Thembela NgoYehova, Uze Ube Nesibindi

“Thembela ngoYehova; yiba nesibindi uze uvumele intliziyo yakho yomelele. Ewe, thembela ngoYehova.”—INDUMISO 27:14.

 1. Libaluleke kangakanani ithemba, kwaye lisetyenziswa njani eli binzana eZibhalweni?

ITHEMBA lokwenene linje ngokukhanya okuqaqambileyo. Liyasinceda sibone ngaphaya kweemvavanyo size sikhangele kwikamva ngenkalipho novuyo. NguYehova kuphela onokusinceda sibe nethemba eliqiniseke ngolo hlobo, ibe oko ukwenza ngeLizwi lakhe eliphefumlelweyo. (2 Timoti 3:16) Amagama anjengelithi “ithemba,” “ngethemba” nelithi “ukuthembela” avela izihlandlo ezininzi eBhayibhileni kwaye abhekisela ekulangazeleleni nasekulindeleni into ethile.a Eli themba asikokuchaza nje into oyinqwenelayo, engenasihlahla nesenokungenzeki.

 2. Ithemba lamnceda njani uYesu?

² Xa wayejamelene neemvavanyo nobunzima, uYesu wakhangela ngaphaya kwazo wathembela kuYehova. “Ngenxa yovuyo olwalubekwe phambi kwakhe wasinyamezela isibonda sentuthumbo, elidela ihlazo, waza wahlala phantsi ngasekunene kwetrone kaThixo.” (Hebhere 12:2) Ekubeni wayekhangele phambili ekuthethelelweni kolongamo lukaYehova nasekungcwalisweni kwegama lakhe, uYesu akazange ayeke ukumthobela uThixo, phezu kwayo nje imiphumo awayeza kujamelana nayo.

 3. Ithemba lidlala yiphi indima kubakhonzi bakaThixo?

³ Enxibelelanisa ithemba nenkalipho, uKumkani uDavide uthi: “Thembela ngoYehova; yiba nesibindi uze uvumele intliziyo yakho yomelele. Ewe, thembela ngoYehova.” (INdumiso 27:14) Ukuba sifuna zomelele iintliziyo zethu, asimele sivumele ithemba lethu lifiphale kodwa simele siligcine liqaqambile size silixabise. Ukwenjenjalo kuya kusinceda sixelise uYesu ekuboniseni inkalipho nenzondelelo njengokuba sinenxaxheba kumsebenzi awawuthuma abafundi bakhe. (Mateyu 24:14; 28:19, 20) EBhayibhileni, ithemba lichazwa ndawonye nokholo nothando njengophawu olubalulekileyo, olwahlula abakhonzi bakaThixo.—1 Korinte 13:13.

Ngaba ‘Uyaphuphuma Lithemba’?

 4. Ziziphi izinto akhangele phambili kuzo amaKristu athanjisiweyo namaqabane awo ‘azezinye izimvu’?

⁴ Abantu bakaThixo balindelwe likamva elimangalisayo. AmaKristu athanjisiweyo akulindele ngolangazelelo ukukhonza ezulwini noKristu, ngoxa “ezinye izimvu” zinethemba ‘lokukhululwa ekukhotyokisweni kokonakala zize zibe nenkululeko ezukileyo yabantwana [abasemhlabeni] bakaThixo.’ (Yohane 10:16; Roma 8:19-21; Filipi 3:20) Loo ‘nkululeko izukileyo’ iquka ukukhululwa esonweni nakwimiphumo yaso ebuhlungu. UYehova—uMphi waso “sonke isipho esilungileyo naso sonke isipho esigqibeleleyo”—uya kubapha esona sipho sigqwesileyo abakhonzi bakhe abanyanisekileyo.—Yakobi 1:17; Isaya 25:8.

