1. Kungani uJehova enguMbumbi omkhulu kunabo bonke?

NGO-November 2010, ivazi yobumba yaseChina yadayiswa ngamarandi angaba ngu-1 billion eNgilandi. Kuyamangaza ukuthi umbumbi angakwazi ukusebenzisa into evamile nengabizi njengobumba ukuze enze ivazi enhle nebiza kangaka. UJehova, uMbumbi wethu, ungcono kakhulu kunanoma imuphi umbumbi ongumuntu. IBhayibheli lithi uJehova wenza umuntu ophelele “ngothuli lomhlabathi,” okungukuthi ngobumba. (Genesise 2:7) Lowo muntu, u-Adamu, ‘wayeyindodana kaNkulunkulu’ futhi wadalwa enekhono lokulingisa izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu.—Luka 3:38.

2, 3. Singasilingisa kanjani isimo sengqondo sama-Israyeli ayephendukile?

² Lapho u-Adamu evukela uMdali wakhe, akabange esaba indodana kaNkulunkulu. Kodwa abaningi enzalweni ka-Adamu baye bakhetha ukubuswa nguJehova. (Hebheru 12:1) Ngokulalela uMdali wabo ngokuthobeka, baye babonisa ukuthi bafuna ukuba kube nguye uYise noMbumbi wabo, hhayi uSathane. (Johane 8:44) Ubuqotho babo kuNkulunkulu busikhumbuza  ama-Israyeli ayephendukile athi: “O Jehova, wena unguBaba wethu. Thina siwubumba, wena unguMbumbi wethu; thina sonke siwumsebenzi wesandla sakho.”—Isaya 64:8.

³ Abakhulekeli bakaJehova beqiniso namuhla nabo bazama kanzima ukuthobeka nokulalela. Bakubheka njengelungelo ukubiza uJehova ngokuthi uYise, futhi bafuna ukuba abe nguMbumbi wabo. Ingabe sizimisele ukuba njengobumba oluthambile uNkulunkulu angalubumba lube isitsha esiyigugu? Ingabe sibheka ngamunye kubafowethu nodadewethu njengosabunjwa uNkulunkulu? Ukuze sibe nesimo sengqondo esifanele, sizoxoxa ngendlela uJehova abakhetha ngayo labo ababumbayo, ukuthi kungani ebabumba nokuthi ubabumba kanjani.

4. UJehova ubakhetha kanjani labo abadonsela kuye? Nikeza izibonelo.

⁴ UJehova akabheki abantu ngendlela esibabheka ngayo. Kunalokho, uhlola inhliziyo abone lokho ngamunye wethu ayikho ngempela. (Funda eyoku-1 Samuweli 16:7b.) UJehova wakubonisa lokhu lapho akha ibandla lobuKristu. Wadonsela kuye naseNdodaneni yakhe abantu abaningi, abanye ababengase bababheke njengabangelutho. (Johane 6:44) Ngokwesibonelo, omunye walabo bantu kwakungumFarisi okuthiwa nguSawule, ‘owayengumhlambalazi nomshushisi nomuntu oweyisayo.’ (1 Thimothewu 1:13) Kodwa uJehova wahlola inhliziyo yakhe futhi akabanga nomuzwa wokuthi wayewubumba olungenalusizo lwalutho. (IzAga 17:3) Kunalokho, uJehova wabona ukuthi uSawule wayengabumbeka abe ‘yisitsha esikhethiweyo’ esiyoshumayela “ezizweni nasemakhosini nakubantwana bakwa-Israyeli.” (IzEnzo 9:15) UJehova wakhetha nabanye ababengabunjwa ukuze ‘basetshenziselwe injongo enodumo,’ kuhlanganise nababeyizidakwa, ababeziphethe kabi namasela. (Roma 9:21; 1 Korinte 6:9-11) Njengoba babetadisha imiBhalo, baqinisa ukholo lwabo kuJehova, bamvumela wababumba.

5, 6. Ukumethemba kwethu uJehova njengoMbumbi wethu kufanele kuwuthonye kanjani umbono wethu (a) ngabantu abasensimini yethu? (b) ngabafowethu nodadewethu?

