1. Kunini lapho kungase kube nzima khona ukukhonza uJehova?

UCABANGA ukuthi kunini lapho kungase kube nzima khona ukukhonza uJehova—ingabe yilapho ubhekene nezinkinga ezinkulu noma yilapho kukuhambela kahle ekuphileni? Lapho sibhekene nezinkinga, kulula ukusheshe sithembele kuJehova. Kodwa senzenjani lapho izinto zisihambela kahle ekuphileni? Kungenzeka yini sikhohlwe ukuthi kufanele sikhonze uNkulunkulu? UJehova waxwayisa ama-Israyeli ngokuthi lokho kwakungase kwenzeke.​—Dut. 6:10-12.

2. INkosi u-Asa yasibekela siphi isibonelo?

² INkosi u-Asa iyisibonelo esihle somuntu owenza ngokuhlakanipha ngokuthi ithembele ngokuphelele kuJehova. Ayigcinanga nje ngokukhonza uJehova lapho kunzima kodwa yamkhonza nangesikhathi sokuthula. Kusukela ekuqaleni, “inhliziyo ka-Asa yayiphelele kuJehova.” (1 AmaKh. 15:14) U-Asa waqeda ukukhonzwa kwezithombe ezweni lakwaJuda ukuze abonise ukuthi inhliziyo yakhe yayiphelele kuJehova. IBhayibheli lithi “wasusa ama-altare abanye onkulunkulu nezindawo eziphakeme futhi waphula izinsika ezingcwele wanquma nezigxobo ezingcwele.” (2 IziKr. 14:3, 5) Waze wasusa ngisho nogogo wakhe, uMahakha, esikhundleni wangabe esaba yindlovukazi. Kungani? Yingoba uMahakha wayekhuthaza abantu ukuba bakhonze izithombe.​—1 AmaKh. 15:11-13.

3. Yini esizoxoxa ngayo kulesi sihloko?

 ³ U-Asa akagcinanga ngokuqeda ukukhonzwa kwezithombe. Wabuye wasiza abantu bakwaJuda babuyela kuJehova ngokuthi bamkhonze ngendlela ayifunayo. UJehova wabusisa u-Asa nama-Israyeli ngokuthi babe nenkathi yokuthula. * Phakathi neminyaka eyishumi yokubusa kuka-Asa, “izwe alizange libe nasiphazamiso.” (2 IziKr. 14:1, 4, 6) Kulesi sihloko sizoxoxa ngokuthi u-Asa wasisebenzisa kanjani leso sikhathi sokuthula. Sizobe sesixoxa nangamaKristu angekhulu lokuqala asisebenzisa ngokuhlakanipha isikhathi sokuthula, njengo-Asa. Ekugcineni, sizophendula lo mbuzo: Uma uhlala ezweni lapho uhulumeni ebavumela khona oFakazi BakaJehova ukuba bakhonze uJehova ngokukhululekile, ungasisebenzisa kanjani ngokuhlakanipha leso sikhathi sokuthula?

4. Ngokwencwadi yesi-2 IziKronike 14:2, 6, 7, u-Asa wasisebenzisa kanjani isikhathi sokuthula?

⁴ Funda eyesi-2 IziKronike 14:2, 6, 7. U-Asa watshela abantu ukuthi nguJehova “owayebanike ukuphumula nxazonke.” U-Asa akazange acabange ukuthi lesi sikhathi sokuthula kwakuyisikhathi sokuhlala nje angenzi lutho. Esikhundleni salokho, waqala ukwakha imizi, izindonga, imibhoshongo namasango. Watshela abantu bakwaJuda: “Izwe lisatholakala.” Wayesho ukuthini? Wayesho ukuthi zazingekho izitha ezazingabavimba ukuba bahambe ngokukhululekile futhi bakhe ezweni uNkulunkulu ayabanike lona. Wanxusa abantu ukuba basisebenzise ngokuhlakanipha lesi sikhathi sokuthula.

