Themba UJehova, Ube Nesibindi

“Themba uJehova; yiba nesibindi futhi inhliziyo yakho mayibe namandla. Yebo, themba uJehova.”—IHUBO 27:14.

1. Libaluleke kangakanani ithemba, futhi leli gama lisetshenziswe kanjani emiBhalweni?

ITHEMBA langempela linjengokukhanya okukhazimulayo. Lisisiza ukuba sibone ngalé kovivinyo esibhekene nalo namuhla futhi sibhekane nekusasa ngesibindi nangenjabulo. NguJehova kuphela ongasinika ithemba eliqinisekile, futhi lokho ukwenza ngeZwi lakhe eliphefumulelwe. (2 Thimothewu 3:16) Eqinisweni, igama elithi, “ithemba,” “themba” nelithi “thembela” avela izikhathi eziningi eBhayibhelini futhi asho nokulindela okuthile okuhle ngesasasa nangokuqiniseka kanye naleyo nto elindelwe. * Ithemba elinjalo lingaphezu kokuba isifiso nje esingasekelwe ndawo noma okungekho thuba lokuthi siyoke sigcwaliseke.

2. Ithemba laba nayiphi indima ekuphileni kukaJesu?

² Lapho uJesu ebhekene novivinyo nobunzima, wabheka ngalé kwalobo bunzima, wathembela kuJehova. “Ngenxa yenjabulo eyayibekwe phambi kwakhe wakhuthazelela isigxobo sokuhlushwa, edelela ihlazo, futhi useye wahlala phansi ngakwesokunene sesihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu.” (Hebheru 12:2) Ngenxa yokuthi wayegxile ngokuphelele ethembeni lokulwela ubukhosi bukaJehova nasekungcweliseni igama laKhe, uJesu akazange aphambuke enkambweni yakhe yokulalela uNkulunkulu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi lokho kwakubizelani.

3. Iyiphi indima ithemba eliyifezayo ekuphileni kwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu?

³ INkosi uDavide ibonisa ukuhlobana okukhona phakathi kwethemba nesibindi lapho ithi: “Themba uJehova; yiba nesibindi futhi inhliziyo yakho mayibe namandla. Yebo, themba uJehova.” (IHubo 27:14) Uma sifuna ukuba inhliziyo yethu ibe namandla, akumelwe nanini sivumele ithemba lethu lifiphale kodwa kumelwe ngaso sonke isikhathi siligcine likhanya bha futhi liyigugu ezinhliziyweni zethu. Ukwenza kanjalo kuyosisiza ukuba silingise uJesu ekubonakaliseni isibindi nentshiseko lapho sihlanganyela  emsebenzini ayala abafundi bakhe ukuba bawenze. (Mathewu 24:14; 28:19, 20) Ngempela, ithemba lihambisana njalo nokholo nothando njengemfanelo ebalulekile, ehlalayo ephawula izinceku zikaNkulunkulu.—1 Korinte 13:13.

Ingabe ‘Uchichima Ithemba’?

4. Yini amaKristu agcotshiwe nabangane bawo ‘bezinye izimvu’ ababheke phambili ekuyijabuleleni?

⁴ Abantu bakaNkulunkulu banekusasa elihle ngokumangalisayo. AmaKristu agcotshiwe alindela ngokulangazela ukukhonza noKristu ezulwini, kanti “ezinye izimvu” zinethemba ‘lokukhululwa ekugqilazweni ukonakala zibe nenkululeko ekhazimulayo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu’ basemhlabeni. (Johane 10:16; Roma 8:19-21; Filipi 3:20) Leyo “nkululeko ekhazimulayo” ihlanganisa ukukhululwa esonweni nasemiphumeleni yaso emibi. Ngempela, uJehova—uMuphi wazo “zonke izipho ezinhle nazo zonke izipho eziphelele”—uyonika abathembekileyo bakhe izipho ezinhle kakhulu.—Jakobe 1:17; Isaya 25:8.