⁵ Siyamethemba uJehova ukuthi uyakwazi ukukhetha nokudonsa abantu abafanele. Yingakho kungafanele sahlulele abanye ensimini yethu noma ebandleni. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngendlela indoda okuthiwa nguMichael eyayisabela ngayo lapho kufika oFakazi BakaJehova kuyo. Uthi: “Ngangivele ngibafulathele ngingabanaki njengokungathi abekho. Ngangiluhlaza! Kamuva, sengikwenye indawo, ngahlangana nomndeni engangiwuhlonipha ngenxa yokuziphatha kwawo okuhle. Ngolunye usuku ngashaqeka lapho ngithola ukuthi wawungoFakazi BakaJehova. Ukuziphatha kwawo kwangenza ngahlola izizathu zokucwasa kwami oFakazi. Kungakabiphi, ngaqaphela ukuthi isimo sami sengqondo sasibangelwa  ukungabi nalwazi kanye nenzwabethi, sasingasekelwe emaqinisweni.” UMichael wayefuna ukwazi okwengeziwe ngakho wamukela isifundo seBhayibheli. Kamuva wabhapathizwa wabe esengenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele.

⁶ Lapho sibheka uJehova njengoMbumbi wethu, indlela esibabheka ngayo abafowethu nodadewethu nayo iyoshintsha. Siyobabheka njengabasabunjwa. Yile ndlela uJehova ababheka ngayo. Ubona lokho ngempela abayikho ngaphakathi futhi uyazi ukuthi ukungapheleli kwabo kungokwesikhashana. Uyazi nokuthi hlobo luni lomuntu ngamunye wabo angaba yilo. (IHubo 130:3) Singamlingisa uJehova uma nathi sibabheka ngale ndlela abafowethu. Singaze ngisho sibambisane noMbumbi wethu ukuze sisize abafowethu nodadewethu bathuthuke. (1 Thesalonika 5:14, 15) Abadala ebandleni kufanele babeke isibonelo esihle kulokhu.—Efesu 4:8, 11-13.

7. Kungani sisazisa isiyalo sikaJehova?

⁷ Abanye abantu bangase bathi: ‘Angikaze ngisazise ngokugcwele isiyalo engangisinikwa abazali bami kwaze kwaba yilapho nami senginezingane.’ Njengoba sikhula, singase sisazise isiyalo ngoba sisibheka njengesiyindlela yokubonisa uthando (Funda eyamaHebheru 12:5, 6, 11.) Ngempela, uJehova uyasithanda njengezingane zakhe, okuyisizathu esenza ukuba asiyale ngesineke, noma asibumbe. Ufuna ukuba sihlakaniphe, sijabule futhi simthande njengoBaba wethu. (IzAga 23:15) Akathandi ukusibona sihlupheka futhi akafuni sife siyizoni ezingazange ziphenduke.—Efesu 2:2, 3.

8, 9. UJehova usifundisa kanjani namuhla, futhi le mfundo izokwanda kanjani esikhathini esizayo?

⁸ Ngaphambi kokuba sazi uJehova, kungenzeka sasinezimfanelo eziningi ezimbi. Kodwa uJehova wasibumba futhi wasisiza senza izinguquko, ngenxa yalokho manje sesinezimfanelo ezinhle. (Isaya 11:6-8; Kolose 3:9, 10) Siphila epharadesi elingokomoya. Lesi yisimo esikhethekile uJehova asilungiselele namuhla ukuze asibumbe. Kuso, sizizwa silondekile futhi siphephile nakuba siphila ezweni elibi. Labo abakhula bezizwa bengathandwa emindenini yabo manje sebezizwa bethandwa ngempela abafowabo nodadewabo epharadesi elingokomoya. (Johane 13:35) Siye safunda nokubonisa abanye uthando. Kodwa okubaluleke kakhulu, sesiyamazi uJehova futhi manje siyaluzwa uthando lwakhe olunjengolukaBaba.—Jakobe 4:8.

⁹ Ezweni elisha, siyozuza ngokugcwele epharadesi elingokomoya. Siyojabulela nokuphila epharadesi elingokoqobo eliyobe libuswa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ngaleso sikhathi, uJehova uyoqhubeka esibumba futhi esifundisa ngendlela esingenakuyicabanga manje. (Isaya 11:9) UJehova uzokwenza nokuba izingqondo nemizimba yethu kuphelele. Lokhu kuyokwenza  kube lula ukuba siqonde nokuba silalele imiyalo yakhe ngokuphelele. Ngakho, masiqhubeke sivumela uJehova ukuba asibumbe futhi simbonise ukuthi siyalwazisa uthando asibonisa lona.—IzAga 3:11, 12.