5. Kungani u-Asa andisa ibutho lakhe lempi?

 ⁵ U-Asa wabuye wasebenzisa lesi sikhathi ukuze andise ibutho lakhe lempi. (2 IziKr. 14:8) Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi wayengamethembi uJehova? Lutho. Kunalokho, wayazi ukuthi kwakuwumsebenzi wakhe njengenkosi ukulungiselela abantu ukuba bakwazi ukubhekana nanoma yisiphi isimo esinzima esasiyoqhamuka esikhathini esizayo. U-Asa wayazi ukuthi izwe lalingeke lihlale linokuthula, futhi lokho kwaba iqiniso.

6. AmaKristu angekhulu lokuqala asisebenzisa kanjani isikhathi sokuthula?

⁶ Nakuba amaKristu angekhulu lokuqala ayevame ukushushiswa, ayeba nazo izikhathi zokuthula. Yini ayeyenza phakathi nalezo zikhathi? Lawo madoda nabesifazane abathembekile bashumayela izindaba ezinhle ngentshiseko. Incwadi yezEnzo ithi ‘bahamba ekumesabeni uJehova.’ Baqhubeka beshumayela izindaba ezinhle futhi ngenxa yalokho ‘baqhubeka banda.’ Kuyacaca ukuthi uJehova wakubusisa ukuzikhandla kwabo phakathi nalezo zikhathi zokuthula.​—IzE. 9:26-31.

7-8. Chaza ukuthi yini eyenziwa uPawulu nabanye lapho kuvuleka umnyango wokushumayela.

⁷ AmaKristu angekhulu lokuqala asebenzisa wonke amathuba ayewathola ukuze asakaze izindaba ezinhle. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi uPawulu ebona ukuthi umnyango wokushumayela e-Efesu wawumvulekele, walibamba ngezandla zombili lelo thuba washumayela futhi wenza abafundi kulelo dolobha.—1 Kor. 16:8, 9.

⁸ Kwavela elinye ithuba kuPawulu namanye amaKristu ngesikhathi kulungiswa udaba lokusoka ngo-49 C.E. (IzE. 15:23-29) Ngemva kokuba isinqumo sihanjiswe emabandleni, abafundi bazikhandla ‘bamemezela izindaba ezinhle zezwi likaJehova.’ (IzE. 15:30-35) Waba yini umphumela? IBhayibheli lithi “amabandla aqhubeka eqiniswa okholweni futhi anda ngesibalo usuku nosuku.”​—IzE. 16:4, 5.

9. Yini esikwazi ukuyenza emazweni amaningi namuhla, futhi yini esingazibuza yona?

⁹ Emazweni amaningi namuhla siyakwazi ukushumayela ngokukhululekile. Ingabe uhlala ezweni elinjalo? Uma kunjalo, zibuze, ‘Uyisebenzisa kanjani leyo nkululeko?’ Phakathi nalezi zinsuku ezijabulisayo, abantu bakaJehova bamatasa nomsebenzi omkhulu ongakaze ube khona emhlabeni, umsebenzi wokushumayela nokwenza abafundi. (Marku 13:10) Miningi iminyango evulekele abantu bakaJehova.

10. Incwadi yesi-2 Thimothewu 4:2 isikhuthaza ukuba senzeni?

¹⁰ Ungawasebenzisa kanjani wonke amathuba owatholayo phakathi nalesi sikhathi sokuthula? (Funda eyesi-2 Thimothewu 4:2.) Hlola izimo zakho ubone ukuthi angeke yini wena, noma elinye ilungu lomndeni wakho, wakwazi ukuchitha isikhathi esengeziwe enkonzweni, mhlawumbe ube ngisho nayiphayona. Lesi akusona isikhathi sokujaha ingcebo nezinto zaleli zwe​—izinto ezingeke zisinde ngosizi olukhulu.​—IzAga 11:4; Math. 6:31-33; 1 Joh. 2:15-17.

