1. Kungani kufanele sizithobe kuJehova?

KUFANELE sizithobe * kuJehova ngoba nguye owasidala. Ngakho nguye onelungelo lokusitshela okufanele sikwenze. (IsAm. 4:11) Kodwa esinye isizathu esenza kubaluleke ukumlalela ukuthi indlela yakhe yokubusa ingcono kunazo zonke. Kuwo wonke umlando, baningi abantu abaye babusa abanye. Ngokungafani nabo, uJehova unguMbusi ohlakaniphile, onothando, onesihe nocabangelayo kunabo bonke.—Eks. 34:6; Roma 16:27; 1 Joh. 4:8.

2. NgokweyamaHebheru 12:9-11, kungani kufanele sizithobe kuJehova?

² UJehova ufuna simlalele, hhayi ngoba simesaba, kodwa ngoba simthanda futhi simbheka njengoBaba wethu onothando. Encwadini ayibhalela amaHebheru, uPawulu wathi kufanele ‘sizithobe kakhulu kuBaba’ ngoba uyasiqeqesha ‘ukuze sizuze.’—Funda eyamaHebheru 12:9-11.

3. (a) Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyazithoba kuJehova? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo esizoyiphendula?

³ Sizithoba kuJehova ngokwenza konke okusemandleni ukuze simlalele kukho konke futhi singenciki kokwethu ukuqonda. (IzAga 3:5) Kuba lula ukuzithoba kuJehova uma sifunda ngezimfanelo zakhe ezinhle. Kungani? Yingoba lezi zimfanelo zibonakala kukho konke akwenzayo. (IHu. 145:9) Uma siqhubeka sifunda ngoJehova, siya ngokuya simthanda nakakhulu. Lapho simthanda, akudingeki sibe nohlu lwemithetho olusitshela okumelwe sikwenze nokungamelwe sikwenze. Sizama ukuvumelanisa indlela esicabanga nesizizwa ngayo nalokho uJehova akufunayo futhi  sigweme okubi. (IHu. 97:10) Nokho, ngezinye izikhathi kungaba nzima ukulalela uJehova. Kungani? Yini abadala, obaba nomama abangayifunda esibonelweni soMbusi uNehemiya; iNkosi uDavide; noMariya umama kaJesu? Lesi sihloko sizophendula le mibuzo.

4-5. NgokweyabaseRoma 7:21-23, kungani kungase kube inselele ukuzithoba kuJehova?

⁴ Esinye isizathu esingenza kube inselele ukuzithoba kuJehova ukuthi sonke sinesono. Ngakho ngezinye izikhathi sifuna ukwenza lokho okuthandwa yithi. Ngemva kokuba u-Adamu no-Eva bemhlubukile uNkulunkulu futhi badla isithelo esasenqatshelwe, bazikhethela bona lokho ababefuna ukukwenza. (Gen. 3:22) Namuhla, abantu abaningi abanandaba noJehova futhi bazinqumela bona ukuthi yini elungile nengalungile.

⁵ Ngisho nalabo abamaziyo nabamthandayo uJehova bangase bakuthole kunzima ukuzithoba ngokuphelele kuye. Umphostoli uPawulu naye wabhekana naleyo nselele. (Funda eyabaseRoma 7:21-23.) NjengoPawulu, sifuna ukwenza okulungile phambi kukaJehova. Kodwa kumelwe sihlale silwa nesifiso sokwenza izinto ezimbi.

6-7. Yisiphi isizathu sesibili esenza kube inselele ukuzithoba kuJehova? Nikeza isibonelo.

⁶ Esinye isizathu esingenza kube inselele ukuzithoba kuJehova siwukuthi indlela esikhuliswa ngayo iba nethonya ekuphileni kwethu. Imibono eminingi yabantu iyangqubuzana nentando kaJehova futhi kungaba nzima ukucabanga ngendlela ehlukile kweyabantu esiphila nabo. Cabanga ngalesi sibonelo.