10. UJesu wasibonisa kanjani isineke nekhono loMbumbi Omkhulu?

¹⁰ Njengoba nje umbumbi onekhono elwazi kahle uhlobo lobumba alusebenzisayo, uMbumbi wethu, uJehova, usazi kahle kakhulu. Uyabazi ubuthakathaka bethu, ukulinganiselwa kwethu nentuthuko esesiyenzile futhi ubumba ngamunye wethu ecabanga ngalezi zinto. (Funda iHubo 103:10-14.) Singafunda ukuthi uJehova usibheka kanjani ngokubheka indlela uJesu akusingatha ngayo ukungapheleli kwabaphostoli bakhe. Ngezinye izikhathi, abaphostoli babephikisana ngokuthi ubani owayemkhulu kunabo bonke. Ukube wawulapho, wawuyokubheka kanjani lokho okwakwenziwa abaphostoli? Wawungase ucabange ukuthi babengafani nobumba oluthambile. Nokho, uJesu wayazi ukuthi babengabumbeka uma belalela iseluleko sakhe esinomusa nesinikezwa ngesineke futhi belingisa ukuthobeka kwakhe. (Marku 9:33-37; 10:37, 41-45; Luka 22:24-27) Ngemva kokuvuswa kukaJesu, abaphostoli bamukela umoya kaNkulunkulu futhi babengasagxilile endabeni yokuthi ubani owayemkhulu kunabo bonke. Kunalokho, base begxile emsebenzini uJesu ayebanike wona.—IzEnzo 5:42.

11. UDavide wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayenjengobumba oluthambile, futhi singamlingisa kanjani?

¹¹ Namuhla, uJehova usebenzisa iBhayibheli, umoya wakhe ongcwele nebandla lobuKristu ukuze asibumbe. IBhayibheli lingasibumba kanjani? Kudingeka silifunde, sizindle ngalokho esikufundayo bese sicela uJehova ukuba asisize sikusebenzise lokho esikufundile. INkosi uDavide yabhala: “Lapho ngikukhumbulile embhedeni wami, ngizindla ngawe phakathi nemilindo yasebusuku.” (IHubo 63:6) Wabuye wabhala: “Ngizomtusa uJehova, onginiké iseluleko. Ngempela, phakathi nobusuku izinso zami zingiqondisile.” (IHubo 16:7) UDavide wazindla ngeseluleko sikaJehova futhi wasivumela ukuba silolonge imicabango yakhe ejulile nemizwa yakhe, ngisho nalapho kwakunzima ukusamukela. (2 Samuweli 12:1-13) UDavide wasibekela isibonelo esihle sokuthobeka nokulalela. Ngakho zibuze: ‘Lapho ngifunda iBhayibheli, ingabe ngiyazindla ngalo futhi ngivumele iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu ukuba sifinyelele ekujuleni kwemicabango nemizwa yami? Ngingakwenza yini ngisho nangokwengeziwe lokhu?’—IHubo 1:2, 3.

12, 13. UJehova usibumba kanjani ngomoya wakhe ongcwele nangebandla lobuKristu?

¹² Umoya ongcwele ungasibumba ngezindlela eziningi. Ngokwesibonelo, ungasisiza sifunde ukulingisa ubuntu bukaJesu futhi sibonakalise izimfanelo ezihlukahlukene zezithelo zomoya. (Galathiya 5:22, 23) Enye imfanelo yaleso sithelo uthando. Siyamthanda uNkulunkulu futhi sifuna ukumlalela nokubunjwa nguye ngoba siyazi ukuthi imiyalo yakhe iyasizuzisa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, umoya ongcwele ungasinika amandla okugwema ukubunjwa yileli zwe elibi. (Efesu 2:2) Ngesikhathi umphostoli uPawulu esemusha, wayethonywe abaholi benkolo bamaJuda abaqhoshayo. Kodwa umoya ongcwele wamsiza wakwazi ukushintsha. Kamuva  wabhala: “Nginamandla azo zonke izinto ngenxa yalowo ongipha amandla.” (Filipi 4:13) Nathi kudingeka sicele umoya ongcwele, siqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uzoyiphendula imithandazo yethu eqotho.—IHubo 10:17.

