1, 2. Singasithola ngaphi isiphephelo esingasivikela lamuhla?

AKE uzicabange uhamba endleleni izulu selithwele. Isibhakabhaka siqhubeka sisiba mnyama. Kuqalisa ukuba lombane lomdumo omkhulu njalo izulu lesiqhotho liqalisa ukuna. Usuqalisa ukugijima udinga indawo ongaphephela kuyo masinyane. Kuthi kunjalo ubusuthalaza ubone indawo yokucatsha eceleni komgwaqo. Yakhiwe yaqina, kayinetheli njalo kuyacatsheka kuyo. Kumele ukuthi uyayiqakathekisa kakhulu indawo le!

² Siphila ezikhathini ezinzima ezinjengesikhathi sesiphepho. Okwenzakalayo emhlabeni kulokhu kusiba kubi kakhulu. Kodwa ikhona indawo yokucatsha esingathola kuyo isivikelo, isiphephelo esingenza ukuthi singalahlekelwa yibuhlobo bethu loJehova kanye lokuphila okungapheliyo. Yiphi leyo ndawo? Khangela ukuthi iBhayibhili lifundisani, lithi: “Ngizakuthi kuJehova, ‘Uyisiphephelo sami lenqaba yami, uNkulunkulu wami, engithemba kuye.’”​—IHubo 91:2.

3. Singenza njani ukuthi uJehova abe yisiphephelo sethu?

 ³ Akucabange ngalokhu, uJehova onguMdali njalo onguMbusi wendawo yonke angaba yisiphephelo sethu esisivikelayo! Angasigcina sivikelekile ngenxa yokuthi yena ulamandla amakhulu ukwedlula loba ngubani futhi ulamandla ukwedlula loba yini engasilimaza. Lanxa singalinyazwa, uJehova angayilungisa yonke impumela yakhona. Singenza njani ukuthi uJehova abe yisiphephelo sethu? Kumele simethembe ngoba iLizwi lakhe iBhayibhili liyasikhuthaza lisithi: ‘Zigcineni lisethandweni lukaNkulunkulu.’ (UJuda 21) Kuliqiniso ukuthi kumele sihlale sisethandweni lukaNkulunkulu silondoloza uthando olusimanyanisa loBaba wethu osezulwini. Nxa sesenze njalo sesingaba leqiniso lokuthi uyisiphephelo sethu. Kodwa singenzani ukuze sibe lokumanyana okunjalo?

4, 5. Yiziphi ezinye izindlela uJehova atshengise ngazo ukuthi uyasithanda?

⁴ Nxa sifuna ukuhlala sisethandweni lukaNkulunkulu, kumele sikwazi ukuthi uJehova utshengise njani ukuthi uyasithanda. Cabanga ngalokho osukufundile eBhayibhilini usebenzisa ibhuku leli. UJehova usinike ikhaya lethu elihle elingumhlaba njengoba enguye uMdali. Uwugcwalise ngokudla okunengi lamanzi, izinto zemvelo, izinyamazana esikholisa ukuzibona njalo usinike lezindawo ezinhle, ezibukekayo. UNkulunkulu usambulele ibizo lakhe kanye lobuntu bakhe eBhayibhilini njengoba yena enguMlobi walo. ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lisitshela langokuthi wathumela iNdodana yakhe ayithandayo eyiyo yodwa emhlabeni, evuma ukuthi uJesu ahlupheke futhi asifele. (UJohane 3:16) Sitshoni isipho lesi kithi? Lesisipho sisinika ithemba lokuphila okuhle okuzayo.

⁵ Ithemba esilalo ngekusasa leyame kokunye futhi uNkulunkulu asenzele khona. UJehova ubeke uhulumende wakhe osezulwini, uMbuso obuswa nguMesiya njalo sekuseduze ukuthi ususe konke ukuhlupheka ubususenza umhlaba ube lipharadayisi. Cabanga nje! Singaphila kuze kube nini lanini silokuthula  lentokozo. (IHubo 37:29) Okwakhathesi uNkulunkulu usifundisa indlela engcono ukwedlula zonke esingaphila ngayo. Usinike isipho sokuthandaza, njalo sikhululekile ukuthandaza loba nini loba singaphi. Lezi yizindlela uJehova atshengise ngazo uthando lwakhe ebantwini bonke, kugoqela lawe uqobo.