⁷ Kuvamile kwezinye izindawo ukuba intsha icindezelwe ukuba isebenzele ukuba nemali eningi. UMary * wabhekana naleyo nkinga. Ngaphambi kokuba afunde ngoJehova, wayefunda kwesinye sezikole eziphambili ezweni lakubo. Umndeni wakubo wamcindezela ukuba afune umsebenzi oholela kahle ozomenza ahlonishwe. Naye wayefuna ukuthola umsebenzi onjalo. Nokho, lapho esefundile ngoJehova futhi esemthanda, wayishintsha imigomo yakhe. Noma kunjalo, uthi: “Ngezinye izikhathi ngibona amathuba omsebenzi afiselekayo angangenza ngicebe, kodwa angangiphazamisa ekukhonzeni uJehova. Ngenxa yendlela engikhuliswe ngayo, namanje kusenzima ukuwenqaba. Kudingeka ngicele uJehova angisize ngimelane nesilingo sokukhetha umsebenzi ongangenza ngihluleke ukumkhonza.”—Math. 6:24.

8. Yini esizoxoxa ngayo manje?

⁸ Ukuzithoba kuJehova kuyasizuzisa. Kodwa labo abanegunya, njengabadala, obaba nomama banesizathu esikhulu sokuzithoba kuNkulunkulu; basethubeni lokusiza nabanye ukuba bazithobe kuye. Ake sixoxe ngezibonelo eziseBhayibhelini ezisifundisa indlela esingasebenzisa ngayo igunya ngendlela ejabulisa uJehova.

9. UNehemiya wabhekana naziphi izinkinga?

⁹ UJehova unikeze abadala umsebenzi obalulekile wokwalusa abantu bakhe. (1 Pet. 5:2) Abadala bangafunda okuningi ngokufunda endleleni uNehemiya asebenzelana ngayo nabantu bakaJehova. Njengombusi wakwaJuda, uNehemiya  wayenegunya elikhulu. (Neh. 1:11; 2:7, 8; 5:14) Cabanga ngezinye izinkinga abhekana nazo. Wathola ukuthi abantu base belingcolisile ithempeli futhi bengawasekeli amaLevi ngokwezimali njengoba kwakusho uMthetho. AmaJuda ayengasaligcini iSabatha futhi amanye amadoda ayeseshade nabesifazane bezinye izizwe. UMbusi uNehemiya kwakuzodingeka enze okuthile ngalesi simo esinzima.—Neh. 13:4-30.

10. Yini uNehemiya ayenza ngesikhathi ebhekene nezinselele?

¹⁰ UNehemiya akazange alisebenzise kabi igunya lakhe ngokuphoqa abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuba benze lokho akufunayo. Kunalokho, wafuna isiqondiso sikaJehova ngomthandazo oqotho futhi wafundisa abantu uMthetho kaJehova. (Neh. 1:4-10; 13:1-3) Ngokuthobeka uNehemiya wasebenza nabafowabo, waze ngisho wabasiza ekwakheni kabusha izindonga zaseJerusalema.—Neh. 4:15.

11. Ngokweyoku-1 Thesalonika 2:7, 8, abadala kufanele babaphathe kanjani abantu ebandleni?

¹¹ Abadala kungase kungadingeki babhekane nezinkinga ezifana nezikaNehemiya, kodwa bangamlingisa ngezindlela eziningi. Ngokwesibonelo, basebenza kanzima ukuze basize abafowabo nodadewabo. Abavumeli ukuba negunya kubenze baqhoshe. Kunalokho, baphatha ibandla ngozwela. (Funda eyoku-1 Thesalonika 2:7, 8.) Uthando olujulile nokuthobeka kwabo kuyabonakala endleleni abakhuluma ngayo nabanye. U-Andrew, umdala ongumakad’ ebona, uthi: “Ngithole ukuthi abafowethu nodadewethu bayajabula lapho umdala enomusa futhi enobungane. Lezi zimfanelo zenza ibandla lisebenzelane kahle nabadala.” UTony, umzalwane osenesikhathi naye engumdala, uthi: “Ngizama ukusebenzisa iseluleko esikweyabaseFilipi 2:3 futhi ngizama njalo ukubheka abanye njengabakhulu kunami. Lokhu kungisiza ngigweme ukuba umashiqela.”