5. Singenza kanjani ukuze ‘sichichime ithemba’?

⁵ Ithemba lamaKristu kufanele libe nendima enkulu kangakanani ekuphileni kwethu? KumaRoma 15:13, siyafunda: “Kwangathi uNkulunkulu onika ithemba anganigcwalisa ngenjabulo nangokuthula konke ngokukholwa kwenu, ukuze nichichime ithemba ngamandla omoya ongcwele.” Yebo, ithemba alinakufaniswa nokukhanya kwekhandlela ebumnyameni kodwa lingafaniswa nemisebe ekhazimulayo yelanga lasekuseni, eyenza umuntu abe nokuthula, injabulo, injongo nesibindi. Phawula ukuthi ‘sichichima ithemba’ lapho sikholelwa eZwini likaNkulunkulu elilotshiwe futhi samukela umoya wakhe ongcwele. AmaRoma 15:4 athi: “Zonke izinto ezalotshwa esikhathini esingaphambili zalotshelwa ukuba kufundiswe thina, ukuze kuthi ngokukhuthazela kwethu nangenduduzo evela emiBhalweni sibe nethemba.” Ngakho zibuze: ‘Ingabe ithemba lami ngiligcina likhanya bha ngokuba umfundi weBhayibheli okhuthele olifunda nsuku zonke? Ngivamile yini ukuthandazela umoya kaNkulunkulu?’—Luka 11:13.

6. Ukuze sigcine ithemba lethu likhanya, yikuphi okumelwe sikuxwaye?

⁶ UJesu, iSibonelo sethu, wayephila ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu. Ngokucabangisisa ngaye, sigwema ‘ukukhathala nokuphela amandla emphefumulweni wethu.’ (Hebheru 12:3) Kunengqondo ukuthi uma ithemba lethu esilinikwe uNkulunkulu lifiphala ezingqondweni nasezinhliziyweni zethu noma uma siyeka ukugxila kulo bese sigxila kwezinye izinto—mhlawumbe izinto ezibonakalayo noma imigomo yezwe—siyofikelwa ukukhathala okungokomoya, ekugcineni kusenze siphelelwe amandla nesibindi sokunamathela ezimisweni ezinhle zokuziphatha. Uma ingqondo yethu isinjalo, singase siphukelwe ngisho ‘nawumkhumbi wokholo lwethu.’ (1 Thimothewu 1:19) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ithemba leqiniso liyaluqinisa ukholo lwethu.

Ithemba—Libalulekile Okholweni

7. Ithemba liyisici esibalulekile okholweni ngayiphi indlela?

⁷ IBhayibheli lithi: “Ukholo luwukulindelwa okuqinisekisiwe kwezinto ezithenjwayo, ukuboniswa okusobala kwezinto ezingokoqobo nakuba zingabonakali.” (Hebheru 11:1) Ngakho-ke, ithemba aliyona nje into enezela okholweni; liyisici esibalulekile sokholo. Cabanga ngo-Abrahama. Ngokombono wabantu, yena nomkakhe, uSara, base bedlulelwe isikhathi sokuzala izingane lapho uJehova ebathembisa ukuthi bazoba nendlalifa. (Genesise 17:15-17) Wasabela kanjani u-Abrahama? “Nakuba ayengasenathemba, nokho ngokusekelwe ethembeni waba nokholo, ukuze abe nguyise wezizwe eziningi.” (Roma 4:18) Yebo, ithemba lika-Abrahama ayelinikwe uNkulunkulu lalunika isisekelo esiqinile ukholo lwakhe lokuthi wayeyoba nenzalo. Ukholo lwakhe lona lwaqinisa ithemba lakhe lwalenza lakhanya bha. Phela u-Abrahama noSara baba ngisho nanesibindi sokushiya ikhaya labo nezihlobo zabo futhi bahlala ematendeni ezweni labezizwe!

8. Ukukhuthazela ngokwethembeka kuliqinisa kanjani ithemba?

⁸ U-Abrahama wagcina ithemba lakhe liqinisekile ngokulalela uJehova ngokuphelele, ngisho nalapho kunzima ukwenza kanjalo. (Genesise 22:2, 12) Ngokufanayo, ngokulalela uJehova nangokukhuthazela enkonzweni yakhe, singaqiniseka ngomvuzo wethu. UPawulu wabhala:  “Ukukhuthazela kona kuveza ukwamukeleka; ukwamukeleka kuveza ithemba, futhi ithemba aliholeli ekudumazekeni.” (Roma 5:4, 5) Yingakho uPawulu abuye wabhala: “Sifisa ukuba yilowo nalowo kini abonise inkuthalo efanayo ukuze abe nesiqinisekiso esigcwele sethemba kuze kube sekupheleni.” (Hebheru 6:11) Umbono onjalo oqondile osekelwe ebuhlotsheni obuseduze noJehova, ungasisiza ukuba sibhekane nanoma ibuphi ubunzima ngesibindi ngisho nangenjabulo.

