Ukwesaba UNkulunkulu—Ingabe Kungakuzuzisa?
“Mesabe uNkulunkulu, ugcine imiyalo yakhe, ngokuba lokho kungokwabantu bonke.”—UMSHUMAYELI 12:13.
1, 2. (a) Kufanele kusekelwe kuphi ukukhulekela kwethu uNkulunkulu? (b) Nokho, yini enye uNkulunkulu ayidingayo? (Duteronomi 10:12)
INGABE amazwi athi “ukwesaba uNkulunkulu” azwakala engavamile kuwe? Abaningi bangase babe nomuzwa wokuthi uma bemthanda ngempela uNkulunkulu, akufanele bamesabe futhi. Ingabe ngempela kumelwe sikwenze kokubili? Uma kunjalo, ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kusizuzisa kanjani?
2 ImiBhalo ibonisa ukuthi ukukhulekela nokukhonza kwethu uNkulunkulu kumelwe kusekelwe othandweni. UJesu wakwenza lokhu kwacaca lapho esitshela ukuba sithande uJehova ngenhliziyo yethu yonke, umphefumulo, ingqondo, namandla. (Marku 12:30) Kodwa ukubaluleka kokwesaba uNkulunkulu kuyagcizelelwa futhi eZwini lakhe. KumShumayeli 12:13, sitshelwa ngokuqonde ngqó: “Mesabe uNkulunkulu, ugcine imiyalo yakhe, ngokuba lokho kungokwabantu bonke.” Ingabe uJehova ungoguquguqukayo ngokusicela ukuba simesabe futhi simthande ngesikhathi esifanayo?
3. Ngokuqondene nokwesaba, yini okumelwe ikhunjulwe?
3 Akunjalo ngempela—uma sikhumbula ukuthi kunezinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zokwesaba. Uma abantu becabanga ngokwesaba, ngokuvamile bacabanga ngomuzwa wokukhwantabala oqeda ithemba nosenza siphele amandla. Ngokusobala, uJehova ngeke afune ukuba sizizwe ngaleyondlela ngaye! UBaba wethu osezulwini ufuna ukuba size kuye njengoba nje ingane ingaya kuyise, iqinisekile ngothando lukayise kodwa futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo yesaba ukumcasula. Ukwesaba okunjalo kuyosisiza ukuba sihlale simthobela uBaba wethu osezulwini lapho silingelwa ukwenza okubi. Lokhu “ukwesaba uNkulunkulu” okufanele amaKristu okumelwe abe nakho.—Heberu 5:7; 11:7.
4. Hlobo luni lokwesaba uthando olungakunciphisa?
4 UJehova akafani nomahluleli ononya omane ajezise izinceku zakhe isikhathi ngasinye lapho zona. Kunalokho, uyazithanda futhi ufuna ukuba ziphumelele. Ngakho uma senza iphutha noma sona, ukwesaba uJehova akufanele kusivimbe ukuba sikhulume naye ngakho. (1 Johane 1:9; 2:1) Ukwesaba kwethu uJehova okunenhlonipho akukhona ukwesaba ukwaliwa noma ukungamukelwa. Njengoba sifunda kweyoku-1 Johane 4:18: “Akukho ukwesaba othandweni, kepha uthando olupheleleyo luyaxosha ukwesaba, ngokuba ukwesaba kunesijeziso.” Nokho, “uthando olupheleleyo” ngeke luyinciphise inhlonipho ejulile nokwesaba okufanele okumelwe sibe nakho ngoJehova njengoMdali wethu noMniki-kuphila.—IHubo 25:14.
Cabangela Izinzuzo
5. (a) Inhlakanipho ingazuzwa kanjani kuphela? (b) Yini eyashukumisela owayewumhuqa wemilaliso ukuba ashintshe indlela yakhe yokuphila ewubuwula?
5 Ake sicabangele ezinye zezinzuzo eziza “ngokwesaba uJehova.” Ngokwesibonelo, kuholela ekuzuzeni kwethu inhlakanipho yeqiniso. Abantu baye bazama ngezindlela eziningi baye benza yonke imizamo, ukuze bazuze inhlakanipho enjalo, kodwa baye bahluleka ngoba abasinaki isimiso esiyisisekelo: “Ukumesaba uJehova kungukuqala kokuhlakanipha.” (IHubo 111:10; IzAga 9:10) Cabangela ukuthi ukwesaba okunjalo kwamsiza kanjani owayewumlutha wemilaliso ukuba enze ngokuhlakanipha. Uyachaza: “Njengoba ngangingenisa ulwazi ngoNkulunkulu, ngathuthukisa futhi ukwesaba ukumphatha kabi noma ukumcasula. Ngangazi ukuthi wayengibhekile, futhi nganginesifiso sokuvunyelwa emehlweni akhe. Kwangishukumisela ukuba ngilahle imilaliso enganginayo ngokuyimukisa namanzi asendlini encane.” Lendoda yayinqoba imikhuba yayo emibi, yanikezela ukuphila kwayo kuJehova, futhi manje iyisikhonzi eGoli, eNingizimu Afrika.