6. Ungenza njani ukuze utshengise ukuthi uyaluqakathekisa uthando uJehova akutshengise lona?

⁶ Umbuzo oqakathekileyo okumele ucabange ngawo yilo othi: Ngingenzani ukuze ngitshengise ukuthi ngiyaluqakathekisa uthando lukaJehova? Abanengi bangahle baphendule besithi: “Lami kumele ngimthande uJehova.” Lawe uzizwa njalo yini? UJesu wathi umthetho omkhulu ukwedlula yonke yilo: “Thanda iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke langomphefumulo wakho wonke langengqondo yakho yonke.” (UMathewu 22:37) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi ulezizatho ezinengi zokumthanda uJehova uNkulunkulu. Kodwa kwanele yini ukuzizwa umthanda uJehova ngenhliziyo yakho yonke, ngomphefumulo wakho wonke langengqondo yakho yonke?

7. Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kuphelela ekuthini sizizwe simthanda kuphela yini? Chaza.

⁷ Njengoba kuchasiswa eBhayibhilini, ukuthanda uNkulunkulu akupheleli ekuthini uzizwe umthanda nje kuphela. Lanxa kuqakathekile ukuthi uzizwe njalo, khonokho kuyikuqalisa nje ukumthanda okweqiniso. Intanga ye-aphula iqakathekile ukuze sibe lesihlahla sama-aphula esithelayo. Kodwa ake sithi ufuna i-aphula, ungajabula yini nxa umuntu engakunika intanga yalo? Ngeke ujabule! Ngendlela efananayo, ukuzizwa uthanda uJehova uNkulunkulu kuyisiqalo nje kuphela. IBhayibhili liyasifundisa ukuthi: “Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu yilokhu: ukulalela imilayo yakhe. Njalo imilayo yakhe kayinzima.” (1 UJohane 5:3) Nxa sithanda uNkulunkulu ngenhliziyo yonke, kumele sithele izithelo ezinhle, okutsho ukuthi kumele sikutshengise ngezenzo.​—Bala uMathewu 7:16-20.

8, 9. Singakutshengisa njani ukuthi siyamthanda uNkulunkulu lokuthi siyaluqakathekisa uthando lwakhe?

 ⁸ Sitshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda uNkulunkulu nxa silalela imilayo yakhe, njalo sisenza okutshiwo yizimiso zakhe. Akunzima kakhulu ukukwenza lokhu. Kulokuthi ibe nzima, imilayo kaJehova yenzelwe ukuthi isincedise ukuthi sibe lempilo enhle, sijabule njalo sisuthiseke. (U-Isaya 48:17, 18) Nxa silandela isiqondiso sikaJehova ekuphileni kwethu, siyabe sitshengisa uBaba wethu osezulwini ukuthi siyakuqakathekisa ngempela konke asenzele khona. Kuyadanisa ukuthi kulabantu abalutshwana emhlabeni lamuhla abatshengisa ukuthi bayakuqakathekisa lokhu. Asifuni ukuba ngabantu abangabongiyo njengabanye abaphila ngesikhathi uJesu esesemhlabeni. UJesu welapha abantu abalitshumi ababelobulephero, kodwa ngoyedwa kuphela owaphenduka wazobonga. (ULukha 17:12-17) Kuliqiniso ukuthi sifuna ukuba njengoyedwa owabongayo hatshi ukuba njengalaba abayisificamunwemunye abangabonganga!

⁹ Yiphi-ke imilayo kaJehova okumele siyilalele? Sesixoxe ngeminye ebhukwini leli, kodwa ake sihlole futhi eminye yakhona. Ukulalela imilayo kaNkulunkulu kuzasinceda ukuthi sihlale sisethandweni lwakhe.

10. Chaza ukuthi kungani kuqakathekile ukuqhubeka sifunda ngoJehova uNkulunkulu?

¹⁰ Ukufunda ngoJehova kulinyathelo eliqakathekileyo elingasinceda ukuthi sisondele kuye. Yinto okungamelanga uyekele ukuyenza. Ake sithi uphandle ebusuku, kuyaqanda kakhulu njalo wothe umlilo, ubungawekela yini umlilo wakho ucitsha uze uphele? Hatshi! Ubuzaqhubeka uwukhwezela ukuze uqhubeke uvutha. Phela ukuphila kwakho bekungaba sengozini enkulu! Inkuni zenza umlilo uvuthe, njengoba nje ‘ulwazi ngoNkulunkulu’ lalo lusenza ukuthi ukuthanda kwethu uJehova kuhlale kuqinile.​—IZaga 2:1-5.

