KwisiXeko SaseNew York Ngowe-1958

Ngowe-1957, ndafumana esinye isimemo esivela eBheteli esithi: “Ngaba ungathanda ukuza eofisini ukuze uncedise ekwenzeni amalungiselelo okuya kwindibano yezizwe ngezizwe ezayo eza kuba seYankee Stadium nakwiPolo Grounds kwisiXeko saseNew York ngowe-1958?” Kungekudala mna noJoan sasixakeke zizicelo zabazalwana ababefuna ukuhamba ngeenqwelo-moya neenqanawa ezaziqeshwe nguMbutho. Emva koko kwabakho iNdibano Yezizwe Ngezizwe Yokuthanda KukaThixo eyadumayo nekwakuze kuyo abantu abangama-253 922. Kule ndibano, bangama-7 136 abafuzisela uzahlulelo lwabo kuYehova ngokuntywiliselwa emanzini—inani elingaphezulu lee kwelabo babhaptizwa ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., njengoko kuchazwe eBhayibhileni.—IZenzo 2:41.

Mna noJoan asisayi kuze sibulibale ububele bukaMzwalwan’ uKnorr xa wasimemela ukuba siye kuloo ndibano ukuze sincedise ekunyamekeleni iindwendwe ezazifika kwisiXeko saseNew York zivela kumazwe ali-123. Lawo yayingamava amnandi navuyisayo kuthi sobabini.

Iintsikelelo Zenkonzo Yexesha Elizeleyo

Ekubuyeni kwethu, saqhubeka nomsebenzi wethu wokuhambahamba de saba neengxaki zempilo. UJoan walaliswa esibhedlele, yaye mna ndaba nestroke. Safakwa kwizintlu zobuvulindlela obukhethekileyo kodwa kamva safumana ilungelo lokukhonza kwisiphaluka kwakhona okwexeshana. Ekugqibeleni, sabuyela eBristol yaye sisekwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Umninawa wam, uDick, kunye nentsapho yakhe bahlala kufuphi nathi, yaye ngokufuthi siye sincokole ngeentsuku ezadlulayo.

Ngowe-1971, ndaphulukana nokubona ngokuthi konakale iinwebu eziphakathi emehlweni ezingazange ziphinde zilunge. Ukususela ngoko kunzima kakhulu kum ukufunda, yaye ngoko ndifumanisa ukuba iikhasethi zoncwadi lweBhayibhile zililungiselelo elihle kakhulu elivela kuYehova. Mna noJoan sisaqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile zamakhaya, yaye ukutyhubela iminyaka, siye sanelungelo lokunceda abantu abamalunga nama-40 ukuba babe nolwazi ngenyaniso, kuquka enye intsapho enamalungu asixhenxe.

Xa sasizahlulela kuYehova kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-60 eyadlulayo, sasinomnqweno wokungenela inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo size sihlale kuyo. Hayi indlela esinombulelo ngayo ngokuba sisenamandla okukhonza uYehova Omkhulu—ekuphela kwendlela esinokumbulela ngayo ngokulunga kwakhe kuthi nangenxa yeminyaka esiye saphila ngayo kunye sonwabile!

UYehova Mkhulu Kuneentliziyo Zethu

UMDUMISI wabhala wathi: “UYehova uyoliswa ngabo bamoyikayo.” Eneneni, uMdali uyavuyiswa kukubukela ngamnye kubakhonzi bakhe njengoko bezabalazela ukugcina imilinganiselo yakhe ephakamileyo yobulungisa. UThixo uyabasikelela abantu bakhe abathembekileyo, abakhuthaze, aze abathuthuzele kumaxesha onxunguphalo. Uyazi ukuba abanquli bakhe abafezekanga, ngoko ke kusengqiqweni oko akulindelayo kubo.—INdumiso 147:11.

