1. Njengoba sidalwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu, iliphi ikhono esinalo?

ISAGA esithi, “Ukhamba lufuze imbiza,” sivame kakhulu ukusetshenziswa. Ngempela, izingane eziningi zifana kakhulu nabazali bazo. Lokhu kufanele ngoba ingane ithola izakhi zofuzo ezivela kubo bobabili abazali. UBaba wethu osezulwini uJehova, unguMniki-kuphila. (IHu. 36:9) Thina bantwana bakhe abangabantu simfuzile ngokwezinga elithile. Njengoba senziwe ngomfanekiso wakhe, sinekhono lokucabanga futhi sifinyelele eziphethweni, lokwakha nokulondoloza ubungane.—Gen. 1:26.

2. UJehova angaba uMngane wethu ngasiphi isisekelo?

² UJehova angaba uMngane wethu omkhulu. Lobo bungane busekelwe othandweni uNkulunkulu analo ngathi nasokholweni lwethu kuye naseNdodaneni yakhe. UJesu wathi: “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangangokuba waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, ukuze wonke umuntu obonisa ukholo kuyo angabhubhi kodwa abe nokuphila okuphakade.” (Joh. 3:16) Kunezibonelo eziningi zabantu ababa abangane bakaJehova. Ake sicabangele ezimbili.

3, 4. Endabeni yokuba umngane kaJehova, bonisa umehluko ophakathi kuka-Abrahama nenzalo yakhe.

³ UJehova wabhekisela enzalamizini engukhokho ka-Israyeli  ngokuthi, ‘u-Abrahama umngane wami.’ (Isaya 41:8) Eyesi-2 IziKronike 20:7 nayo ibonisa ukuthi u-Abrahama wayengumngane kaNkulunkulu. Babusekelwephi ubuhlobo obuqinile bale ndoda ethembekile noMdali wayo? Okholweni lwayo.—Gen. 15:6; funda uJakobe 2:21-23.

⁴ Ekuqaleni, uJehova wayenguBaba noMngane wenzalo ka-Abrahama eyaba isizwe sakwa-Israyeli wasendulo. Nokho, ngokudabukisayo yalahlekelwa ubuhlobo bayo noNkulunkulu. Kungani? Ngenxa yokuthi ayizange iqhubeke ibonisa ukholo ezithembisweni zikaJehova.

5, 6. (a) UJehova ube kanjani uMngane wakho? (b) Imiphi imibuzo okufanele siyinake?

⁵ Lapho uqhubeka ufunda ngoJehova, ukholo lwakho kuye luyaqina nothando lwakho ngaye luyajula. Ake ucabange ngesikhathi uqala ukwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu unguMuntu wangempela, umuntu ongakha ubuhlobo naye. Wafunda nokuthi sonke sizalelwe esonweni ngenxa yokungalaleli kuka-Adamu. Waqonda ukuthi isintu sidediselwe kude noNkulunkulu. (Kol. 1:21) Wabe usubona nokuthi uBaba wethu osezulwini onothando akayena umuntu okude nathi nongenaso isithakazelo kithi. Lapho sifunda ngelungiselelo lakhe lomhlatshelo wesihlengo kaJesu futhi sibonisa ukholo kulelo lungiselelo, saqala ukwakha ubuhlobo noNkulunkulu.

⁶ Uma sibheka emuva, singase sizibuze: ‘Ingabe ubungane bami noNkulunkulu buyathuthuka? Ingabe ngimethemba ngokuqinile, futhi ingabe uthando lwami ngoMngane wami othandekayo, uJehova, lukhula usuku nosuku?’ Omunye umuntu wasendulo owayenobuhlobo obuhle noJehova uGideyoni. Ake sihlole isibonelo sakhe esihle bese sizindla ngaso.

7-9. (a) Yini ephawulekayo eyenzeka kuGideyoni, futhi waba yini umphumela? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.) (b) Singaba kanjani abangane bakaJehova?

⁷ UMahluleli uGideyoni wakhonza uJehova ngesikhathi sesiyaluyalu emlandweni wakwa-Israyeli ngemva kokuba isizwe singene eZweni Lesithembiso. Incwadi yabaHluleli isahluko 6 isitshela ukuthi ingelosi kaJehova yavakashela uGideyoni e-Ofira. Ngaleso sikhathi, abakwaMidiyani ababengomakhelwane babewusongo olukhulu ku-Israyeli. Ngenxa yaleso sizathu, uGideyoni wayebhula ukolweni endaweni esithekile, esikhamweni sewayini, ukuze akwazi ukuwufihla masinyane. Emangazwe ukufika kwale ngelosi nokumbiza kwayo ‘ngeqhawe elinamandla,’ uGideyoni wazibuza ukuthi uJehova owayekhulule ama-Israyeli eGibhithe, wayezowasiza ngempela yini kulokhu. Ikhulumela uMdali, le ngelosi yaqinisekisa uGideyoni ukuthi uJehova wayezomsekela ngempela.