11. Ukufundisa kukaJesu kwaba lompumela bani kubafundi bakhe?

¹¹ UJesu wayefuna ukuthi abalandeli bakhe baqhubeke bemthanda uJehova leLizwi lakhe eleqiniso eliligugu njalo wayefuna lolothando luqhubeke luphila futhi luvutha kakhulu. Esanda kuvuswa, uJesu wafundisa abafundi bakhe ababili ezinye iziphrofetho eziseMibhalweni yesiHebheru ezagcwalisekayo ezaziphathelane laye. Kwaba lompumela bani? Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi bona ngokwabo bathi: “Konje izinhliziyo zethu bezingatshiseki yini lapho ekade ekhuluma lathi endleleni esivulela iMibhalo na?”​—ULukha 24:32.

12, 13. (a) Abantu abanengi lamuhla baqhubeke bemthanda yini uNkulunkulu kanye leBhayibhili? (b) Kumele senzeni nxa sifuna ukuthi ukuthanda kwethu uJehova kungapholi?

¹² Lapho uqalisa ukufunda lokho okufundiswa liBhayibhili sibili, wezwa kuvutha yini enhliziyweni yakho ngenxa yenjabulo, intshiseko kanye lokuthanda kwakho uNkulunkulu? Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi kwavutha. Abanengi bazizwa njalo. Osekunzima khathesi yikuthi uthando lolu oluqinileyo luhlale luphila lokuthi lukhule. Asifuni kulingisela izenzo zabantu abasemhlabeni lo. UJesu waphrofetha ukuthi: “Uthando lwabanengi luzaphola.” (UMathewu 24:12) Kumele wenzeni nxa ufuna ukuthi ukuthanda kwakho uJehova kanye lokuthanda kwakho iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini kungapholi?

¹³ Qhubeka ufunda ngoJehova uNkulunkulu loJesu Khristu. (UJohane 17:3) Cabangisisa kumbe unakane ngalokho okufunda eLizwini likaNkulunkulu, uzibuze ukuthi: ‘Lokhu kungifundisani  ngoJehova uNkulunkulu? Kunginika siphi esinye isizatho sokuthi ngimthande ngenhliziyo yami yonke, ngengqondo yami yonke langomphefumulo wami wonke?’ (Bala iHubo 77:12.) Ukunakana okunjalo kuzakwenza ukuthi uhlale umthanda uJehova lokuthi uthando lolo luhlale lutshisa bhe!

14. Umthandazo ungasinceda njani ukuthi sihlale sithanda uJehova?

¹⁴ Ukuthandaza zikhathi zonke ngokunye ongakwenza nxa ufuna ukuthi ukuthanda kwakho uJehova kuhlale kuvutha. (1 KwabaseThesalonika 5:17) KuSahluko 17 sebhuku leli sifunde ukuthi umthandazo uyisipho esiligugu esisiphiwe nguNkulunkulu. Ubuhlobo bethu loJehova buzahlala buqinile njalo buphila nxa singathandaza kuye zikhathi zonke, njengoba nje ubungane labo buqina nxa abantu behlala bexoxisana zikhathi zonke njalo bekhululekile. Kuqakathekile ukuthi nxa sikhuleka singaphindaphindi amabala, njalo singaphongukhuluma nje singanaki lokuthi sithini. Kumele sikhulume loJehova njengomntwana ekhuluma loyise amthandayo. Kumele sikhulume ngenhlonipho, kodwa lokhu sikwenze ngenhliziyo yonke, sikhululekile njalo siqotho. (IHubo 62:8) Ukufunda iBhayibhili uwedwa kanye lokuthandaza ngenhliziyo yonke kuqakathekile ekukhonzeni kwethu njalo kusinceda ukuthi sizigcine sisethandweni lukaNkulunkulu.

15, 16. Kungani kuqondile ukuthi sibone umsebenzi wokutshumayela ngoMbuso njengoyisibusiso njalo oyinotho?