6. “Ukwesaba uJehova”kuyosivikela kanjani ezintweni ezimbi, futhi yini okuyosiholela kuyo?
6 Ungathanda yini ukugwema okubi? “Ukumesaba uJehova kungukuzonda okubi.” (IzAga 8:13) Yebo, lokhu kwesaba okufanele kungakulonda emikhubeni emibi eminingi uNkulunkulu ayilahlayo, enjengokubhema, ukusebenzisa kabi imilaliso, ukudakwa, nokuziphatha okubi kobulili. Ngaphandle kokuthokozisa uJehova, uzivikela ngokwakho ezintweni ezisabekayo ezenzeka kubantu, kuhlanganise nezifo ezisabekayo abazichaya kuzo. (Roma 1:26, 27; 12:1, 2; 1 Korinte 6:9, 10; 1 Thesalonika 4:3-8) Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu ngeke nje kuphela kukusize ukuba uqaphele okubi nokungalungile kodwa kuyokuholela kokuhlanzekile nokuhle, ngoba siyatshelwa ukuthi “ukumesaba uJehova kuhlanzekile.”—IHubo 19:9.
7, 8. (a) Enye intombazane encane yakubonisa kanjani ukuthi “ukwesaba uJehova” kuholela enjabulweni? (b) Phawula izinzuzo ezengeziwe ezitholwa yilabo abesaba uJehova.
7 Injabulo ingomunye umgomo ofunwa abantu abaningi. Ungayithola kanjani? IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Uyajabula umuntu owesaba uJehova.” (IHubo 112:1; 128:1, NW) Okuhlangenwe nakho kwentombazane esanda kweva eminyakeni eyishumi nambili kuqinisekisa lokhu. Yayiye yahileleka kuzo zonke izinhlobo zobulili obungekho emthethweni, nemimoya nokuntshontsha. Khona yaqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli futhi yabona isidingo sokulalela nokwesaba uJehova. Ithi: “Ukwazi uJehova kuyinto engcono kakhulu eyake yenzeka kimi. UJehova wangisiza kakhulu ekutholeni iqiniso nenjabulo. Nginomuzwa wokuthi ngimkweleta okuningi kakhulu ngoba wangivula amehlo futhi wanginikeza ithuba lokuba ngicabange ngempela futhi ngimthole. Manje ngifuna ukusiza abanye ukuba bathole lenjabulo.”
8 UJehova futhi uthembisa ukuthi uyovuza labo ‘abesaba igama lakhe.’ (IsAmbulo 11:18) Ngaphezu kwalokho, “ukumesaba uJehova kungukuphila; onakho uhlezi anelisiwe, akahanjelwa ngokubi.” (IzAga 19:23) Ngempela, ‘kungukumesaba uJehova’ okuyosilethela konke esingase sikudinge. Uma kuhambisana nokuthobeka, umvuzo “uyingcebo, nodumo, nokuphila.”—IzAga 22:4; 10:27.
9. Kungani “ukumesaba uJehova” kuholela endleleni okuwukuphela kwayo ekuphileni ebonisa inhlakanipho? (Jobe 28:28; Mika 6:9)
9 Lokhu akusinikezi yini sonke isikhuthazo sokuba sesabe uNkulunkulu weqiniso? Ngempela, “ukumesaba uJehova” kuyakhanga kakhulu. Kuholela kuzo zonke izinto eziyosilethela ukwaneliseka kwangempela—okuhlangenwe nakho okungavamile namuhla. Yeka ukuthi akhuthaza kanjani lamazwi aphefumlelwe: “Ngangokuba isoni, noma senza okubi kayikhulu, kuyandiswa nokho izinsuku zaso. Kanti nokho ngiyazi ukuthi kuzakuba-kuhle kwabamesaba uNkulunkulu, lokhu besaba phambi kobuso bakhe; kodwa akuyikuba-kuhle kwababi, nemihla yabo ayiyikwandiswa njengesithunzi, lokhu abesabi phambi kukaNkulunkulu”! (UmShumayeli 8:12, 13) Ubani ongafisi ukuba “kube kuhle” kuye? Lokhu okuhlangenwe nakho okujabulisayo kuyojatshulelwa kuphela yilabo abesaba uNkulunkulu.—IHubo 145:19.