Kusenokungabi nzima ngathi ukukholelwa ukuba uYehova ubathanda kakhulu abakhonzi bakhe xa bebonke. Noko ke, kubonakala ukuba abanye baxhalatyiswa ngokugqithiseleyo ziintsilelo zabo de baqiniseke ukuba uYehova akanakuze abathande. Basenokugqiba ngelithi: “Andifezekanga ngeyona ndlela ukuba uYehova angandithanda.” Kakade ke, ngokuphindaphindiweyo sonke siba nazo iingcamango ezingakhiyo. Kodwa kubonakala ukuba abanye balwa idabi elingapheliyo nxamnye neemvakalelo zokuziva bengaxabisekanga.

Ukudakumba

Baliqela abantu abathembekileyo abaye babandezeleka ngokunzulu ngenxa yokudakumba kumaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile. UYobhi wabuthiya ubomi waza wavakalelwa kukuba uThixo wayemshiyile. Ngaxa lithile, uHana owaba ngunina kaSamuweli, wakha waxinezeleka ngokunzulu ngenxa yokungabi nabantwana kwakhe yaye walila ngokukrakra. UDavide ‘wathoba ngomlinganiselo ogqithileyo,’ yaye uEpafrodito wanxunguphala ngenxa yokuba iindaba zokugula kwakhe zabenza buhlungu abazalwana bakhe.—INdumiso 38:6; 1 Samuweli 1:7, 10; Yobhi 29:2, 4, 5; Filipi 2:25, 26.

Kuthekani ngamaKristu namhlanje? Mhlawumbi ukugula, ukwaluphala okanye ezinye iimeko zobuqu zithintela athile ukuba enze okungakumbi kwinkonzo engcwele njengoko enqwenela. Oku kusenokukhokelela ekubeni agqibe ngelithi akamkholisi uYehova namanye amakholwa. Okanye abanye basenokuqhubeka bezigxeka ngenxa yeempazamo zexesha elidluleyo, bethandabuza ukuba uYehova uye wabaxolela. Mhlawumbi abanye abaphuma kwiintsapho ezineengxaki beyisekile kukuba abakufanelanga ukuthandwa. Kwenzeka njani oko?

Abanye bakhulele kwiintsapho apho ungekho kwaphela umoya wothando kodwa ekugquba owokuzingca, impoxo noloyiko. Basenokungamazi ubawo obathanda ngokunzulu, okhangela amathuba okuncoma nokukhuthuza, ongazisi so iziphoso ezincinane yaye olungele ukuxolela neempazamo ezinzulu ngakumbi, nonobubele obenza yonke intsapho izive inqabisekile. Ekubeni bengazange babe naye ubawo wasemhlabeni onothando, basenokukufumanisa kunzima ukuqonda oko kuthethwa kukuba noBawo wasezulwini onothando.

Ngokomzekelo, uFritz ubhala athi: “Ubuntwana nobutsha bam baphenjelelwa ngeyona ndlela kukungabi naluthando kukabawo.a Akazange khe ancome nantoni na, yaye andizange khe ndizive ndisondele kuye. Enyanisweni, ubukhulu becala ndandimoyika.” Ngenxa yoko, uFritz ngoku okwiminyaka yakhe yama-50 ubudala, usenezo mvakalelo zokuziva engento yanto. Yaye uMargarette ucacisa athi: “Abazali bam babengenabubele yaye bengenaluthando. Xa ndandiqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhile, kwakunzima ukuba ndibe nombono wobawo onothando.”

Nokuba zibangelwa yintoni na, iimvakalelo ezinjalo zisenokuthetha ukuba, maxa wambi xa sinikela inkonzo yethu kuThixo ngokuyintloko sishukunyiswa kungekhona luthando, kodwa ubukhulu becala kukuziva sinetyala okanye uloyiko. Asinakuze saneliseke koko sikwenza ngamandla ethu. Umnqweno wokufuna ukukholisa uYehova nabo sikholwa nabo usenokusenza sivakalelwe kukuba asikwazi ukufikelela konke esifuna ukukwenza. Ngenxa yoko, sisenokusilela kusukelo lwethu, sizihlab’ amadlala size siphelelwe lithemba.