¹⁵ Ukufunda iBhayibhili uwedwa lokuthandaza zindlela zokukhonza esingazenza sisodwa. Kodwa khathesi ake sixoxe ngenye indlela yokukhonza esiyenza phakathi kwabantu: ukukhuluma labanye ngesikukholwayo. Usuke watshela abanye yini iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini? Nxa usuke wenza njalo, ube lesibusiso esihle. Nxa utshela abanye iqiniso osulifundile ngoJehova uNkulunkulu, wenza umsebenzi oqakathekileyo ophiwe amaKhristu eqiniso, umsebenzi wokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.​—Bala uMathewu 24:14; 28:19, 20.

¹⁶ Umphostoli uPhawuli wayebona umsebenzi wokutshumayela njengento eligugu njalo wawubiza ngokuthi uyinotho. (2 KwabaseKhorinte 4:7) Ukutshela abanye ngoJehova uNkulunkulu  kanye lezinjongo zakhe ngumsebenzi omuhle kulayo yonke ongayenza. Ngumsebenzi esiwenzela iNkosi engcono kulazo zonke, njalo sithola imivuzo emihle kakhulu ngokuwenza. Nxa usenza umsebenzi lo, uncedisa abalezinhliziyo eziqotho ukuthi basondele kuBaba wethu osezulwini lokuthi baqalise ukuhamba endleleni yokuphila okungapheliyo! Kambe kulomunye umsebenzi ongasisuthisa  ukwedlula lo? Okunye yikuthi ukufakaza ngoJehova langeLizwi lakhe kuqinisa ukholo lwakho kanye lendlela omthanda ngayo. UJehova uyayiqakathekisa kakhulu imizamo oyenzayo. (KumaHebheru 6:10) Ukuhlala ukhuthele emsebenzini lowo kukunceda ukuthi uzigcine usethandweni lukaNkulunkulu.​—Bala u-1 Khorinte 15:58.

17. Kungani kumele amaKhristu atshumayele ngokuphangisa lamuhla?

¹⁷ Kuqakathekile ukuthi singakhohlwa ukuthi umsebenzi wokutshumayela ngoMbuso kumele wenziwe ngokuphangisa. IBhayibhili lithi: “Tshumayela iLizwi; lungisela ngesikhathi esifaneleyo langesikhathi esingafanelanga.” (2 KuThimothi 4:2) Kungani kumele senze lokhu ngokuphangisa lamuhla? ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lisitshela ukuthi: “Usuku olukhulu lukaJehova seluseduze​—seluseduze njalo luza ngokuphangisa.” (UZefaniya 1:14) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi siseduze kakhulu isikhathi sokuthi uJehova asuse umumo lo wezinto. Abantu kumele baxwayiswe! Kumele bakwazi ukuthi khathesi yisikhathi sokuthi bakhethe ukuthi uJehova abe nguMbusi wabo. Ukuphela ‘kakusoze kuphuze.’​—UHabakhukhi 2:3.

18. Kungani kumele sikhonze uJehova ndawonye lamaKhristu eqiniso?

¹⁸ UJehova ufuna simkhonze ndawonye lamaKhristu eqiniso. Yikho iLizwi lakhe lisithi: “Kasicabangeni ukuba singakhuthazana njani ethandweni lasezenzweni ezinhle. Kasingakudeli ukuhlangana, njengalokhu abanye abajayele ukukwenza, kodwa kasikhuthazane​—ikakhulu njengoba libona uSuku lusondela.” (KumaHebheru 10:24, 25) Sithola ithuba elihle lokudumisa lokukhonza uNkulunkulu wethu esimthandayo nxa sihlangana lesikhonza labo emihlanganweni yobuKhristu. Emihlanganweni leyo siyancedana njalo siyakhuthazana.

19. Singenzani nxa sifuna ukuqinisa uthando lwethu ebandleni lobuKhristu?

¹⁹ Nxa sikhonza lezinye izikhonzi zikaJehova, siyabe siqinisa uthando kanye lobungane bethu ebandleni. Kuqakathekile ukuthi sikhangele okuhle kwabanye, njengoba uJehova laye ekhangela okuhle kithi. Ungacabangi ukuthi okhonza labo ngabantu abangelasono. Khumbula ukuthi amabanga  okuthuthuka ekukhonzeni kwabo kawafanani kanye lokuthi sonke siyaphambanisa. (Bala uKholose 3:13.) Nxa ungazama ngamandla ukuthi ube lobungane obuqinileyo lalabo abathanda uJehova ngenhliziyo yonke uzathuthuka ekukhonzeni kwakho. Kuliqiniso ukuthi ukukhonza uJehova ndawonye labafowenu labodadewenu kuzakunceda ukuthi uzigcine usethandweni lukaNkulunkulu. UJehova ubanika wuphi umvuzo labo abamkhonza bethembekile besebehlala ethandweni lwakhe?