10. Yiziphi izizathu ezimbalwa ezibalulekile okufanele zisishukumisele ukuba sesabe uNkulunkulu?
10 Akufanele yini lokho kusenze sizimisele ukuba nenhlonipho ejulile ngoBaba wethu osezulwini uJehova, yebo, ukwesaba ngaye? Ngempela, kufanele sibe nokwesaba okuhle ukumcasula. Siwazisa ngokujulile wonke umusa wothando nobuhle aye wasibonisa khona. Konke esinakho kuvela kuye. (IsAmbulo 4:11) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ungumaHluleli oPhakeme, uMninimandla onke, onamandla okubhubhisa labo abangamlaleli. “Fezani ukusindiswa kwenu ngokwesaba nangokuthuthumela,” kukhuthaza umphostoli uPawulu.—Filipi 2:12; Hoseya 3:5; Luka 12:4, 5.
11. (a) Yisiphi isimo okumelwe sigwenywe amaKristu kulezinsuku zokugcina? (b) Yimuphi umoya okumelwe uthuthukiswe?
11 Akukho lapha okubonisa ukuthi singazuza insindiso ngokuba nesimo sokuyekelela, senze okuncane ngangokunokwenzeka bese sithemba ukuthi ngandlela-thile izinto ziyohamba kahle. Lesi akusona isimo okumelwe siboniswe amaKristu kulezinsuku zokugcina alwela ukulondoloza ubuhlobo naLowo ongabona ezinhliziyweni zawo nowazi imicabango yawo ejulile nezinjongo. (Jeremiya 17:10) Yilabo kuphela abamqaphela ngokufanelekile uJehova abayokwamukelwa nguye. Uthi: “Kepha yilowo engiyakubheka kuye: ohluphekayo nonomoya ochobozekileyo, othuthumela ngezwi lami.”—Isaya 66:2.
Kumelwe Sifunde Ukumesaba UJehova
12. (a) Kungaziphi izindlela isizwe sakwaIsrayeli sasithandwa ngaphezu kwezinye izizwe? (b) Yini uJehova ayilindela?
12 Ukucabangela ukusebenzelana kukaJehova namaIsrayeli kungagcizelela ngokwengeziwe ezingqondweni zethu isidingo sokumesaba. Asikho esinye isizwe esathola ukunakekela nokunaka okunjalo koMbusi wendawo yonke. (Duteronomi 4:7, 8, 32-36; 1 Samuweli 12:24) Ngamehlo awo amaIsrayeli abona lokho uJehova akwenza kwabaseGibithe, okwathi ngokungamesabi, bagqilaza futhi bacindezela abantu bakhe. Yini ayeyilindele? “Butha abantu, amadoda, nabesifazane, nabantwana, nomfokazi wakho ophakathi kwamasango akho ukuba bezwe, bafunde, bamesabe uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, baqaphele ukuwenza onke amazwi alomthetho, nokuba abantwana babo abangawaziyo bezwe, bafunde ukumesaba uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu isikhathi sonke sokuhlala kwenu ezweni eniwela iJordani ukuba ningene kulo ukulidla.”—Duteronomi 31:12, 13; 14:23.
13. Yini okufanele ibe ukukhathalela okusemqoka kubazali ngokuqondene nabantwana babo?
13 NjengamaIsrayeli, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zosuku lwanamuhla ‘kumelwe zifunde ukumesaba uJehova.’ Yeka umthwalo wemfanelo lokhu okuwubeka kithi sonke—ikakhulukazi kubazali! Bazali, zibuzeni: ‘Ngingabasiza kanjani abantwana bami ukuba babe nenhliziyo eyesaba uJehova?’ Ngelinye ilanga lapho sebekhulile futhi beshiya ikhaya, yini eyoba yisivikelo esingcono kubantwana bakho, ngokomoya, ngokwengqondo, noma ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo, ukwedlula lokho? UJehova ngokwakhe ugcizelela ukubaluleka kwalokhu lapho encenga: “Sengathi kungaba-khona kubo inhliziyo enjalo ukuba bangesabe, bagcine njalo yonke imiyalelo yami, kube-kuhle kubo nakubantwana babo kuze kube-phakade.”—Duteronomi 5:29; 4:10.
14. Yisho isici esisodwa abazali okumelwe basikhumbule ekuqeqesheni abantwana babo ukuba babe abesaba uJehova, futhi uchaze ukuthi lokho kufanele kwenziwe kanjani.