12. Kungani kubalulekile ukuba abadala bathobeke?

 ¹² Abadala kumelwe bathobeke ngoba noJehova uthobekile. Nakuba uJehova enguMbusi wendawo yonke, “uyazehlisa” ukuze aphakamise “ophansi othulini.” (IHu. 18:35; 113:6, 7) Empeleni, uJehova uyabazonda abantu abaqhoshayo.—IzAga 16:5.

13. Kungani umdala kudingeka ‘alawule ulimi lwakhe ngokungathi ngetomu’?

¹³ Umdala ozithoba kuJehova kudingeka ‘alawule ulimi lwakhe ngokungathi ngetomu.’ Uma engenzi kanjalo, angase angabi namusa uma othile engamhloniphi. (Jak. 1:26; Gal. 5:14, 15) U-Andrew, okukhulunywe ngaye ngaphambili, uthi: “Ngezinye izikhathi, ngike ngicabange ukumphendula kabi umzalwane noma udade enginomuzwa wokuthi akangihloniphanga. Nokho, ngiye ngazindla ngezibonelo zamadoda athembekile eBhayibhelini futhi lokho kungisize ngafunda ukubaluleka kokuthobeka nokuba mnene.” Abadala babonisa ukuthi bayazithoba kuJehova ngokuba nothando nomusa lapho bekhuluma nabanye ebandleni, okuhlanganisa nabanye abadala abakhonza nabo.—Kol. 4:6.

14. Iyiphi indima uJehova ayinikeze obaba, futhi yini ayilindele kubo?

¹⁴ UJehova ubeke ubaba ukuba abe inhloko yomndeni futhi ulindele ukuba aqeqeshe, afundise izingane zakhe. (1 Kor. 11:3; Efe. 6:4) Kodwa ubaba akanalo igunya eliphelele emndenini—kumelwe alandise kuJehova, lowo eqanjwe ngaye yonke imindeni. (Efe. 3:14, 15) Obaba babonisa ukuthi bayazithoba kuJehova ngokusebenzisa igunya labo ngendlela emjabulisayo uNkulunkulu. Kuningi abangakufunda ekuphileni kweNkosi uDavide.

15. Kungani iNkosi uDavide iyisibonelo esihle kobaba?

¹⁵ UJehova wabeka uDavide ukuba abe inhloko yomndeni wakhe neyaso sonke isizwe sakwa-Israyeli. Njengoba ayeyinkosi, wayenegunya elikhulu. Ngezinye izikhathi wayelisebenzisa kabi lelo gunya, enze amaphutha amabi kakhulu. (2 Sam. 11:14, 15) Kodwa wabonisa ukuthi uyazithoba kuJehova ngokulalela lapho emlungisa. Wathandaza kuJehova ngokusuka enhliziyweni. Wenza konke ayengakwenza ukuze alalele iseluleko sakhe. (IHu. 51:1-4) Ngaphezu kwalokho, wathobeka, wavuma ukusizwa abesilisa kanye nabesifazane. (1 Sam. 19:11, 12; 25:32, 33)  UDavide wafunda emaphutheni akhe futhi wagxilisa ukuphila kwakhe ekukhonzeni uJehova.

16. Yiziphi izifundo obaba abangazifunda kuDavide?

¹⁶ Nazi ezinye zezifundo obaba abangazifunda eNkosini uDavide: Ungalisebenzisi kabi igunya uJehova akunikeze lona. Wavume amaphutha akho, wamukele iseluleko esiseBhayibhelini osinikezwa abanye. Uma wenza kanjalo, umndeni wakho uzokuhlonipha ngoba uthobekile. Lapho uthandaza nomndeni wakho, khuluma noJehova ngokusuka enhliziyweni—mawuyizwe indlela othembele ngayo kuye. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, gxilisa ukuphila kwakho ekukhonzeni uJehova. (Dut. 6:6-9) Isibonelo sakho esihle siyisipho esiyigugu ukuzedlula zonke ongazinika umndeni wakho.

