USARA ujame phakathi kwendlu, uyaqalaqala kwanga kunento ayifunako. Ngendlela azimisele ngayo, akubuzwa! Nawumqalisisa kuhle, kghani ubonakala njengomuntu oswabile na? Nakunjalo, bengekhe kwakurara ukuthi uswatjiswe yini. Umuzakhe bewungiyo yoke into, kangangobana yena nendodakwakhe u-Abrahamu zinengi khulu izinto ebebazithabela kiyo. * Leli bekulikhaya labo lamambala.

Bebahlala e-Uri, idorobho letuthuko ebelande ngeenkghwari zabantu, abosomakghono kunye nabathengisi, okutjho bona nabo bebanazo izinto zakanokutjho. Kodwana umuzi kaSara bewungasi yindawo nje yokubeka izinto anazo. Kunalokho bewuyindawo yomlando wezithabisako nezidanisako ebezenzeka phakathi kwakhe nendodakwakhe. Bebahlala bathandazela kiwo nalokha nabathokoza uZimabo abamthandako, uJehova. Ngikho-ke uSara bekayithanda kangaka indawo le.

Kukuhle kunjalo, uSara wazimisela ukufudukela kwenye indawo angakayijayeli. Nanyana besekaneminyaka engaba ma-60 ubudala, wakhamba elide nelifitjhani, aya eendaweni angazazi, waqalana neengozi nobudisi obusongela ipilo, kodwana wathi emva khona angibuyeli. Khuyini okwamenza warhuluphela ipilo ebeyihluke kangaka kwebekayiphila? Begodu ukukholwa kwakhe kusifundisani thina namhlanjesi?

Kubonakala kwanga uSara wakhulela e-Uri, namhlanjesi eselimumango omarubhi. Kodwana ngeenkhathi zakhe bekunganabususo benyawo emLanjeni yeYufrathe nemiseleni yakhona ngebanga lemikhumbi yabathengisi, ebeyiletha ipahla eligugu evela eendaweni ezihlukahlukeneko edorobheni elithuthukakweli. Iintarada zakhona ezincani ezimasongesonge bezihlala ziphithizela, kumikhumbi phasi phezulu magega nelwandle, nedoyelo leemikhumbi liphuphuma imithwalo. Cabanga-ke ukuthi uSara wakhulela endaweni enjalo, azi nabantu bakhona ngamananeko. Abantu balapho nabo singatjho bona basala bamkhumbula ngombana bekasimomondiya. Nomndenakhe bewuhlala endaweni leyo.

EBhayibhelini, uSara waziwa ngokukholwa kwakhe okukhulu—kodwana bekangakholelwa kuzinyana wenyanga ebakalotjhwa e-Uri. Ebekubonakala nawungena edorobhenelo, sithabathaba sesithombesibunjwa sakhe. Kodwana uSara bekalotjha uZimu weqiniso, uJehova. Uyise yena bekhewazilotjha kwesikhatjhana iinthombe. USara watjhadwa ngu-Abrahamu, indoda ebeyimdlula ngetjhumi loke leminyaka. * (Genesisi 17:17) Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, u-Abrahamu wagcina sekaziwa ‘ngokhokho wabo boke abanokukholwa.’ (Roma 4:11) Umtjhadwabo waba ngomuhle khulu, oqinileko nonehlonipho, onetjhebiswano elihle, umtjhado wabantu ababili abazimisele ukubambisana lokha nakunemiraro. Kodwana ngaphezu kwakho koke, ubunye babo bebubonakala endleleni abamthanda ngayo uZimu.

 USara bekayithanda ukuyithanda indodakwakhe, ngikho akhamba nayo nabafuduka e-Uri batjhiya umuzabo neenhlobo zabo. Bangakayi nokuyaphi, kwaba nento eyafuna ukubadanisa, njengombana sizwa eBhayibhelini kuthiwa uSara “gade ayinyumba” anganaye umntwana. (Genesisi 11:30) Esikhathineso ubujamo uSara ebekakibo bebusitjhijilo kwamambala. Kodwana wahlala athembekile kuZimakhe nakubabakwakhe. Umzukulwabo oyintandani, uLothi besekanjengendodanabo. Yakhamba njalo-ke ipilo, bekwaba kumhla zoke zinto zitjhuguluka.