14 Noma yimuphi umKristu oye wanakekela umkhaya uyovuma ngokushesha ukuthi lona akusiwo umsebenzi olula. Nokho, iZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumlelwe liletha izici eziningana ezibalulekile ekunakekeleni kwabazali. Esinye ukuqala lapho abantwana besebancane. Bebancane kangakanani? Lapho amaIsrayeli ehlangana ukuze amukele imiyalo evela kuJehova, “izingane” zazihlanganiswa. (Duteronomi 29:10-13; 31:12, 13) Ngokusobala, abesifazane bamaIsrayeli babeza nabantwana babo ezehlakalweni ezinjalo, njengoba bonke kwakudingeka ukuba babekhona. “Kusukela ebuntwaneni,” amadodana namadodakazi abo ayeyofunda isidingo sokuthula nokulalela emibuthanweni enjalo. (2 Thimothewu 3:15) Ngakho yiya “nezingane” zakho emihlanganweni. Futhi, zenze zihileleke enkonzweni yasensimini ngokushesha lapho sezingakwazi ukuba nengxenye. Intsha eningi iye yafunda ukuhambisa umagazini noma ipheshana ngisho nangaphambi kokuba iqale ukungena isikole. Qala ngokushesha ukufundisa “abantwana” bakho, ngezindlela ezincane, “ukwesaba uJehova.”
15. Siyini isici sesibili, futhi abazali bangasifeza kanjani?
15 Esinye isici ukungaguquguquki. Lokhu kungenziwa uma sinamathela njalo eZwini likaNkulunkulu ekuqeqesheni ekuyaleni, nasekufundiseni esikunika abantwana bethu. Ngisho nalapho kuziwa ekuziphumuzeni noma ekuzijabuliseni, ungaguquguquki ekuvumeleni izimiso zeBhayibheli zisho lokho okuyovunyelwa ngezikhathi ezinjalo. (Efesu 6:4) Lokhu kuyodinga umzamo, njengoba iZwi likaNkulunkulu libonisa ngokucacile lapho lithi: “Lawamazwi engikuyala ngawo namuhla ayakuba-senhliziyweni yakho, ubafundise impela wona abantwana bakho, uwakhulume lapho uhlezi endlini yakho, nalapho uhamba endleleni, nalapho ulala, nalapho uvuka.” (Duteronomi 6:4-9; 4:9; 11:18-21) Ukungaguquki okunjalo phakathi neminyaka kuyokwenza okukhulu ekusizeni abantwana bakho ukuba babe nenhliziyo eyesaba uJehova.
16. (a) Siyini isici sesithathu, futhi kungani sibaluleke kangaka? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo abazali abangazibuza yona?
16 Abazali futhi kumelwe balwele ukugcizelela ezingqondweni nasezinhliziyweni zabantwana babo ukuthi bona ngokwabo, njengabazali, ‘bangabamesabayo uJehova.’ (IHubo 22:23) Enye indlela abangenza ngayo lokhu ingokusebenzisa iseluleko esingokwasezulwini lapho beqeqesha futhi beyala abantwana babo. Lesi isici sesithathu sokucatshangelwa. Zibuze: ‘Ingabe njalo ngiqhuba isifundo seBhayibheli nabantwana bami?’ ‘Ingabe ngisebenzisa ngokugcwele kubantwana bami abancane izincwadi, ezinjengethi INcwadi Yami Yezindaba ZeBhayibheli nethi Ukulalela UMfundisi oMkhulu?’ ‘Njengoba bekhula, ingabe ngiyayisebenzisa incwadi ethi Ubusha Bakho—Ukuthola Okungcono Kakhulu Kubo nezihloko zePhaphama! ezithi “Intsha Iyabuza”? Ingabe ngiyakulungiselela ukuzijabulisa okuphilile okungeke kube nethonya elilimazayo kubantwana bami?’ ‘Ngiye ngakwamukela yini lokho okuye kwashiwo yinhlangano kaJehova ngemfundo ephakeme?’ ‘Ingabe ngifundisa abantwana bami ngokuvumelana nakho?’ ‘Ingabe imigomo engiyibekele abantwana bami iyobasiza ukuba ‘besabe uNkulunkulu’?’—Heberu 5:7.