 5. Sinokwenza njani ukuze ‘siphuphume ethembeni’?

⁵ Limele libe nendima engakanani ithemba lamaKristu kubomi bethu? KwabaseRoma 15:13, sifunda oku: “Ngamana uThixo onika ithemba anganizalisa ngalo lonke uvuyo noxolo ngokukholwa kwenu, ukuze niphuphume ethembeni ninamandla omoya oyingcwele.” Ewe, ithemba linokufaniswa, kungekhona nekhandlela elikhanyisa ebumnyameni, kodwa nemitha yelanga eqaqambileyo, eyenza ubani abe noxolo, ulonwabo, injongo nenkalipho. Phawula ukuba ‘siphuphuma ithemba’ xa silikholelwa kwiLizwi likaThixo elibhaliweyo sifumane umoya wakhe oyingcwele. EyabaseRoma 15:4 ithi: “Zonke izinto ezabhalwa kwixesha langaphambili zabhalelwa ukuyalela thina, ukuze ngonyamezelo lwethu nangentuthuzelo yeZibhalo sibe nethemba.” Ngoko, zibuze oku: ‘Ngaba ithemba lam ndiligcina liqaqambile ngokufunda iBhayibhile ngokuthembeka, yonke imihla? Ngaba ndiwuthandazela rhoqo umoya kaThixo?’—Luka 11:13.

 6. Yintoni esimele siyiphaphele ukuze sigcine ithemba lethu liqaqambile?

⁶ UYesu, uMzekelo wethu, wayesomelezwa liLizwi likaThixo. Xa simondela ngokusondeleyo, siphepha ‘ukudinwa nokutyhafa kwemiphefumlo yethu.’ (Hebhere 12:3) Isengqiqweni into yokuba xa ithemba esilinikwe nguThixo lifiphila engqondweni nasentliziyweni okanye ingqalelo yethu ithinjwa zezinye izinto—njengezinto eziphathekayo okanye izinto zehlabathi—sinokudinwa ngokomoya, size sigqibele ngokuphelelwa yimilinganiselo nenkalipho. Xa kunjalo, sinokude ‘saphukelwe yinqanawa mayelana nokholo.’ (1 Timoti 1:19) Kwelinye icala, ithemba lokwenene liya lomeleza ukholo lwethu.

Ithemba Libalulekile Elukholweni

 7. Ithemba linaliphi igalelo elukholweni?

⁷ IBhayibhile ithi: “Ukholo lululindelo oluqinisekisiweyo lwezinto ezithenjiweyo, ubungqina obucacileyo bezinto zokwenene nangona zingabonwa.” (Hebhere 11:1) Ngaloo ndlela ithemba asiyonto nje yongezelelwayo elukholweni, kodwa yinxalenye ebalulekileyo yokholo. Cinga ngoAbraham. Ngokwembono yabantu yena nomfazi wakhe, uSara, babesele bedlulile kwintanga yokuzala abantwana xa uYehova wabathembisa ngendlalifa. (Genesis 17:15-17) Wasabela njani uAbraham? “Nangona lalingekho ithemba, kodwa ngokusekelwe ethembeni waba nokholo, ukuze abe nguyise weentlanga ezininzi.” (Roma 4:18) Ewe, ngethemba awalinikwa nguThixo waba nokholo lokuba uza kuba nabantwana. Ngoko, ukholo lwakhe lwaqaqamba nethemba lakhe lomelela. UAbraham noSara bade banenkalipho yokushiya ikhaya nezalamane zabo baya kuphila ubomi babo bonke ezintenteni kwilizwe lasemzini!

 8. Ukunyamezela ngokuthembeka kulomeleza njani ithemba?

⁸ UAbraham wagcina ukholo lwakhe lomelele ngokuthobela uYehova ngokupheleleyo, nokuba sele kunzima ukwenjenjalo. (Genesis 22:2, 12) Ngokufanayo, ngokuthobela nokunyamezela kwethu ekukhonzeni uYehova, sinokuqiniseka ukuba siza kufumana umvuzo. Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Unyamezelo,” luvelisa ukukholeka kuze ukukholeka kuvelise ithemba, kwaye lona “ithemba alidanisi.” (Roma 5:4, 5) Seso sizathu esenza uPawulos wathi: “Sinqwenela ukuba ngamnye wenu akhuthale ngokufanayo khon’ ukuze nibe nokuqiniseka ngokupheleleyo ngethemba lenu kude kuse ekupheleni.” (Hebhere 6:11) Ukuba nesimo sengqondo esihle ngolo hlobo, ngenxa yokuba nolwalamano olunzulu noYehova, kunokusinceda sibe nesibindi sokuhlangabezana nabo nabuphi na ubunzima ngovuyo.

