova azijonga ngayo. (Yobhi 42:3-6) Ngamanye amaxesha, nathi  sisenokungayiboni imisebenzi kaThixo ngenxa yeengxaki esinazo. Yintoni enokusinceda sizibone izinto esizenzelwa nguThixo? Simele sicamngce ngoko iBhayibhile ikutshoyo ngeengxaki zethu. Xa sisenjenjalo, uYehova uya kuba ngumntu wokwenene kuthi, ibe nathi siya kutsho sikwazi ukuthetha la mazwi: “Ndikuve ngondiva, kodwa ngoku iliso lam liyakubona.”

17, 18. (a) Unokusibona njani isandla sikaYehova ebomini bakho? (b) Khawubalise amava abonisa ukuba uThixo uyasinceda.

¹⁷ Unokusibona njani isandla sikaYehova ebomini bakho? Makhe sijonge le mizekelo mihlanu. Okokuqala, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uvakalelwa kukuba nguYehova okuncede wafumana inyaniso. Okwesibini, mhlawumbi ukhumbula usiya kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu, usiva intetho waza wathi, “Yile nto kanye ebendiyidinga le!” Okwesithathu, mhlawumbi uye wayibona indlela uYehova awuphendule ngayo omnye wemithandazo yakho. Okwesine, mhlawumbi ubufuna ukumsebenzela ngakumbi uYehova yaye uyayibona indlela akuncede ngayo wakwenza oko. Okwesihlanu, mhlawumbi uye wayeka umsebenzi wakho kuba ubukwenza ungakwazi ukumkhonza kakuhle uYehova waza wambona esizalisekisa isithembiso sakhe esithi: “Andiyi kuze ndikushiye.” (Hebhere 13:5) Xa sisondele kakhulu kuYehova, sinokusibona ngokulula isandla sakhe ebomini bethu.

¹⁸ Udade waseKenya, uSarah, uthi: “Ndathandaza ngesifundo endandivakalelwa kukuba asikuxabisi ukufundelwa kwaso iBhayibhile. Ndabuza kuYehova ukuba ndisiyeke na esi sifundo. Emva nje kokuba ndithe ‘Amen,’ kwakhala ifowuni. Yayisisifundo sam sibuza ukuba singaya na nam kwiintlanganiso! Zange ndikholelwe!” Ukuba siyazihlola izinto uThixo asenzela zona, siya kusibona isandla sakhe. Udade waseAsia, uRhonna uthi kuthatha ixesha ukubona iindlela uYehova asinceda ngazo ebomini bethu. Uphinda athi: “Xa ude wazibona, uya kumangaliswa kukubona indlela anomdla ngayo kuthi!”

19. Yintoni enye esimele siyenze ukuze simbone uThixo?

¹⁹ UYesu wathi abo bafuna ‘ukumbona uThixo’ bamele ‘basulungeke entliziyweni.’ (Mateyu 5:8) Ithetha ukuthini loo nto? Simele sigcine iingcinga zethu zicocekile yaye siyeke ukwenza nantoni na engalunganga. (Funda eyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 4:2) Kweli nqaku, sifunde ukuba ukuze sibone isandla sikaThixo, simele siqhubeke sibomeleza ubuhlobo bethu naye. Kwinqaku elilandelayo, siza kuthetha ngendlela ukholo olunokusinceda ngayo sibone isandla sikaYehova ngokucace ngakumbi ebomini bethu.