U-Abrahamu weza kuSara akwakwazela, angakukholwa okusanda ukwenzeka. UZimabo bekasanda ukukhuluma naye kazi—wathumela ingilozi eyakhuluma naye ubuso nobuso! Ungamcabanga-ke nawe uSara ngamehlwakhe amahle sekaqale ubabakwakhe abobotheka, ambuza ukuthi: “Itheni kuwe? Ngibawa ungitjele!” Mhlamunye u-Abrahamu wathoma wahlala phasi wacabanga; bese wamtjela bona uJehova uthe: “Tjhiya inarhekhenu, abantu bekhenu nendlu kayihlo, uye enarheni engizakutjengisa yona.” (IzEnzo 7:2, 3) Kwathi ithabo labo naselidambadambile, bathoma bacabanga ngesabelo sabo abasiphiwe nguJehova. Bebazokutjhiya ipilo emnandi nebuthebelele, bayokuphila njengabafuduki! USara bekazozizwa njani ngalokho? U-Abrahamu wayiqala ngelihlo elibukhali ngehlangothinelo ukuthi bekazolithola na isekelo lomkakhe etjhugulukweni elikhulu kangaka epilwenabo?

Thina kungezwakala kusirara ebekuqalene noSara. Singaze sicabange nokuthi, ‘Mina uZimu azange khekangibawe namkha abawe umlinganami into enjalo!’ Nanyana kunjalo, akhe sizizwe na, siqalene nobujamo obunjalo bokukhetha? Siphila ephasini elikhakhazisa izinto zakanokutjho, elingasikhuthaza bona sizicabangele thina qangi, sicabange nangezinto esinazo nokuthi sivikeleke kangangani. Kodwana iBhayibheli lisikhuthaza bona sikhethe okuhlukileko—sifune ukuthabisa uZimu qangi ngaphambi kokuzithabisa thina. (Matewu 6:33) Njengombana sicabanga ngokwenziwa nguSara, singazibuza ukuthi, ‘Mina-ke epilweni ngizokukhethani?’

USara nasekapaka izinto zakhe, wahlanganyelwa yihloko, wangasazi ukuthi athatheni atjhiye ini. Bekufuze atjhiye zoke izinto ezizokudisela ikoloyana yeendonki, nebezizokudisela amakamela. Atjhiye nakho koke ebengekhe kubasize ngalitho epilweni yabo etja yokuba bafuduki. Kuyatjho-ke bona izinto zabo ezinengi kwakosa baphisane ngazo, ezinye bazithengise. Okunye ebekazokutjhiya lidorobho lekhabo elinobubhadekelo—okungilo ebekakghona ukuthenga kilo ikoroyi, inyama, iinthelo, izembatho, nezinye izinto ebekazitlhoga ngamalanga.

Kungenzeka bekubudisi kwamambala kuSara ukutjhiya umzakhe. Nangabe umuzakhe bewufana neminye imizi ye-Uri izazimlando ezisibikela ngayo, kuyatjho bona uSara walahlekelwa ngokukhulu. Phela eminye yemizi leyo beyinamakamaro amanengi, nemithombo yamanzi ahlanzekileko, itjhujelwe  nangamaphayiphu wamanzi. Nendlu evamileko imbala e-Uri, beyinephahla, amaboda kunye neminyango evikelekileko. Uzibuze-ke ukuthi itende belingabavikela na eengebengwini? Belingabavikela na emabhubezini, ingwenya, amabhere, iimpungutjhe—njengombana zoke lezo bekuziimbandana ezivamileko eendaweni ebebakhamba kizo?

Kuthiwani ngomndeni? USara bekazokutjhiya abobani ngemva? Kuyatjho bona kuye kwaba sitjhijilo samambala lokha uZimu nakathi ‘tjhiya inarhekhenu nabantu bekhenu.’ Ngendlela ebekanethando ngayo kufuze bona bekanabafowabo nabodadwabo, abazukulu nabokghari kunye nabomalume ebekatjhidelene khulu nabo, kodwana nje bengekhe asaphinde ababone. Nanyana kunjalo, uSara waba nesibindi. Ukuzimisela kwakhe ukukhamba bekubonakala ilanga nelanga.