Yintoni enokwenziwa? Mhlawumbi kufuneka sizikhumbuze ngendlela anovelwano ngayo uYehova. Umntu owayeyiqonda le nkalo yothando kubuntu bukaThixo ngumpostile uYohane.

“UThixo Mkhulu Kuneentliziyo Zethu”

Ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, uYohane wabhalela abo wayekholwa nabo wathi: “Yiyo ke leyo indlela esiya kwazi ngayo ukuba siphuma kuyo inyaniso, yaye siya kuziqinisekisa iintliziyo zethu phambi kwakhe ngokubhekisele kuko nakuphi na oko iintliziyo zethu ezisenokusigwebela isohlwayo kuko, ngenxa yokuba uThixo mkhulu kuneentliziyo zethu yaye uyazazi zonke izinto.” Kwakutheni ukuze uYohane abhale la mazwi?—1 Yohane 3:19, 20.

UYohane wayeyazi kakuhle into yokuba kuyenzeka ukuba umkhonzi kaYehova azigwebe entliziyweni. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba noYohane ngokwakhe wakha wanazo iimvakalelo ezinjalo. Njengomfana owayengqwabalala, uYohane ngesinye isihlandlo kwafuneka ukuba alungiswe nguYesu Kristu ngenxa yokuqhubana ngqongqo nabanye. Eneneni, uYesu wanika uYohane nomntakwabo uYakobi “ifani enguBhowanerges, ethetha ooNyana beNdudumo.”—Marko 3:17; Luka 9:49-56.

Kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-60 eyalandelayo, kuYohane izinto zazingasafani, walungelelana waza waba ngumKristu onothando nenceba. Njengompostile owayesasindile, xa wayebhala incwadi yakhe yokuqala ephefumlelweyo, wayesele esazi ukuba uYehova akabaphendulisi ngazo zonke iziphoso abakhonzi bakhe. Kunoko unguBawo onobubele, uvelwano, isisa nemfesane, obathanda ngokunzulu bonke abo bamthandayo baze bamnqule ngenyaniso. UYohane wabhala wathi: “UThixo uluthando.”—1 Yohane 4:8.

UYehova Uyavuyiswa Yinkonzo Yethu Kuye

UThixo uyabazi ubuthathaka neentsilelo esizalwa nazo, yaye uzinikela ingqalelo. UDavide wabhala wathi: “Yena uyakwazi ukuyilwa kwethu, ekhumbula ukuba siluthuli.” UYehova uyaliqonda igalelo enalo imvelaphi yethu ekusenzeni sibe luhlobo lwabantu esilulo. Enyanisweni, usazi ngakumbi kunokuba thina sizazi.—INdumiso 103:14.

Uyazi ukuba abaninzi bethu bebeya kuthanda ukwahluka, kodwa asikwazi ukoyisa ukungafezeki kwethu. Imeko yethu inokuthelekiswa naleyo yompostile uPawulos, owabhala wathi: “Okulungileyo endikunqwenelayo andikwenzi, kodwa okubi endingakunqweneliyo kuko endikuqheliselayo.” Sonke sikwidabi elifanayo. Kwezinye iimeko oku kusenokubangela ukuba sizigwebe.—Roma 7:19.

Sifanele sisoloko sikhumbula ukuba: Eyona nto ibalulekileyo kunendlela esizijonga ngayo thina yindlela uYehova asijonga ngayo. Nanini na xa esibona sizabalazela ukumvuyisa, usabela kungekhona nje ngokwaneliseka, kodwa ngovuyo. (IMizekeliso 27:11) Nangona oko sikuphumezayo kusenokubonakala kukuncinane emehlweni ethu, ukuzimisela neentshukumisa zethu ezintle kuyamvuyisa. Ukhangela ngaphaya koko sikufezayo; uyakuqonda oko sifuna ukukwenza; uyayiqonda iminqweno nezilangazelelo zethu. UYehova unako ukufunda iintliziyo zethu.—Yeremiya 12:3; 17:10.