17. Iyiphi indima uJehova ayabele omama?

¹⁷ UJehova wabele umama indima ebalulekile emndenini futhi umnikeze igunya elithile phezu kwezingane zakhe. (IzAga 6:20) Empeleni, izinto eziningi izingane ezizifunda kumama zizisebenzisa ukuphila kwazo konke. (IzAga 22:6) Nakhu omama abangakufunda kuMariya, umama kaJesu.

18-19. Yini omama abangayifunda esibonelweni sikaMariya?

¹⁸ UMariya wayeyazi kahle imiBhalo. Wayemhlonipha ngokujulile uJehova futhi enobuhlobo obuhle naye. Wayezimisele ukuzithoba esiqondisweni sikaJehova, ngisho noma ukwenza kanjalo kwakuyokushintsha ukuphila kwakhe.—Luka 1:35-38, 46-55.

¹⁹ Bomama, ningamlingisa uMariya ngezindlela eziningi. Kanjani? Okokuqala, qinisani ubuhlobo benu noJehova ngokutadisha iBhayibheli nangokuthandaza lapho ninodwa. Okwesibili, zimiseleni ukwenza ushintsho ekuphileni kwenu ukuze nijabulise uJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, kungenzeka ukhuliswe abazali ababeshesha ukucasuka futhi bathethise izingane zabo. Ngakho kungenzeka ubuzitshela ukuthi iyona ndlela leyo yokukhulisa izingane. Ngisho nangemva kokufundiswa uJehova, ungase ukuthole kunzima ukwehlisa umoya nokuba nesineke lapho usebenzelana nezingane zakho, ikakhulu lapho ukhathele. (Efe. 4:31) Ngezikhathi ezinjalo, kudingeka uncike kakhudlwana kuJehova ngomthandazo. ULydia ongumama uthi: “Ngezinye izikhathi kuye kwadingeka ngithandaze ngokusuka enhliziyweni ukuze ngingayithethisi indodana yami uma ingangilaleli. Kokunye ngiyazibamba nalapho  sengiqalile ukukhuluma, ngithandaze buthule kuJehova. Ukuthandaza kungisiza ngehlise umoya.”—IHu. 37:5.

20. Iyiphi inselele abanye omama ababhekene nayo, futhi bangayinqoba kanjani?

²⁰ Abanye omama bangase bakuthole kunzima ukubonisa izingane zabo uthando. (Thithu 2:3, 4) Abanye babo bakhuliswe abazali ababengenabo ubuhlobo obunothando nezingane zabo. Uma ukhuliswe kanjalo, akufanele uphinde wenze amaphutha enziwa abazali bakho. Umama ozithobayo kuJehova kungase kudingeke afunde indlela yokubonisa izingane zakhe uthando. Kungase kube nzima ngaye ukushintsha indlela acabanga ngayo, azizwa ngayo nenza ngayo izinto. Kodwa kungenzeka futhi lezo zinguquko zizojabulisa yena nomndeni wakhe.

21-22. Ngokuka-Isaya 65:13, 14, yiziphi izinzuzo esizitholayo ngokuzithoba kuJehova?

²¹ INkosi uDavide yayizazi izinzuzo zokuzithoba kuJehova. Yabhala: “Imiyalo evela kuJehova iqotho, ibangela inhliziyo ukuba ijabule; umyalo kaJehova uhlanzekile, ukhanyisa amehlo. Futhi, inceku yakho ixwayisiwe ngazo; kukhona umvuzo omkhulu lapho zigcinwa.” (IHu. 19:8, 11) Namuhla, siyawubona umehluko phakathi kwalabo abazithobayo kuJehova nalabo abangasilaleli iseluleko sakhe esinothando. Labo abazithobayo kuJehova ‘bakhamuluka ngenjabulo ngenxa yesimo esihle senhliziyo.’—Funda u-Isaya 65:13, 14.

²² Lapho abadala, obaba nomama bezithoba ngokuzithandela kuJehova, ukuphila kwabo kuba ngcono, imindeni yabo iyajabula, ibandla liba nobunye. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, benza inhliziyo kaJehova ijabule. (IzAga 27:11) Awukho umvuzo omkhulu kunalowo!