Indlela Ongasondela Ngayo KuNkulunkulu
“Sondelani kuNkulunkulu, naye uyosondela kini,” kusho uJakobe 4:8. Ebonisa indlela afuna ngayo ukuba abantu babe nobuhlobo obuseduze naye, uJehova uNkulunkulu wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ngenxa yethu.
ESABELA kuleso senzo sothando, umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “Sinothando [ngoNkulunkulu], ngoba yena wasithanda kuqala.” (1 Johane 4:19) Kodwa ukuze sisondele kuNkulunkulu mathupha, kumelwe sithathe izinyathelo ezithile. Zithi azifane nezindlela ezine esisondela ngazo kwabanye abantu, njengoba zivezwe esihlokweni esandulele. Manje ake sizihlole.
Qaphela Izimfanelo Ezinhle ZikaNkulunkulu
UNkulunkulu unezimfanelo eziningi ezinhle, ezinye ezivelele kuzo uthando, ukuhlakanipha, ubulungisa namandla akhe. Ukuhlakanipha namandla akhe kubonakala kakhulu emkhathini okude nasemhlabeni esikuwo, kusukela emithaleni emikhulukazi kuya kuma-atom amancanyana. Umhubi wabhala: “Amazulu ayalanda ngenkazimulo kaJehova, nomkhathi ushumayela umsebenzi wezandla zakhe.”—IHubo 19:1; Roma 1:20.
Indalo ibonisa nothando lukaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, indlela esenziwe ngayo ibonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ufuna sikujabulele ukuphila. Wasenza sakwazi ukubona imibala, ukunambitha, ukuhogela, ukujabulela umculo, ukuhleka, ukujabulela ubuhle, wasinika nezinye izinto eziningi esikwazi ukuzenza nesinazo, okungekhona ukuthi zidingekile ukuze siphile. Yebo, ngempela uNkulunkulu uyaphana, unomusa futhi unothando—ngokungangabazeki okungezinye zezimfanelo ezimenza abe ‘uNkulunkulu ojabulayo.’—1 Thimothewu 1:11; IzEnzo 20:35.
UJehova uthola inkazimulo ngokuthi ukusetshenziswa kobukhosi bakhe nokusekelwa kwabo yizidalwa zakhe ezihlakaniphile ngokuyinhloko kusekelwe othandweni. (1 Johane 4:8) Yiqiniso, uJehova unguMbusi Wendawo Yonke, kodwa abantu, ikakhulu izinceku zakhe ezithembekile, ubaphatha ngendlela ubaba onothando aphatha ngayo izingane zakhe. (Mathewu 5:45) Akagodli lutho olungabazuzisa. (Roma 8:38, 39) Njengoba sekushiwo, wanikela ngisho nangokuphila kweNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ngenxa yethu. Yebo, uthando lukaNkulunkulu luyisona sizathu esenza sibe khona futhi sibe nethemba lokuphila okuphakade.—Johane 3:16.
UJesu wasenza sabuqonda ngokujulile ubuntu bukaNkulunkulu ngoba wamlingisa ngokuphelele uYise. (Johane 14:9-11) Wayengenabo nhlobo ubugovu, kodwa wayenozwela futhi ecabangela. Ngesinye isikhathi, uJesu walethwa kumuntu owayengezwa ezindlebeni futhi enenkinga yokukhuluma. Ungacabanga ukuthi cishe lo muntu wayengakhululeki kanjani phakathi kwezixuku. Ngokuthakazelisayo, uJesu wamthatha waya naye endaweni engenabantu, wamphulukisela lapho. (Marku 7:32-35) Uyabazisa yini abantu abayicabangelayo imizwa yakho futhi abasihloniphayo isithunzi sakho? Uma kunjalo, nakanjani uzosondela kuJehova noJesu njengoba ufunda okwengeziwe ngabo.
Cabanga Ngezimfanelo ZikaNkulunkulu
Umuntu othile angaba nezimfanelo ezinhle, kodwa kudingeka sicabange ngaye ukuze asikhange. Kunjalo nangoJehova. Ukuzindla ngezimfanelo zakhe kuyisinyathelo sesibili esisemqoka ekusondeleni kuye. INkosi uDavide, indoda eyayimthanda ngempela uJehova futhi ‘ithandwa yinhliziyo kaJehova,’ yathi: “Ngiyakhumbula izinsuku zasendulo, ngizindla ngemisebenzi yakho yonke, ngicabange ngezenzo zezandla zakho.”—IzEnzo 13:22; IHubo 143:5.