Ngokomzekelo, amaNgqina kaYehova amaninzi ngokwemvelo akangobantu abandwebileyo yaye athule, angabantu abangathandi kutsal’ amehlo. Kubantu abanjalo, ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kwindlu ngendlu kunokuba lucelomngeni olukhulu. Sekunjalo, beshukunyiswa ngumnqweno wokukhonza uThixo nokunceda abamelwane babo, kwanabo bangazithembanga bafunda ukuya kubamelwane babo baze bathethe ngeBhayibhile. Basenokuziva bengenzanga nto ingako, yaye oku kusenokubohlutha uvuyo lwabo. Iintliziyo zabo zisenokubaxelela ukuba ubulungiseleli babo basesidlangalaleni abuxabisekanga. Kodwa ngokuqinisekileyo uYehova uyavuyiswa ngumgudu omkhulu owenziwa ngabo banjalo kwinkonzo yabo. Ukongezelela koko, abanakuze baqiniseke ukuba kunini yaye kuphi apho imbewu yenyaniso etyaliweyo iya kuntshula khona, ikhule ize ithwale isiqhamo.—INtshumayeli 11:6; Marko 12:41-44; 2 Korinte 8:12.

Amanye amaNgqina abandezeleka ngenxa yokugula okungapheliyo okanye ukwaluphala. Kuwo ukuya rhoqo kwiintlanganiso ezikwiHolo yoBukumkani kusenokukhatshwa ziingqaqambo nexhala. Ukuphulaphula intetho ephathelele umsebenzi wokushumayela kusenokuwakhumbuza oko ayeqhele ukukwenza yaye oko asafuna ukukwenza, nangona ukuba buthathaka kuwathintela. Anjalo asenokuziva enetyala kuba engakwazi ukulandela eso siluleko ngendlela anqwenela ngayo. Ukanti ngokuqinisekileyo uYehova uyakuxabisa ukunyaniseka nokunyamezela kwawo. Logama nje ehlala enyanisekile, akanakuze ayilibale ingxelo yawo yokuthembeka.—INdumiso 18:25; 37:28.

‘Masiziqinisekise Iintliziyo Zethu’

Xa uYohane wayefikelela ebudaleni, kufanele ukuba kuninzi awayekuqonda ngokuba novelwano kukaThixo. Khumbula ukuba wabhala wathi: “UThixo mkhulu kuneentliziyo zethu yaye uyazazi zonke izinto.” Ukongezelela koko, uYohane wasikhuthaza ukuba ‘siziqinisekise iintliziyo zethu.’ Wayethetha ukuthini uYohane ngaloo mazwi?

Ngokutsho kweVine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, isenzi sesiGrike esiguqulelwe ngokuthi “qinisekisa” sithetha “ukukholelwa, ukongamela okanye ukoyisa, ukweyisela.” Ngamanye amazwi, ukuze siziqinisekise iintliziyo zethu, kufuneka sizongamele, sizoyisele ukuba zikholelwe ukuba uYehova uyasithanda. Njani?

UFritz, okhankanywe ekuqaleni kweli nqaku, uye wakhonza njengomdala kwelinye lamabandla amaNgqina kaYehova ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-25 yaye uye wafumanisa ukuba isifundo sobuqu sinako ukuqinisekisa intliziyo yakhe ngothando lukaYehova. Uthi: “Ndifunda iBhayibhile neempapasho zethu rhoqo nangenyameko. Oku kundinceda ukuba ndingagxininisi kwizinto ezadlulayo kodwa ndihlale ndinombono ocacileyo ngekamva lethu elimangalisayo. Maxa wambi, xa ndifikelwa ziingcinga zezinto endazenza kwixesha elidluleyo, ndiye ndivakalelwe kukuba uThixo akanakuze andithande. Kodwa ngokuqhelekileyo, ndifumanisa ukuba isifundo sam esithe rhoqo someleza intliziyo yam, songeze ukholo lwam yaye siyandinceda ukuba ndihlale ndivuya yaye ndizive ndilungelelene.”