“Yibani Nemihlali Ngalo Ithemba”

 9. Yintoni esimele sihlale siyenza ukuze ‘sibe nemihlali ngalo ithemba’?

⁹ Ithemba esilinikwe nguThixo ligqwesa yonke into esinokuyithenjiswa lihlabathi. INdumiso 37:34 ithi: “Thembela ngoYehova ugcine indlela yakhe, uya kukuphakamisa uwudle ilifa umhlaba. Xa abangendawo benqunyulwa, uya kubona.” Ewe, sinesizathu sokuba “nemihlali ngalo ithemba.” (Roma 12:12) Noko ke, ukuze sikwazi ukuba nemihlali, simele siligcine liqaqambile engqondweni ithemba lethu. Ngaba uhlala ucamngca ngethemba olinikwe nguThixo? Ngaba uyazibona useParadesi, ungumqabaqaba, ungasenaxhala lanto, ungqongwe ngabantu obathandayo usenza umsebenzi omyoli? Ngaba ukhe ucamngce ngemifanekiso yeParadesi ekwiimpapasho zethu? Ukucamngca ngezo zinto kunokufaniswa nokucoca ifestile ekwenza ubone kakuhle ngaphandle. Ukuba asizicoci ifestile, oko kungcola kunokusivalela singakwazi ukuzibona kakuhle izinto ezintle nezicacileyo. Siya kuqala ke ukunikela ingqalelo kwezinye izinto. Ngamana singangaze sikuvumele oko kwenzeke!

10. Kutheni ukukhangela phambili kwethu emvuzweni kubonisa ukuba sinolwalamano oluhle noYehova?

¹⁰ Esona sizathu sokuba sikhonze uYehova kukuba siyamthanda. (Marko 12:30) Nakuba kunjalo, simele sikhangele phambili emvuzweni. UYehova ulindele ukuba senjenjalo! KumaHebhere 11:6 ithi: “Ngaphandle kokholo akunakwenzeka ukumkholisa kakuhle, kuba lowo uzayo kuThixo umele akholwe ukuba ukho nokuba ungumvuzi wabo bamfuna ngenyameko.” Kutheni uYehova efuna simjonge njengoMvuzi? Kaloku xa simgqala ngalo ndlela, sibonisa ukuba simazi kakuhle uBawo wethu wasezulwini. Unesisa kwaye uyabathanda abantwana bakhe. Cinga indlela ebesiya kudimazeka lula ngayo size singonwabi ukuba besingenalo “ikamva nethemba.”—Yeremiya 29:11.

11. Ithemba awayelinikwe nguThixo lamnceda njani uMoses wenza izigqibo zobulumko?

¹¹ Umzekelo obalaseleyo womntu owanikel’ ingqalelo kwithemba alinikwe nguThixo nguMoses. ‘Njengonyana wentombi kaFaro,’ uMoses wayenegunya, udumo nobutyebi baseYiputa. Ngaba wayeza kusukela ezi zinto, okanye wayeza kukhonza uYehova? Ngenkalipho uMoses wakhetha ukukhonza uYehova. Kwakutheni? Kungenxa yokuba “wayekhangele ngenyameko emvuzweni.” (Hebhere 11:24-26) Ewe, uMoses wayengalithandabuzi ithemba elalibekwe phambi kwakhe nguYehova.

12. Kutheni ithemba lamaKristu lifana nesigcina-ntloko?

¹² Umpostile uPawulos wafanisa ithemba nesigcina-ntloko. Isigcina-ntloko sethu sokomfuziselo sikhusela amandla ethu engqondo, sisincede senze izigqibo zobulumko, sizibekele usukelo olufanelekileyo size sigcine ingqibelelo. (1 Tesalonika 5:8) Ngaba uhlala usithwele isigcina-ntloko sakho sokomfuziselo ngamaxesha onke? Ukuba kunjalo, njengoMoses noPawulos, uya kuthembela kungekhona, ‘kubutyebi obungaqinisekanga, kodwa kuThixo, osinika zonke izinto ngokobutyebi ukuze sizinandiphe.’ Yinyaniso ukuba, ukungalandeli umndilili ushiye usukelo lokuzingca kufuna inkalipho, kodwa oko akulolize! Ngapha koko, kutheni ungasukeli “ubomi benene,” obulindelwe ngabo bathembela kuYehova nabamthandayo?—1 Timoti 6:17, 19.