Naphezu kweentjhijilo ezinjalo, kwathi nakufika ilanga lokukhamba, uSara lamthola ajame ngomumo. UTerarhi onguyise lemindeni eminengi, nguye owabaphekelela nanyana besekaneminyaka engaba makhulu amabili ubudala. (Genesisi 11:31) Kuyatjho bona uSara bekufuze amqalelele uyise ebesekaluphele lo. ULothi naye wakhamba nabo njengombana baya esabelweni sabo abasiphiwe nguJehova, batjhiya “inarha yamaKasidi.”—IzEnzo 7:4.

Ikhambo labo lokuthoma latjhinga eRharana, emakhilomitha ama-960, nca ngetlhagwini yetjingalanga, bakhamba magega nomlambo weYufrathe. Nabafika eRharana bahlala isikhatjhana khona. UTerarhi kungenzeka besekagula abhalelwa nakukhamba elinye ibanga. Umndeni loyo wahlala lapho bekwaba kulapho ahlongakala khona nakaneminyaka ema-205 ubudala. Ngaphambi kokuthatha elinye ikhambo elilandelako, uJehova waphinda wakhuluma no-Abrahamu, wamtjela ukuthi asuke endaweni le, atjhinge kileyo uJehova azamtjengisa yona. Kodwana kilokhu, uZimu wamthembisa nento eyamathabisa kwamambala nakathi: “Ngizokwenza ube sisizwe esikhulu.” (Genesisi 12:2-4) Nabasuka eRharana u-Abrahamu bekaneminyaka ema-75, uSara aneminyaka ema-65, nomntwana banganaye. Uzibuze-ke ukuthi u-Abrahamu bekangaba njani sitjhaba esikhulu sebaluphele kangaka! Kghani bekazakuthatha omunye umfazi? Phela isithembu bekuyinto ejayelekileko emihleni leyo, nje-ke mhlamunye uSara wakucabanga lokho.

Basuka-ke eRharana, baraga nekhambo labo. Kodwana qala nje sebakhamba nabobani. Nasiraga nomlando uyasitjela ukuthi u-Abrahamu nomndenakhe nabafudukako bakhamba nomnotho wabo kanye “namakhoboka abawazuza” eRharana. (Genesisi 12:5) Bekubobani abantwabo? Kanengi bekumakhoboka. Kanti-ke kungenzeka bona u-Abrahamu noSara bephele bawatjhumayeze ngalokho abakukholelwako. Ngikho eminye imitlolo ekotjululiweko yamaJuda beyithi abantwabo ngabatjhili, njengombana bahlanganyela no-Abrahamu noSara ekulotjheni uJehova. Nangabe kunjalo, kuyatjho bona indlela uSara ebekacocela ngayo abanye ngoZimakhe nangokukholwa kwakhe beyinamandla. Lokho kuqakathekile nakithi namhlanjesi ngombana siphila esikhathini lapho ukukholwa nethemba kuyindlala khona. Nje-ke nawe nawufunda okuthileko okuhle eBhayibhelini, angekhe na wakwabelana nabanye?

Nabaqeda ukuyama iYufrathe pheze ngoNisani 14, ngomnyaka ka-1943 B.C.E., bangena indlela etjhinga esewula, endaweni uJehova ebekabathembise yona. (Eksodusi 12:40, 41) Uyambona na uSara sekaqala ngapha nangapha, akarwe bubuhle bendawo ebazungezileko? Nabafika hlanu kwemithi yeMore nca ngeTjhekemu, uJehova wavela godu ku-Abrahamu, kilokhu wathi: “Nginikela isizukulwana sakho inarha le.” Ibizo elithi “isizukulwana” beselithoma ukuzwakala kamnandi ku-Abrahamu! Kuyatjho ukuthi belimenza akhumbule emva esimini ye-Edeni, mhla uJehova abikezela bona kunesizukulwana esizokurhayila uSathana. UJehova besekamtjelile u-Abrahamu ukuthi isitjhaba esizokuvela kuye sizokulethela boke abantu ephasini iimbusiso.—Genesisi 3:15; 12:2, 3, 6, 7.