⁸ UGideyoni wazibuza ukuthi wayezokwazi kanjani ‘ukusindisa u-Israyeli esandleni sikaMidiyani.’ Wathola impendulo eqondile: UJehova wathi, “Ngenxa yokuthi ngizoba nawe, ngokuqinisekile uzobulala uMidiyani njengokungathi umuntu oyedwa.” (AbaHl. 6:11-16) Cishe wayesazibuza ukuthi lokhu kuzokwenzeka kanjani, ngakho wafuna isibonakaliso. Phawula ukuthi kule ngxoxo yakhe nengelosi, akukho nokuncane ukungabaza ukuthi uGideyoni wayebheka uJehova njengoMuntu wangempela.

⁹ Okwenzeka ngokulandelayo kwaqinisa ukholo lukaGideyoni futhi kwamsondeza kuNkulunkulu. UGideyoni walungiselela le ngelosi ukudla. Lapho lokho kudla kushiswa umlilo ngokuyisimangaliso ngesikhathi ingelosi ikuthinta ngesihloko sodondolo lwayo, uGideyoni wabe eseqaphela ukuthi ngempela yayimelele uJehova. Ethukile, uGideyoni wababaza: “Maye, Nkosi EnguMbusi Jehova, ngoba ngiboné ingelosi kaJehova ubuso nobuso!” (AbaHl. 6:17-22) Ingabe leso sehlakalo sahlukanisa uGideyoni noNkulunkulu wakhe? Lutho neze! Kwenzeka okuphambene nalokho. UGideyoni wamazi uJehova kangangokuba wazizwa enokuthula naye. Lokhu sikubona egameni  okubizwa ngalo i-altare uGideyoni alakha kuleyo ndawo—“iJehova-shalomu.” Lelo gama lisho ukuthi “uJehova Ungukuthula.” (Funda abaHluleli 6:23, 24.) Lapho sizindla ngalokho uJehova asenzela kona nsuku zonke, siyabona ukuthi unguMngane weqiniso. Ukuthandaza njalo kuNkulunkulu kwenza sibe nokuthula okwengeziwe futhi kuqinisa ubuhlobo bethu naye.

10. NgokweHubo 15:3, 5, yini uJehova ayifunayo kithi ukuze sibe abangane bakhe?

¹⁰ Nokho, ukuze uJehova abe uMngane wethu, kumelwe sihlangabezane nezimfuneko ezithile. Njengoba kulotshwe kumaHubo 15, uDavide wahlabelela ngalokho okufuneka kithi ukuze sibe ‘yizimenywa etendeni’ likaJehova, okungukuthi, sibe abangane bakaNkulunkulu. (IHu. 15:1) Ake sigxile kwezimbili zalezi zimfuneko—ukugwema ukunyundela nokwenza ngokwethembeka kukho konke ukusebenzelana kwethu nabanye. Ngokuphathelene nalezi zindaba, uDavide wathi ngomuntu oyisimenywa etendeni likaJehova: “Akazange anyundele ngolimi lwakhe. . . . Akazange athathe isifumbathiso ngokumelene nomsulwa.”—IHu. 15:3, 5.

11. Kungani kumelwe sigweme ukunyundela abanye?

¹¹ Kwelinye ihubo, uDavide waxwayisa: “Londa ulimi lwakho kokubi.” (IHu. 34:13) Ukungasilaleli lesi seluleko esiphefumulelwe kungadala igebe phakathi kwethu noBaba wethu olungile osezulwini. Eqinisweni, ukunyundela kuwuphawu lwesitha sikaJehova esikhulu, uSathane. Igama elithi “Develi” lithathwe egameni lesiGreki elisho “umnyundeli.” Ukulawula lokho esikushoyo ngabanye kusisiza ukuba silondoloze ubuhlobo bethu noJehova. Lokhu kunjalo ikakhulukazi ngokuphathelene nesimo sethu sengqondo ngamadoda amisiwe ebandleni.—Funda amaHebheru 13:17; Jude 8.

12, 13. (a) Kungani kufanele sethembeke ezintweni zonke? (b) Ukuthembeka kwethu kungase kubathinte kanjani abanye?