“Andiyi Kuze Ndikushiye”

13. Sisiphi isiqinisekiso uYehova asinika abakhonzi bakhe abanyanisekileyo?

¹³ Abo bathembele kule nkqubo yezinto bafanele bacinge nzulu ngekamva njengoko ihlabathi liya libandezeleka ngakumbi ‘yinimba.’ (Mateyu 24:8) Kodwa abo bathembela kuYehova abananto bamele bayoyike. Baya kuqhubeka ‘behleli ngonqabiseko baze bangaphazamiseki ekunkwantyiseni kwentlekele.’ (IMizekeliso 1:33) Ekubeni bengathembelanga kule nkqubo yezinto, ngovuyo bathobela isiluleko sikaPawulos esithi: “Musani ukuba ngabathandi bemali, kunoko yanelani zizinto ezikhoyo. Kuba uthe: ‘Andiyi kuze ndikushiye, ndingayi kuze ndikutyeshele.’”—Hebhere 13:5.

14. Kutheni amaKristu engamele azixhalabele ngokugqithiseleyo iintswelo zawo zokwenyama?

¹⁴ “Andiyi kuze,” “ndingayi kuze”—la mabinzana ayasiqinisekisa ukuba uThixo uya kusinyamekela. NoYesu wasiqinisekisa ngothando lukaThixo, wathi: “Qhubekani, ke ngoko, nifuna kuqala ubukumkani nobulungisa bakhe, yaye zonke ezinye izinto [izinto eziphathekayo eziyimfuneko] ziya kongezelelwa kuni. Ngoko, musani ukuxhalela ingomso, kuba ingomso liya kuba namaxhala alo.” (Mateyu 6:33, 34) UYehova uyazi ukuba kunzima ukuzondelela uBukumkani bakhe ngoxa sinyamekela neentswelo zethu zokwenyama. Ngoko masithembele kuye ngokupheleleyo ukuba unako ukuzinyamekela iintswelo zethu.—Mateyu 6:25-32; 11:28-30.

15. AmaKristu ahlala njani ‘eneliso elingenakumbi’?

¹⁵ Sibonisa ukuba sithembele kuYehova xa sigcina ‘iliso lethu lingenakumbi.’ (Mateyu 6:22, 23) Iliso elingenakumbi linyanisekile, linentshukumisa ezifanelekileyo yaye alinyolukanga, lingenawo namabhongo okuzingca. Ukuba neliso elingenakumbi akuthethi kuthi umntu umele abe yimpula kaLujaca okanye atyeshele iimbopheleleko zobuKristu. Kunoko kuthetha ‘ukuba nengqondo ephilileyo’ njengoko ukukhonza uYehova sikubeka kwindawo yokuqala.—2 Timoti 1:7.

16. Kutheni kufuneka sibe nokholo nenkalipho ukuze sigcine iliso lethu lingenakumbi?

¹⁶ Ukuhlala uneliso elingenakumbi kufuna ukholo nenkalipho. Ngokomzekelo, ukuba umqeshi wakho ufuna usebenze ngamaxesha eentlanganiso zamaKristu, ngaba uya kuba nesibindi sokubambelela kusukelo lwakho lokomoya? Ukuba ubani uyathandabuza ukuba uYehova uya kusizalisekisa isithembiso sakhe sokunyamekela abakhonzi bakhe, ekuphela kwento efunwa nguSathana kuloo mntu kukuqinisa apha ekumcinezeleni ibe unokuphetha engasayi kwiintlanganiso. Ewe, xa singenalo ukholo oko kunokuvulela uSathana ithuba, ize ibe nguye osibekela usukelo kunokuba ibe nguYehova. Hayi indlela ebe kuya kuba buhlungu ngayo oko!—2 Korinte 13:5.

“Thembela NgoYehova”

17. Basikelelwa njani kwanangoku abo bakholosa ngoYehova?

¹⁷ Ngokuphindaphindiweyo iZibhalo zibonisa ukuba abo bathembela kuYehova baze bakholose ngaye abasoze bawe phantsi. (IMizekeliso 3:5, 6; Yeremiya 17:7) Ewe, maxa wambi kusenokufuneka bangabi nabo ubutofotofo obuthile, kodwa oku bakugqala njengento engenamsebenzi xa bekuthelekisa neentsikelelo abazigcinelweyo. Ngaloo ndlela babonisa ukuba ‘bathembele ngoYehova’ kwaye banentembelo yokuba ekugqibeleni abo banyanisekileyo kuye uya kubanika yonke iminqweno efanelekileyo yeentliziyo zabo. (INdumiso 37:4, 34) Ngenxa yoko bonwabe ngokwenene kwanangoku. “Ulindelo lwamalungisa luluvuyo, kodwa ithemba labangendawo liya kutshabalala.”—IMizekeliso 10:28.