20, 21. Kuyini “ukuphila koqobo”, njalo kungani kulithemba elimangalisayo?

²⁰ UJehova unika izinceku zakhe ezithembekileyo umvuzo wokuphila. Kodwa ukuphila kwakhona kunjani? Okwakhathesi ulokuphila koqobo yini? Abanengi bethu singahle sithi impendulo isegcekeni ngoba siyaphefumula njalo siyadla. Kutsho ukuthi siyaphila phela. Nxa sithabile, singazithola sisithi, “Lokhu yikho okuthiwa yikuphila koqobo!” Kodwa umcijo oseBhayibhilini oqakathekileyo utshengisa ukuthi akulamuntu olokuphila koqobo lamuhla.

²¹ ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lisikhuthaza ukuthi ‘sibambe ukuphila koqobo.’ (1 KuThimothi 6:19, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Amazwi la atshengisa ukuthi esikhathini esizayo silethemba lokuthola “ukuphila koqobo.” Nxa sesiphelele, siyabe sesilokuphila koqobo okutsho ukuthi siyabe sesingasaguli njalo sesingasafi ngenxa yokuthi siyabe sesiphila ngendlela uNkulunkulu ayejonge ukuthi siphile ngayo ekuqaliseni. Nxa sesiphila emhlabeni olipharadayisi, siyabe sesilempilakahle epheleleyo, ukuthula kanye lentokozo. Sizabe ‘sesilokuphila koqobo,’ okutsho ukuphila okungapheliyo. (1 KuThimothi 6:12) Leli lithemba elimangalisayo sibili!

22. Ungenzani ukuze ‘ubambe ukuphila koqobo’?

²² Singenzani ukuze ‘sibambe ukuphila koqobo’? Endabeni efananayo, uPhawuli wakhuthaza abangamaKhristu “ukuba benze okuhle” njalo “bande ngezenzo ezinhle.” (1 KuThimothi 6:18) Sekucaca-ke ukuthi okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuthi sisebenzise iqiniso esesilifunde eBhayibhilini. Kodwa uPhawuli wayesitsho ukuthi sithola “ukuphila koqobo” ngokwenza imisebenzi emihle yini? Hatshi, ngoba izibusiso ezinjalo ezimangalisayo sizithola ngenxa  ‘yomusa kumbe umusa ongasifanelanga’ ovela kuNkulunkulu. (KwabaseRoma 5:15) Lanxa kunjalo, kuyamthokozisa uJehova ukunika labo abamkhonza bethembekile umvuzo. Ufuna ukukubona uphila “ukuphila koqobo.” Abazigcina besethandweni lukaNkulunkulu bazathola lokho kuphila okungapheliyo, okulentokozo kanye lokuthula.

23. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi sizigcine sisethandweni lukaNkulunkulu?

²³ Kuhle ukuthi umuntu ngamunye azibuze ukuthi, ‘Ngikhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela ayamukelayo eseBhayibhilini yini?’ Nxa singaba leqiniso lokuthi nsuku zonke siphendula umbuzo lo ngokuthi ‘ye,’ siyabe sisendleleni eyiyo. Siyabe sileqiniso lokuthi uJehova uyisiphephelo sethu. Uzagcina abantu bakhe abathembekileyo bevikelekile ezinsukwini zokucina zomumo lo wezinto omdala olezinhlupho. UJehova uzasivikela size singene emhlabeni omutsha omuhle kakhulu oseduze. Sizajabula kakhulu ukukubona kusenzakala lokhu! Okunye okuzasithokozisa yizinqumo ezinhle esizenza kulezi zinsuku zokucina! Nxa ungenza izinqumo ezinhle khathesi, uzaphila “ukuphila koqobo” kuze kube nini lanini, njengoba nje uJehova ayefuna kube njalo!