11. Yini eyenziwe abanye ukuze bakwazi ukuxoxa nabantu abengeziwe ngezindaba ezinhle?

¹¹ Abamemezeli abaningi baye bafunda olunye ulimi ukuze bashumayele futhi bafundise abanye. Inhlangano kaNkulunkulu iyabasekela ngokuthi ikhiqize izincwadi ezifundisa ngeBhayibheli ngezilimi eziningi. Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-2010, izincwadi zethu zazitholakala ngezilimi ezingaba ngu-500. Manje, sezitholakala ngezilimi ezingaphezu kuka-1 000!

12. Nikeza isibonelo sokuthi abantu bazuza kanjani lapho bezwa umyalezo woMbuso ngolimi lwabo.

 ¹² Kubathinta kanjani abantu ukuzwa iqiniso eliseZwini likaNkulunkulu ngolimi lwabo? Nasi isibonelo sikadade owazuza emhlanganweni wesifunda owawuseMemphis, eTennessee, e-U.S.A. Lo mhlangano wawungesiKinyarwanda, okuwulimi olukhulunywa eRwanda, eCongo (Kinshasa) nase-Uganda. Ngemva komhlangano, lo dade okhuluma isiKinyarwanda wathi: “Ngiyaqala ngqa ukuwuzwa kahle umhlangano selokhu ngafika e-United States eminyakeni engu-17 edlule.” Kusobala ukuthi lo dade wathinteka kakhulu lapho ezwa umhlangano ngolimi lwakhe. Uma izimo zakho zikuvumela, ungakwazi yini ukufunda olunye ulimi ukuze usize abanye ensimini okuyo? Kungenzeka yini abanye bafise ukukulalela ngenxa yokuthi ensimini yebandla okulo kunabanye abakhululeka kakhudlwana lapho bekhuluma olunye ulimi? Ukuzikhandla kwakho kuyokulethela izibusiso eziningi.

13. Abafowethu eRussia basisebenzisa kanjani isikhathi sokuthula?

¹³ Kwamanye amazwe, abafowethu abakwazi ukushumayela ngokukhululekile ngenxa yokuthi uhulumeni uwubekele imingcele umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngabafowethu eRussia. Kwaphela iminyaka eminingi beshushiswa, kodwa ngoMashi 1991, uhulumeni wabavumela ukuba bakhonze uJehova ngokukhululekile. Ngaleso sikhathi, kwakunoFakazi abangaba ngu-16 000 eRussia. Eminyakeni engu-20 kamuva, lelo nani liye landa kwaba noFakazi abangaphezu kuka-160 000! Kuyacaca ukuthi abafowethu benza ngokuhlakanipha ngesikhathi besenethuba lokushumayela ngokukhululekile. Leso sikhathi sokuthula saphela. Nakuba izimo sezishintshile kulelo zwe, abafowethu bayaqhubeka bezikhandla. Bayaqhubeka benza konke abangakwenza ukuze bakhonze uJehova.

14-15. UJehova wawasebenzisa kanjani amandla akhe ukuze asize u-Asa?

¹⁴ Ngosuku luka-Asa, isikhathi sokuthula sagcina siphelile. Kwafika ibutho elikhulu—elalinamasosha anamandla angaphezu kwesigidi—liqhamuka eTopiya. Umkhuzi walo, uZera, wayeqiniseka ngokuthi uzomnqoba uJuda. INkosi u-Asa yayingathembele enanini lamasosha, kodwa yayithembele kuNkulunkulu wayo, uJehova. U-Asa wathandaza: “O Jehova Nkulunkulu wethu, sisize, ngoba sinciké kuwe, futhi size ukuzomelana nalesi sixuku egameni lakho.”​—2 IziKr. 14:11.

¹⁵ Nakuba amasosha aseTopiya ayecishe aphindwe kabili uma eqhathaniswa naka-Asa, u-Asa wayazi ukuthi uJehova wayenamandla amakhulu okusiza abantu baKhe. UJehova akazange amdumaze; bawanqoba amaTopiya.​—2 IziKr. 14:8-13.