Nanyana kunjalo, umndeni loyo bewungakaphephi emirarweni soke nje esiqalana nayo ephasini. Indlala yahlasela indawo yeKanana, u-Abrahamu wathatha umndenakhe batjhinga esewula yeGibhide. Kodwana walemuka ingozi engavela esigodineso, yeke wakhuluma noSara wathi: “Ngiyazi bona umfazi omuhle kangangani, yeke lokha amaGibhide nakakubonako azokuthi, ‘Lo, mfazakhe.’ Nje-ke bazongibulala mina kodwana wena bakulise uphile. Manje-ke wena yithi kibo, ungudadwethu ukuze ngiphathwe kuhle ngenca yakho nepilwami isinde ngawe.” (Genesisi 12:10-13) Kubayini u-Abrahamu enza isibawo esinjengaleso?

 U-Abrahamu bekangawaleyi amala begodu angasilo itjhatjha, njengombana abanye abanyefuli bamthomelela ngalokho. Kuliqiniso vele ukuthi uSara bekangudadwabo, okutjho bona bekabawa into eliqiniso. U-Abrahamu noSara balemuka bona akunalitho eliqakatheke ukudlula umnqopho kaZimu wokuletha isizukulwana esikhethekileko ngo-Abrahamu, ngikho u-Abrahamu bekufuze avikeleke kangaka. Okuqakatheke khulu kukuthi ubufakazi bezazimlando buveza bona bekungakavami ngabantu abaseenkhundleni eziphakemeko eGibhide ukuthi bathathe umfazi womuntu bese babulale indodakwakhe. Nje-ke u-Abrahamu bekayicabangele kuhle indaba le, kwatholakala ukuthi noSara ubambisene naye kilokhu.

Kungasikade kwabonakala ukuthi ivalo laka-Abrahamu belifanele ngombana amanye wamakhosana kaFaro abulemuka ubuhle bakaSara naphezu kweminyaka ebekakiyo. Bakhamba bayokubikela uFaro ngaye, walayela bona umfazi loyo athathwe! Abucabangeki ubuhlungu u-Abrahamu abuzwa nakuthathwa umkakhe, namkha ivalo elabamba uSara nakwenzeka lokho. Kodwana kubonakala kwanga azange atlhoriswe uSara, kunalokho waphathwa njengesitatanyiswa. Mhlamunye uFaro bekahlose ukuzikhakhazisa kuye ngezinto anazo, bese akhulumisane ‘nomfowabo’ ngokuthi amthathe abe mkakhe.—Genesisi 12:14-16.

Uyambona na uSara ahlezi emathurini weGibhide aqale inarha yakhona ehle? Ucabanga ukuthi wazizwa njani godu nasekahlala ngendlini yeboda efulelweko, adla nokudla okumnandi? Kghani lokho kwamlinga na wanyekele wabona kwanga lokhu kudlula ebebanakho e-Uri? Cabanga ukuthi uSathana bekazokuthaba kangangani ngathana uSara wase watlhala ubabakwakhe, watjhada noFaro! Okuhle kukuthi nokho uSara azange enze njalo. Bekathembekile kubabakwakhe, emtjhadwenakhe nakuZimakhe. Ngathana nanamhlanjesi ephasini elonakelekweli abantu bangathembeka ngendlela leyo emitjhadwenabo! Ungakulingisa na ukukholwa kwakaSara nawusebenzelana nalabo obathandako kunye nabangani bakho?

UJehova wafaka isandla ekuvikeleni umfazi othandekako lo ngokuwahla uFaro nabantu bomzakhe ngeembetho. Kwathi uFaro nakalemuka bona uSara mka Abrahamu, wambuyisela endodenakhe, bewababawa boke njalo ngomndeni bona bakhambe eGibhide. (Genesisi 12:17-20) Kufuze bona u-Abrahamu bekathabe kwamambala ukuthola umkakhe godu! Khumbula bona wathi kuye: “Ngiyazi bona umfazi omuhle kangangani.” Kodwana okhunye okwamthabisa ngomkakhe lo bubuhle bangaphakathi ehliziyweni, ongekhe wabubona ngamehlo. USara bekamuhle nangaphakathi, anobuntu obuthandwa nguJehova. (1 Pitrosi 3:1-5) Ubuhle obunjalo ngibo nathi esingalwela ukuba nabo. Nasibeka izinto ezithandwa nguZimu ngaphambi kwezinto ezithandwa ngithi njengomnotho, bese sizame ukwabelana nabanye abantu lokho esesikwazi ngoZimu, siphile nangendlela ayithandako nasiqalene neenlingo, sizabe silingisa ukukholwa kwakaSara.