¹² Ukwethembeka, hhayi ukuxhaphaza, kuwuphawu lwezinceku zikaJehova. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Qhubekani nisithandazela, ngoba sithemba ukuthi sinonembeza othembekile, njengoba sifisa ukuziphatha ngokwethembeka ezintweni zonke.” (Heb. 13:18) Ngenxa yokuthi sizimisele “ukuziphatha ngokwethembeka ezintweni zonke,” siyakugwema ukuxhaphaza abafowethu abangokomoya. Ngokwesibonelo, uma besisebenzela, siyaqiniseka ukuthi sibaphatha ngendlela efanele futhi sibakhokhela ngokwesivumelwano esisenze nabo. NjengamaKristu, sisebenzelana ngokwethembeka nalabo abasisebenzelayo kanye nabo bonke abanye. Uma siqashwe umKristu esikanye naye, siyaqikelela ukuba singamxhaphazi, sifune ukuba asinike amalungelo akhethekile.

¹³ Yeka ukuthi kukaningi kangakanani sizwa amazwi okwazisa avela kubantu abasezweni abasebenzelana noFakazi BakaJehova! Ngokwesibonelo, umqondisi wenkampani enkulu yezokwakha waphawula ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bayaligcina izwi labo. Wathi: “Ninamathela njalo kulokho okuvunyelenwe ngakho.” (IHu. 15:4) Ukuziphatha okunjalo kusisiza ukuba silondoloze ubungane bethu noJehova. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kudumisa uBaba wethu osezulwini onothando.

14, 15. Enkonzweni yethu, singabasiza kanjani abanye babe abangane bakaJehova?

¹⁴ Nakuba bengase bakholelwe ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona, abantu abaningi esihlangana nabo enkonzweni yethu yasensimini abambheki njengoMngane wabo omkhulu. Singabasiza kanjani? Cabanga ngeziyalezo uJesu azinika abafundi bakhe abangu-70 lapho ebathuma ngababili ukuba bayoshumayela: “Nomaphi lapho ­ningena  khona endlini nithi kuqala, ‘Kwangathi le ndlu ingaba nokuthula.’ Uma umngane wokuthula ekhona, ukuthula kwenu kuyohlala kuye. Kodwa uma engekho, kuyobuyela kini.” (Luka 10:5, 6) Singadonsela abantu eqinisweni ngokuba nobungane. Kulabo abaphikisayo, lokhu kungasiza ekudambiseni ubutha futhi kucabe indlela yokuba basamukele kangcono ngokulandelayo.

¹⁵ Lapho sihlangana nabantu abagxile enkolweni yamanga noma abalandela amasiko angqubuzana nemiBhalo, siyaqhubeka siba nobungane kubo futhi sibonisa isimo sengqondo sokuthula. Sibamukela ngokufudumele emihlanganweni yethu labo ukunganeliseki kwabo ngomphakathi wanamuhla okubenza bafise ukufunda okwengeziwe ngoNkulunkulu esimkhulekelayo. Izihloko eziwuchungechunge ezithi “IBhayibheli Lishintsha Ukuphila,” zisinikeza izibonelo eziningi ezinhle.

16. Singabhekwa njengabangane bakaJehova ‘nezisebenzi ezikanye naye’ ngamuphi umqondo?

¹⁶ Ngokuvamile, abantu abasebenza ndawonye bagcina sebengabangane abakhulu. Bonke abazinikezele kuJehova banelungelo lokubhekwa njengabangane bakhe ‘nezisebenzi ezikanye naye.’ (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 3:9.) Ngempela, njengoba sihlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela nowokwenza abafundi, siziqonda ngokwengeziwe izimfanelo zikaBaba wethu osezulwini ezinhle kakhulu. Sibona indlela umoya wakhe ongcwele osisiza ngayo ukuba sihlomele ukufeza umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle.

17. Ukudla okungokomoya okunikezwa emihlanganweni yethu emikhulu nemincane kubonisa kanjani ukuthi uJehova unguMngane wethu?