“Jabulani Ethembeni”

9. Yini esingayenza njalo eyosisiza ukuba ‘sijabule ethembeni’?

⁹ Ithemba lethu esilinikwe uNkulunkulu liphakeme ngokungenamkhawulo ngaphezu kwanoma yini leli zwe elingasinika yona. IHubo 37:34 lithi: “Themba uJehova ugcine indlela yakhe, uyokuphakamisa ukuba udle ifa lomhlaba. Lapho ababi benqunywa, uyokubona.” Yebo, sinazo zonke izizathu ‘zokujabula ethembeni.’ (Roma 12:12) Nokho, ukuze senze kanjalo, kumelwe sigcine ithemba lethu liphila ezingqondweni zethu. Ingabe uyazindla njalo ngethemba lakho olinikwe uNkulunkulu? Uyazibona yini usePharadesi, usuwumqemane, ungasenazo izinkathazo, uzungezwe abantu obathandayo futhi nenza umsebenzi owanelisa ngempela? Uyazindla yini ngemifanekiso yePharadesi evezwa ezincwadini zethu? Ukuzindla njalo ngalokhu kungase kufaniswe nokuhlanza ifasitela elibheke endaweni enhle. Uma sikudebeselela ukulihlanza, ukungcola nezintuli kungasheshe kufiphaze ubuhle baleyo ndawo kuyenze ingakhangi. Singabe sesiphazanyiswa ezinye izinto. Kwangathi singelokothe sikuvumele kwenzeke lokho!

10. Kungani ukubheka kwethu emvuzweni kuwubufakazi obuhle bobuhlobo bethu noJehova?

¹⁰ Yebo, isizathu sethu esiyinhloko sokukhonza uJehova ukuthi siyamthanda. (Marku 12:30) Noma kunjalo, kufanele sibheke emvuzweni ngokukhulu ukulangazela. Eqinisweni uJehova ulindele ukuba senze kanjalo! AmaHebheru 11:6 athi: “Ngaphandle kokholo akwenzeki ukumjabulisa ngoba lowo oza kuNkulunkulu kumelwe akholelwe ukuthi ukhona nokuthi uba umvuzi walabo abamfuna ngobuqotho.” Kungani uJehova efuna ukuba simbheke njengoMvuzi? Yingoba uma senza kanjalo, sibonisa ukuthi simazi kahle uBaba wethu osezulwini. Uyephana futhi uyabathanda abantwana bakhe. Cabanga ukuthi besingaba abangajabule nabadumazeka kalula kangakanani ukube besingenalo “ikusasa nethemba.”—Jeremiya 29:11.

11. Ithemba uMose ayelinikwe uNkulunkulu lamsiza kanjani ukuba enze izinqumo ezihlakaniphile?

¹¹ UMose uyisibonelo esivelele somuntu owahlala egxilile ethembeni lakhe alinikwe uNkulunkulu. ‘Njengendodana yendodakazi kaFaro,’ amandla, isikhundla nengcebo yaseGibhithe kwakusezandleni zakhe. Ingabe wayeyophishekela lezi zinto, noma wayeyokhonza uJehova? Ngesibindi, uMose wakhetha ukukhonza uJehova.  Kungani? Ngoba “wagxilisa amehlo ekukhokhweni komvuzo.” (Hebheru 11:24-26) Yebo, uMose wayengalithathi kalula ithemba uJehova ayelibeke phambi kwakhe.

12. Kungani ithemba lamaKristu lifaniswa nesigqoko sokuvikela ikhanda?

¹² Umphostoli uPawulu wafanisa ithemba nesigqoko sokuvikela ikhanda. Izigqoko zethu ezingokomfanekiso zivikela amandla ethu okucabanga, zisenze sikwazi ukwenza izinqumo ezihlakaniphile, sizibekele imigomo enengqondo futhi silondoloze ubuqotho. (1 Thesalonika 5:8) Ingabe uhlale usithwele isigqoko sakho esingokomfanekiso? Uma kunjalo, kusho ukuthi njengoMose noPawulu, ithemba lakho ngeke ulibeke “engcebweni engaqinisekile, kodwa kuNkulunkulu, osinika zonke izinto ngokucebile ukuze sizijabulele.” Yiqiniso, kudinga isibindi ukwenza okuphambene nokuthandwa yiningi, ufulathele imigomo yobugovu. Kodwa kuwufanele umzamo! Kakade, ubungavumelani ukukwenana ngento ewubala “ukuphila kwangempela” okuzotholwa yilabo abathanda uJehova futhi babeke ithemba labo kuye?—1 Thimothewu 6:17, 19.