16. Sazi kanjani ukuthi isikhathi sokuthula sizophela?

¹⁶ Nakuba singazi ngokuthe ngqo ukuthi yini esizobhekana nayo esikhathini esizayo, siyazi ukuthi isikhathi sokuthula abantu bakaNkulunkulu abasijabulelayo sizophela. Khumbula ukuthi uJesu wathi ezinsukwini zokugcina, abafundi bakhe ‘babeyoba yizinto zokuzondwa yizizwe.’ (Math. 24:9) Nomphostoli uPawulu naye wathi “bonke labo abafisa ukuphila ngokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kanye noKristu Jesu nabo futhi bayoshushiswa.” (2 Thim. 3:12) USathane ‘uthukuthele kakhulu’ futhi siyobe siyazikhohlisa uma sicabanga ukuthi singakwazi ukuphunyuka olakeni lwakhe.​—IsAm. 12:12.

17. Ukholo lwethu lungase luvivinywe ngaziphi izindlela?

¹⁷ Ukholo lwethu sonke luzovivinywa esikhathini esizayo esiseduze. Maduze, emhlabeni kuzoba khona “usizi olukhulu olungakaze lube khona kusukela ekuqaleni kwezwe kuze kube manje.” (Math. 24:21) Phakathi naleso sikhathi, amalungu emindeni yethu angase asijikele, kuvalwe nomsebenzi wethu. (Math. 10:35, 36) Ingabe sonke ngabanye siyomethemba uJehova ukuthi uzosisiza futhi asivikele, njengoba kwenza u-Asa?

18. Ngokwencwadi yamaHebheru 10:38, 39, yini ezosisiza sikulungele ukuphela kokuthula?

¹⁸ UJehova ubelokhu esisiza sibe nokholo oluqinile ukuze silungele isikhathi esizayo. Uqondisa “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo” ukuba isinike “ukudla ngesikhathi esifanele”  ukuze sihlale siqinile. (Math. 24:45) Kodwa nathi kumelwe sizikhandle ukuze sibe nokholo oluqinile kuJehova.​—Funda amaHebheru 10:38, 39.

19-20. Ngemva kokufunda eyoku-1 IziKronike 28:9, yimiphi imibuzo okufanele sizibuze yona, futhi kungani?

¹⁹ NjengeNkosi u-Asa, nathi kudingeka ‘sifune uJehova.’ (2 IziKr. 14:4; 15:1, 2) Siqala ukufuna uJehova ngokuthi sifunde ngaye, simazi bese siyabhapathizwa. Senza konke esingakwenza ukuze sikhulise indlela esimthanda ngayo. Ukuze sibone ukuthi senzenjani kule ndaba, singase sizibuze, ‘Ingabe ngiba khona njalo emihlanganweni yebandla?’ Lapho siya emihlanganweni elungiselelwe inhlangano kaJehova, sithola amandla okuqhubeka sikhonza uJehova nesikhuthazo esivela kubafowethu nodadewethu. (Math. 11:28) Nakhu okunye esingase sizibuze kona, ‘Ngiyalifunda yini nsuku zonke iBhayibheli?’ Uma uhlala nomndeni wakho, niyakwenza yini ukukhulekela komkhaya masonto onke? Noma uma uhlala wedwa, uyasibekela yini eceleni isikhathi sokutadisha njengoba ubungenza ukube ubuhlala nomndeni wakho? Ingabe uwasebenzisa wonke amathuba owatholayo okushumayela nokwenza abafundi?

²⁰ Kungani kufanele sizibuze leyo mibuzo? IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi uJehova uhlola imicabango yethu nalokho okusezinhliziyweni zethu, ngakho-ke nathi kufanele sizihlole. (Funda eyoku-1 IziKronike 28:9.) Uma sibona ukuthi kudingeka sishintshe imigomo yethu nezinto esizicabangayo, kufanele sicele uJehova asisize sishintshe. Manje isikhathi sokuba sizilungiselele uvivinyo oluzayo. Ngakho, kwangathi ungangavumela lutho lukwenze ungasisebenzisi ngokuhlakanipha isikhathi sokuthula!