¹⁷ Lapho siba nengxenye ethé xaxa emsebenzini wokwenza abafundi, sizizwa sisondelene ngokwengeziwe noJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, sibona indlela uJehova ashafisa ngayo abaphikisi. Ake ubheke emuva eminyakeni embalwa edlule. Ayisenzi yini sibone ngokucacile indlela uNkulunkulu asiqondisa ngayo? Sihlale sikhexa ngokudla okungokomoya okucebile okufika njalo. Imihlangano yethu emikhulu nemincane yembula ukuthi uBaba wethu onothando uyaziqonda izinkinga nezidingo zethu. Umkhaya othile wabhala incwadi ubonga ngomhlangano wesigodi wathi: “Isimiso sizifinyelele ngempela izinhliziyo zethu. Sisenzé sezwa ukuthi uJehova umthanda kangakanani umuntu ngamunye kithi nokuthi ufuna ukuba siphumelele.” Ngemva kokuya emhlanganweni wesigodi okhethekile e-Ire­land, umbhangqwana waseJalimane wabonga ngendlela owamukelwa futhi wanakekelwa ngayo ngokufudumele, wabe usunezela: “Kodwa ngaphezu kwakho konke sibonga uJehova neNkosi ayimisile uJesu Kristu. Baye basimema ukuba sibe ingxenye yalesi sizwe esinobunye ngempela. Asigcini nje ngokukhuluma ngobunye kodwa sibujabulela nsuku zonke.  Okuhlangenwe nakho kwethu esikuthole kulo mhlangano wesigodi okhethekile waseDub­lin kuyohlale kusikhumbuza ukuthi sinelungelo eliyigugu lokukhonza uNkulunkulu wethu omkhulu kanye nani nonke.”

18. Yini esingase sizibuze yona mayelana nendlela esikhulumisana ngayo noJehova?

¹⁸ Ubungane buyakhula lapho kunokukhulumisana okuhle. Izingosi zokuxhumana nokuthumelelana imiyalezo zivame kakhulu kule nkathi ye-In­ter­net nobuchwepheshe bokuxhumana. Nokho, ukukhulumisana kwethu noMngane wethu omkhulu, uJehova, kukuliphi izinga? Yiqiniso, ‘unguMuzwi womthandazo.’ (IHu. 65:2) Kodwa sikhuluma naye kaningi kangakanani?

19. Yiluphi usizo esingaluthola uma sikuthola kunzima ukutshela uBaba wethu osezulwini lokho okusezinhliziyweni zethu?

¹⁹ Akulula ngezinye izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ukuthulula isifuba sazo zimtshele imizwelo yazo ejulile. Kodwa yilokho kanye uJehova afuna sikwenze lapho sithandaza. (IHu. 119:145; IsiL. 3:41) Ngisho noma sikuthola kunzima ukuzwakalisa leyo mizwelo ngamagama, sinalo usizo. UPawulu wabhalela amaKristu aseRoma: “Inkinga yokuthi yini okufanele siyithandazele njengoba kudingeka, asiyazi, kodwa umoya ngokwawo uyasincengela ngokububula okungaphinyiselwe. Nokho lowo ohlola izinhliziyo uyakwazi okushiwo umoya, ngoba uncengela abangcwele ngokuvumelana noNkulunkulu.” (Roma 8:26, 27) Ukuzindla ngamazwi alotshwe ezincwadini zeBhayibheli njengekaJobe, amaHubo nezAga kuyosisiza ukuba sitshele uJehova imizwa yethu ejulile.

20, 21. Iyiphi induduzo equkethwe amazwi kaPawulu kweyabaseFilipi 4:6, 7?

²⁰ Lapho sibhekana nezimo ezicindezelayo, masilalele iseluleko sikaPawulu esiphefumulelwe asibhalela abaseFilipi: “Ningakhathazeki ngalutho, kodwa kukho konke izicelo zenu mazaziwe nguNkulunkulu ngomthandazo nangokunxusa kanye nokubonga.” Ukukhulumisana noMngane wethu omkhulu ngokukhululeke ngaleyo ndlela ngokuqinisekile kuyosilethela induduzo, ngoba uPawulu uyanezela: “Ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula konke ukucabanga kuyolinda izinhliziyo zenu namandla enu engqondo ngoKristu Jesu.” (Fil. 4:6, 7) Kwangathi singahlale sikwazisa “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu” okungenakuqhathaniswa okuzilinda ngempela izinhliziyo zethu namandla ethu engqondo.

²¹ Umthandazo usisiza ukuba sihlakulele ubuhlobo noJehova. Ngakho-ke, ‘masithandaze singaphezi.’ (1 Thes. 5:17) Sengathi lesi sifundo singabuqinisa ubuhlobo bethu obuyigugu noNkulunkulu nokuzimisela kwethu ukuphila ngokuvumelana nezimfuneko zakhe zokulunga. Masizinike nesikhathi sokuzindla ngezibusiso esizijabulelayo ngoba ngempela uJehova unguBaba wethu, uNkulunkulu wethu noMngane wethu.