¹³ UJehova uphinde asebenzise ibandla kanye nabadala ukuze abumbe ngamunye wethu. Ngokwesibonelo, uma abadala beqaphela ukuthi sinobuthakathaka obuthile, bayazama ukusisiza. Noma kunjalo, abasinikezi iseluleko esisekelwe emibonweni yabo. (Galathiya 6:1) Kunalokho, ngokuzithoba bathandaza kuJehova bacele ukuqonda nokuhlakanipha. Ngemva kwalokho, bayacwaninga besebenzisa iBhayibheli nezincwadi zethu zobuKristu ukuze bathole ulwazi oluzosisiza. Uma abadala beza kuwe bezokweluleka ngendlela enomusa nenothando, mhlawumbe ngendlela ogqoke ngayo, khumbula ukuthi lokhu kuwubufakazi bokuthi uNkulunkulu uyakuthanda. Lapho usebenzisa leso seluleko, uyoba njengobumba oluthambile uJehova akwaziyo ukulubumba futhi uyozuza.

14. Nakuba uJehova enegunya phezu kobumba, uyihlonipha kanjani inkululeko yethu yokuzikhethela?

¹⁴ Ukuqonda indlela uJehova asibumba ngayo, kungasisiza sibe nobuhlobo obuhle nabafowethu nodadewethu. Siyoba nanombono omuhle ngabantu abasensimini yethu, kuhlanganise nalabo esifunda nabo iBhayibheli. Ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli, ngaphambi kokuba umbumbi aqale ukubumba, kwakudingeka aluhlanze ubumba akhiphe amatshe nokunye. UMbumbi Omkhulu, uJehova, usiza abantu abakufunayo ukubunjwa. Akabaphoqi ukuba bashintshe, kunalokho, ubabonisa izindinganiso zakhe ezihlanzekile. Ngemva kwalokho, kumelwe banqume ukuthi bazozenza yini izinguquko ezidingekayo.

15, 16. Abafundelwa iBhayibheli babonisa kanjani ukuthi bayafuna ukubunjwa uJehova? Nikeza isibonelo.

 ¹⁵ Cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka kuTessie, udadewethu wase-Australia. Kwakulula kuye ukufunda lokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo. Nokho, akazange athuthuke kangako futhi akazange aye emihlanganweni. Udadewethu owayemfundela wayethandaze kuJehova, esenqume nokuthi uzosinqamula isifundo. Kwabe sekwenzeka into emangalisayo. Lapho befunda, uTessie watshela lo dade ukuthi kungani ayengathuthuki. Wathi wayezibona engumzenzisi ngoba wayekuthanda ukugembula. Manje wayesenqume ukuwuyeka lo mkhuba.

¹⁶ Kungakabiphi, uTessie waqala ukuba khona emihlanganweni futhi wabonisa izimfanelo zobuKristu nakuba abanye babangane bakhe bakudala babemenza inhlekisa. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uTessie wabhapathizwa futhi waba yiphayona elivamile nakuba ayenezingane ezincane. Kusobala ukuthi lapho labo abafundelwa iBhayibheli beqala ukwenza izinguquko ezijabulisa uNkulunkulu, uyosondelana nabo ababumbe babe yizintsha eziwusizo.

17. (a) Yini oyithandayo ngokuba noMbumbi onguJehova? (b) Yiziphi izigaba zokubunjwa esizoxoxa ngazo esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁷ Nanamuhla, abanye abantu basalubumba ubumba ngobunyoninco lube yizitsha ezinhle ngezandla zabo. Ngokufanayo, uJehova usibumba ngesineke esebenzisa iseluleko sakhe bese esibhekisisa ukuze abone indlela esisabela ngayo. (Funda iHubo 32:8.) Ingabe uyabona ukuthi uJehova uyakukhathalela? Uyabona yini ukuthi uJehova ukubumba ngokucophelela kanjani? Uma kunjalo, yiziphi izimfanelo eziyokusiza ukuba uhlale uwumbumba oluthambile uJehova angalubumba? Yimiphi imikhuba okufanele uyigweme ukuze ungabi njengobumba oluqinile olungabumbeki? Kanti abazali bangabambisana kanjani noJehova ukuze babumbe izingane zabo? Isihloko esilandelayo sizophendula le mibuzo.