“Angisoze Ngakushiya”

13. Isiphi isiqiniseko uJehova asinika izinceku zakhe eziqotho?

¹³ Abantu ababeka ithemba labo esimisweni sezinto samanje kumelwe bacabangisise ngokuzokwehlela leli zwe njengoba libhekene ‘nemihelo yokucindezeleka’ eqhubekela phambili igunya. (Mathewu 24:8) Kodwa labo abathembela kuJehova abazesabi izinto ezinjalo. Bayoqhubeka ‘behlala ngokulondeka bengaphazanyiswa yingebhe yenhlekelele.’ (IzAga 1:33) Ngenxa yokuthi ithemba labo alikho kulesi simiso sezinto, kuyabajabulisa ukulalela iseluleko sikaPawulu: “Indlela yenu yokuphila mayingabi nalo uthando lwemali, naneliswe izinto ezikhona. Ngoba uthé: ‘Angisoze ngakushiya noma ngikulahle nganoma iyiphi indlela.’”—Hebheru 13:5.

14. Kungani kungadingeki ukuba amaKristu akhathazeke ngokungafanele ngezidingo zawo zezinto ezibonakalayo?

¹⁴ Lezi zinkulumo ezigcizelelayo—ethi “angisoze” nethi “nganoma iyiphi indlela”—zibonisa ngaphandle kokungabaza ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyosinakekela. UJesu naye wasiqinisekisa ngokusikhathalela kukaNkulunkulu kothando, ethi: “Ngakho, qhubekani nifuna kuqala umbuso nokulunga kwakhe, khona-ke zonke lezi ezinye izinto [izidingo zokuphila ezingokwenyama] niyozenezelelwa. Ngakho, ningalokothi nikhathazeke ngosuku olulandelayo, ngoba usuku olulandelayo luyoba nezalo izinkathazo.” (Mathewu 6:33, 34) UJehova uyazi ukuthi kuyinselele kithi ukushisekela uMbuso wakhe ngesikhathi esifanayo sibe siwuthwele wonke umthwalo wokunakekela izidingo zethu ezingokwenyama. Ngakho, masimethembe ngokugcwele ukuthi uyakwazi futhi uyafisa ukuzinakekela izidingo zethu.—Mathewu 6:25-32; 11:28-30.

15. AmaKristu aligcina kanjani ‘iso lawo lilihle’?

¹⁵ Sibonisa ukuthi sethembele kuJehova lapho sigcina ‘iso lethu lilihle.’ (Mathewu 6:22, 23) Iso elihle liqotho, linezisusa ezihlanzekile futhi alinakho ukuhaha noma izifiso zobugovu. Ukuba neso elihle akusho ukuziphilisa ngobumpofu obukhulu noma ukudebeselela ukunakekela imithwalo yethu yemfanelo yobuKristu. Kunalokho, kusho ukubonisa ‘ukuhluzeka kwengqondo’ njengoba sigcina inkonzo kaJehova isendaweni yokuqala.—2 Thimothewu 1:7.

16. Kungani kudingeka ukholo nesibindi ukuze sigcine iso lethu lilihle?

¹⁶ Ukuze sigcine iso lethu lilihle kudingeka sibe nokholo nesibindi. Ngokwesibonelo, uma umqashi ephikelela ukuba usebenze njalo ngesikhathi semihlangano yobuKristu, uyoba naso yini isibindi sokunamathela ezintweni ezingokomoya eziza kuqala kuwe? Uma umuntu ekungabaza ukuthi uJehova uyosigcwalisa isithembiso saKhe sokunakekela izinceku zaKhe, kudingeka ukuba nje uSathane anezele ingcindezi kulowo muntu, futhi angase ayeke ngokuphelele ukuya emihlanganweni yebandla. Yebo, ukuntula ukholo kunganika uSathane intuba yokusilawula bese kuba nguye osibekela izinto eziza kuqala, kungabe kusaba uJehova. Yeka ukuthi lokhu bekungaba inhlekelele engakanani!—2 Korinte 13:5.