18, 19. (a) Sisiphi isiqinisekiso sothando asinika sona uYehova? (b) Simgcina njani uYehova ‘ekwisandla sethu sasekunene’?

¹⁸ Xa inkwenkwana ibanjwe ngesandla nguyise endleleni, iziva ikhuselekile. Kuba njalo nakuthi njengoko sihamba noBawo wethu wasezulwini. UYehova wathi kuSirayeli, “Musa ukoyika, kuba ndinawe. . . . Ndiza kukunceda ngokwenene. . . . Kuba mna, Yehova uThixo wakho ndibamba isandla sakho sasekunene, ndithi kuwe, ‘Musa ukoyika. Mna ngokwam ndiza kukunceda.’”—Isaya 41:10, 13.

¹⁹ Olunjani ukufudumala ulwalamano oludluliselwa ngulo mfanekiso—uYehova usibamba ngesandla! UDavide wathi: “UYehova ndimbeka phambi kwam rhoqo. Ngenxa yokuba ungakwisandla sam sasekunene, andiyi kushukunyiswa.” (INdumiso 16:8) Simgcina njani uYehova ‘ekwisandla sethu sasekunene’? Oku sikwenza ubuncinane ngeendlela ezimbini. Okokuqala sivumela iLizwi lakhe lisikhokele kuzo zonke iinkalo zobomi; ibe okwesibini sikhangela phambili kumvuzo ozukileyo asibekele wona. Umdumisi uAsafu wavuma wathi: “Ndinawe rhoqo; usibambile isandla sam sasekunene. Uya kundikhokela ngecebo lakho, emva koko uya kundithabatha undinike uzuko.” (INdumiso 73:23, 24) Xa sinesiqinisekiso esinjalo sinokukhangela kwikamva ngentembelo.

“Iyasondela Intlangulo Yenu”

20, 21. Liliphi ikamva elilindelwe ngabo bathembele kuYehova?

²⁰ Suku ngalunye, kuya kungxamiseka ngakumbi ukuba uYehova simgcine kwisandla sethu sasekunene. Kungedala kuza kutshatyalaliswa unqulo lobuxoki, ihlabathi likaSathana liza bandezeleka ngendlela elingazange libandezeleke ngayo ngaphambili. (Mateyu 24:21) Uluntu olungenakholo luya kugubha kukoyika. Ukanti ngelo xesha lesidubedube, abakhonzi bakaYehova abakhaliphileyo baya kuvuya ngenxa yethemba! UYesu wathi: “Njengoko ezi zinto ziqala ukubakho, yimani nkqo nize niziphakamise iintloko zenu, ngenxa yokuba iyasondela intlangulo yenu.”—Luka 21:28.

²¹ Ngoko ke, masivuye kwithemba esilinikwe nguThixo singaqhathwa okanye sihendwe ngamaqhinga kaSathana achuliweyo. Kwangaxeshanye, masizibhokoxe sihlakulele ukholo, uthando nokoyika uThixo. Xa sisenjenjalo, siya kuba nesibindi sokuthobela uYehova phantsi kwazo zonke iimeko size simchase uMtyholi. (Yakobi 4:7, 8) Ewe, “yibani nesibindi, yaye ngamana iintliziyo zenu zingomelela, nonke nina balindela kuYehova.”—INdumiso 31:24.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

Ngaba Unokuphendula?

• Ithemba awayenalo uYesu lamnceda njani wanenkalipho?

• Ukholo nethemba zinxibelelena njani?

• Ithemba nokholo zinokumnceda njani umKristu abe nesibindi sokuzibekela usukelo olufanelekileyo ebomini?

• Kutheni abo “bathembela kuYehova” benokukhangela kwikamva ngentembelo?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]

Enoba uselula okanye sele ukhulile, ngaba unawo umfanekiso-ngqondweni wakho useParadesi?