Liyinyaniso elokuba, ukufunda iBhayibhile nokucamngca ngayo kusenokungayiguquli eyona meko yethu yokwenene. Kodwa, kunako ukuyiguqula indlela esiyibona ngayo loo meko yethu. Ukucinga nzulu ngeengcamango ezivela kwiLizwi likaThixo kusinceda ukuba sicinge njengaye. Ukongezelela, isifundo sisinceda ukuba sikhule ekubuqondeni ngakumbi ubukhulu bovelwano lukaThixo. Ekugqibeleni sinako ukuyamkela into yokuba uYehova akasibeki tyala ngemeko yethu yobuntwana, yaye akasibeki tyala ngeentsilelo zethu. Uyazi ukuba imithwalo emininzi esiyithweleyo—nokuba yeyemvakalelo okanye yomzimba—ayisoloko ibangelwa sithi, yaye ukubeka engqalelweni ngothando oko.

Kuthekani ngoMargarette, okhankanywe ngaphambilana? Xa wathi wamazi uYehova, ukufunda iBhayibhile kwaba yeyona ngenelo inkulu nakuye. Naye njengoFritz kwafuneka ukuba aphinde ayihlolisise ngokutsha imbono yakhe ngobawo. Umthandazo wamnceda uMargarette ukuba akusebenzise oko wayekufunda kweso sifundo. UMagarette uthi: “Kuqala ndamgqala uYehova njengomhlobo, ekubeni ndandibazi ngakumbi abahlobo abanothando kunobawo onothando. Ngokuthe ngcembe, ndafunda ukuphalaza iimvakalelo, amathandabuzo, amaxhala neengxaki zam kuYehova. Ndathetha naye ngokuphindaphindiweyo emthandazweni, kwangaxeshanye ndidibanisa zonke izinto ezintsha endandizifunda ngaye, ezahlukahlukeneyo. Emva kwexesha elithile, iimvakalelo zam ngoYehova zakhula zada zaya kufikelela kwinqanaba lokuba ngoku inqabile into yokuba ndibe nengxaki yokumgqala njengoBawo onothando.”

Ukukhululeka Kulo Lonke Ixhala

Lo gama nje isekho le nkqubo indala ingendawo, akukho mntu unokukwazi ukuhlala engenalo ixhala. Kwamanye amaKristu oku kuthetha ukuba iimvakalelo zokuba nexhala okanye ukuzithandabuza kusenokuphinda kuvuke kuze kubangele unxunguphalo. Kodwa sinokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova uyazazi iintshukumisa ezintle nomsebenzi wethu omhle esiwenzayo kwinkonzo yakhe. Akanakuze alulibale uthando esilubonakalisayo ngegama lakhe.—Hebhere 6:10.

Kumhlaba omtsha osele ukufuphi ngaphantsi koBukumkani bukaMesiya, bonke abantu abathembekileyo banokulindela ukukhululwa kwimithwalo yale nkqubo kaSathana. Hayi indlela oku okuya kubangela isiqabu ngayo! Siya kwandula ke sibone nobungqina obungakumbi bendlela uYehova anovelwano ngayo. De kube lelo xesha, sonke masiqiniseke ukuba “uThixo mkhulu kuneentliziyo zethu yaye uyazazi zonke izinto.”—1 Yohane 3:20.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 30]

UYehova akangomlawuli obangela ukuba singcungcutheke kodwa nguBawo onobubele, onovelwano nemfesane.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 31]

Ukufunda iLizwi likaThixo kusinceda ukuba sicinge njengaye.