17. Ubani ozuzayo lapho abantwana befunda ukwesaba uJehova? Bonisa.
17 Izinzuzo nezinjabulo ngeke zize nje kuphela kubantwana bakho kodwa futhi nakuwe ngokwenza konke okusemandleni akho ukubayala ‘ekumesabeni uJehova.’ Ngokwesibonelo, uFakazi, ekupheleni kosuku ozizwa, njengoba esho, ekhathele, ubheka yonke into njengewufanele umzamo lapho ezwa indodakazi yakhe eneminyaka eyisikhombisa ithandaza kuJehova. Wafikelwa yizinyembezi wabindeka njengoba elalele umthandazo wendodakazi yakhe: “Jehova onothando, ngiyakubonga ngazo zonke izinto ezinhle ongenzele zona namuhla. Ngiyakubonga futhi ngokudla kwami. Siza bonke abazalwane abasemajele nasezinkanjini zokuhlushwa ukuba bathole ukudla, Jehova, nabo bonke abazalwane nodade abazacile kwamanye amazwe. Basize nabo ukuba bathole ukudla okwanele, Jehova. Nalabo abagulayo, basize ukuba babe ngcono ukuze bakwazi ukuya emihlanganweni. Siza wenze ukuba izingelosi zingigade ebusuku lapho ngilele, Jehova, nomama nobaba, nomfowethu, nogogo, nomkhulu, nabo bonke abazalwane nodade abaseqinisweni. NgeNdodana yakho uJesu, Amen.”
18. Sithonyana kanjani kulendaba yokwesaba uJehova?
18 Kulendaba yokwesaba uJehova, kumelwe sikhumbule ukuthi siyathonyana ngesibonelo esisibekayo. Abazali bathonya abantwana babo. Abadala nezinceku ezikhonzayo bathonya amabandla abakuwo. Ababonisi abajikelezayo bathonya labo ababakhonzayo. Ngokusobala, kungalesizathu amakhosi kwaIsrayeli ayeyalwe ukuba afunde uMthetho kaNkulunkulu zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwawo “ukuba afunde ukumesaba uJehova.” (Duteronomi 17:18-20) Isibonelo inkosi eyayisibeka ekwesabeni uJehova sasingathonya sonke isizwe.
19. Yini efakazelwa umlando ngokuqondene namaIsrayeli?
19 Umlando ufakazela iqiniso lokuthi amaIsrayeli, njengesizwe, alahla ukwesaba kwawo uJehova. Acabanga ukuthi ukuba nethempeli eJerusalema kwakuyosebenza njengesivikelo kuwo, njengokuthile okuletha “inhlanhla,” kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ayayithobela yini imithetho yakhe noma cha. (Jeremiya 7:1-4; Mika 3:11, 12) Kodwa baye benza iphutha. IJerusalema nethempeli lalo kwabhujiswa. Kamuva, lapho bebuyiselwa njengesizwe, baphinda bahluleka ukubonisa ukwesaba uJehova okufanele. (Malaki 1:6) Kuningi esingakufunda kulokhu okuhlangenwe nakho, okuzohlanganiswa esihlokweni esilandelayo.
20. Singakubeka kanjani ngamafuphi ukuthi kungani kufanele sesabe uJehova?
20 Khona-ke, khumbula ukuthi ukwesaba uJehova akulwenzi buthaka uthando lwethu ngaye; kunalokho, kuyaluqinisa futhi kulugxilise. Ukuthobela yonke imithetho yakhe ngeke kubonise nje kuphela ukuthi siyamesaba uJehova kodwa ukuthi siyamthanda. Kokubili kubalulekile. Akunakwenzeka ukuba nokukodwa. Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ngabazali ukuba bagxilise kubantwana babo lokhu kwesaba uJehova nothando ngaye! Futhi yeka injabulo enkulu lokhu okuyilethayo kokubili kwabadala nakwabasha! Ngakho-ke, kwangathi singazizwa ngendlela efanayo neyomhubi lapho ethi: “Yenza inhliziyo yami iqonde-ntonye, yesabe igama lakho.”—IHubo 86:11.
Amaphuzu Okucatshangelwa
◻ Singamthanda kanjani uJehova futhi simesabe?
◻ Ziyini ezinye zezinzuzo zokwesaba uJehova?
◻ Yiziphi izici ezintathu ezingasiza abazali ukuba basize abantwana babo ukuba babe nenhliziyo eyesaba uJehova?
◻ Sithonyana kanjani endabeni yokwesaba uJehova?
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
Ukwesaba uJehova kuyosiza intsha ukuba yale izilingo zokwenza okubi
[Isithombe ekhasini 14]
Abazali kufanele basize abantwana babo ukuba babe nokwesaba uJehova okunempilo
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
“Kuzakuba-kuhle kwabamesaba uNkulunkulu.”—UmShumayeli 8:12
[Umthombo]
By Courtesy of Hartebeespoort Snake and Animal Park