“Themba UJehova”

17. Labo abathembela kuJehova babusiseke kanjani kwamanje?

¹⁷ ImiBhalo ibonisa ngokuphindaphindiwe  ukuthi abathemba uJehova akwenzeki bangaphumeleli. (IzAga 3:5, 6; Jeremiya 17:7) Yiqiniso, ngezinye izikhathi kungase kudingeke baphile ngokuciciyela, kodwa bakubheka njengokuzidela okuncane uma kuqhathaniswa nezibusiso ezibalindele. Ngale ndlela babonisa ukuthi ‘bathemba uJehova’ futhi bayaqiniseka ukuthi uyogcina enike abaqotho bakhe zonke izifiso ezilungile zezinhliziyo zabo. (IHubo 37:4, 34) Yingakho bejabule ngempela ngisho kwamanje. “Okulindelwe abalungileyo kuwukujabula, kodwa ithemba lababi liyoshabalala.”—IzAga 10:28.

18, 19. (a) Isiphi isiqinisekiso sothando uJehova asinika sona? (b) Simgcina kanjani uJehova ‘engakwesokunene’ sethu?

¹⁸ Lapho umfanyana ehamba ebambe uyise ngesandla, uzizwa ephephile futhi elondekile. Kwenzeka okufanayo nakithi lapho sihamba noBaba wethu osezulwini. UJehova wathi ku-Israyeli: “Ungesabi, ngoba nginawe. . . . Impela ngizokusiza. . . . Ngoba mina, Jehova uNkulunkulu wakho, ngibambé isandla sakho sokunene, Mina engithi kuwe, ‘Ungesabi. Ngizokusiza mina mathupha.’”—Isaya 41:10, 13.

¹⁹ Yeka ukuthi lokhu kusinika umfanekiso omuhle kanjani—uJehova ebambe umuntu ngesandla! UDavide wabhala: “Ngimbeké njalo uJehova phambi kwami. Ngeke ngintengantengiswe, ngoba yena ungakwesokunene sami.” (IHubo 16:8) Simgcina kanjani uJehova ‘engakwesokunene’ sethu? Ngezindlela ezimbili. Okokuqala, sivumela iZwi lakhe lisiqondise kuzo zonke izici zokuphila kwethu; okwesibili, sibheka emklomelweni okhazimulayo awubeke phambi kwethu. Umhubi u-Asafa wahlabelela: “Nginawe njalo; usibambile isandla sami sokunene. Uyongihola ngeseluleko sakho, kamuva uyongithatha ungiyise ngisho nasenkazimulweni.” (IHubo 73:23, 24) Njengoba sinalesi siqinisekiso, singabhekana nekusasa ngethemba.

“Ukukhululwa Kwenu Kuyasondela”

20, 21. Abathemba uJehova balindelwe ikusasa elinjani?

²⁰ Njengoba usuku ngalunye ludlula, kuya kuphuthuma ngokwengeziwe ukugcina uJehova engakwesokunene sethu. Maduze nje, izwe likaSathane lizobhekana nosizi olukhulu olungakaze lube khona ngaphambili futhi luyoqala ngokubhujiswa kwenkolo yamanga. (Mathewu 24:21) Isintu esingenalukholo sizokwehlelwa ukwesaba. Kodwa, phakathi naleso sikhathi senhlekelele, izinceku zikaJehova ezinesibindi zizojabula ethembeni lazo! UJesu wathi: “Njengoba lezi zinto ziqala ukwenzeka, yimani niqonde futhi niphakamise amakhanda enu, ngoba ukukhululwa kwenu kuyasondela.”—Luka 21:28.

²¹ Ngakho-ke, masijabule ethembeni lethu esilinikwe uNkulunkulu futhi singakhohliswa noma silingwe izithikamezo zikaSathane zobuqili. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, masisebenze kanzima ukuba sihlakulele ukholo, uthando nokwesaba uNkulunkulu. Uma senza kanjalo, siyoba nesibindi sokulalela uJehova ngaphansi kwazo zonke izimo nesokumelana noDeveli. (Jakobe 4:7, 8) Yebo, “yibani nesibindi, futhi kwangathi inhliziyo yenu ingaqina, nonke nina enilindé uJehova.”—IHubo 31:24.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ingabe Ungaphendula?

• Ithemba uJesu ayenalo lamsiza kanjani ukuba abe nesibindi?

• Ukholo nethemba kuhlobene kanjani?

• Ithemba kanye nokholo kungamnika kanjani umKristu isibindi sokuzibekela imigomo enengqondo ekuphileni?

• Kungani labo ‘abathemba uJehova’ bengabheka esikhathini esizayo ngethemba?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 28]

Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi umdala noma usemncane, uyazibona yini usePharadesi?