Lapho ubuka izimangaliso zendalo noma ufunda iZwi likaJehova, iBhayibheli, ingabe nawe, njengoDavide, uyazindla ngalokho okubonayo nokufundayo? Ake ucabange ngendodana esanda kuthola incwadi evela kuyise emthanda kakhulu. Ibingayibheka kanjani leyo ncwadi? Ngokuqinisekile ibingeke imane igijimise amehlo kuyo bese iyiphonsa ekhabetheni. Kunalokho, ibiyoyifunda ngokucophelela, ifune ukuthola yonke imininingwane ekuyo. Ngokufanayo, iZwi likaNkulunkulu kufanele libe yigugu kithi, njengoba lalinjalo kumhubi owahlabelela: “Ngiyawuthanda umthetho wakho kangaka. Usuku lonke ngizindla ngawo.”—IHubo 119:97.
Londoloza Ukukhulumisana Okuhle
Ukukhulumisana okuhle kusemqoka kakhulu kunoma yibuphi ubuhlobo. Kuhilela ukukhuluma nokulalela—hhayi nje ngengqondo kodwa nangenhliziyo. Sikhuluma noMdali ngomthandazo, okuwukukhuluma noNkulunkulu simkhulekela. UJehova uyayijabulela imithandazo yabamthandayo nabamkhonzayo futhi abavumayo ukuthi uJesu Kristu ungummeleli waKhe oyinhloko.—IHubo 65:2; Johane 14:6, 14.
Esikhathini esidlule, uNkulunkulu wayekhuluma nabantu ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene, kuhlanganise nemibono, amaphupho nangezingelosi. Nokho, namuhla ukhuluma nabo ngeZwi lakhe elilotshiwe, iBhayibheli Elingcwele. (2 Thimothewu 3:16) IZwi elilotshiwe linezinzuzo eziningi. Lingahlolwa noma nini. Njengencwadi, lingajatshulelwa ngokuphindaphindiwe. Futhi alinakusontwa njengoba kuvamile ezindabeni ezidluliselwa ngomlomo. Ngakho cabanga ngeBhayibheli njengeqoqo elikhulu lezincwadi ezivela kuBaba wakho omthandayo osezulwini, futhi mvumele ukuba akhulume nawe nsuku zonke ngalezi zincwadi.—Mathewu 4:4.
Ngokwesibonelo, iBhayibheli liveza umbono kaNkulunkulu ngokulungile nokungalungile. Lichaza injongo yakhe ngesintu nangomhlaba. Futhi lembula indlela asebenzelana ngayo nabantu nezizwe ezihlukahlukene, kusukela kubakhulekeli abaqotho kuya ezitheni ezinonya. Ngokwenza ukuba indlela asebenzelana ngayo nabantu ilotshwe phansi ngale ndlela, uJehova uye wakha umfanekiso ocace ngokumangalisayo wobuntu bakhe. Wembula uthando, injabulo, ukudabuka, ukudumala, intukuthelo, isihe nokukhathalela kwakhe—yebo, imicabango nemizwa yakhe ehlukahlukene nezizathu eziyisisekelo zayo—konke ekwembula ngendlela abantu abangayiqonda kalula.—IHubo 78:3-7.
Ngemva kokuba ufundé ingxenye yeZwi likaNkulunkulu, ungazuza kanjani kokufundile? Futhi ngokukhethekile, ungasondela kanjani kuNkulunkulu? Okokuqala, cabanga ngalokho okufundile futhi wakwazi ngoNkulunkulu njengomuntu, uvumele lawo maphuzu afinyelele inhliziyo yakho. Yibe usumtshela ngomthandazo uJehova imicabango nemizwa yakho ejulile ngokwaziswa okufundile nendlela ozozama ukuzuza ngayo kukho. Ukukhulumisana-ke lokho. Yiqiniso, uma unezinye futhi izinto engqondweni, ungazifaka nazo emthandazweni wakho.
Yenza Izinto Ndawonye NoNkulunkulu
IBhayibheli lithi amadoda athile asendulo athembekile ayehamba noNkulunkulu weqiniso, noma, ayehamba phambi kwakhe. (Genesise 6:9; 1 AmaKhosi 8:25) Kusho ukuthini lokho? Ngokuyisisekelo, kusho ukuthi ayephila usuku ngalunye njengokungathi uNkulunkulu wayekanye nawo. Yiqiniso, ayesenza isono. Kodwa ayeyithanda imithetho nezimiso zikaNkulunkulu, futhi ayephila ngokuvumelana nenjongo kaNkulunkulu. Abantu abanjalo bayamkhanga uJehova, futhi uyabanakekela, njengoba kuboniswe kumaHubo 32:8: “Ngizakukufundisa, ngikubonise indlela ozakuhamba ngayo; ngizakukululeka ngeso lami.”
Nawe ungaba umngane oseduze noJehova—ahambe nawe, akunakekele futhi akunike iseluleko sikababa. Umprofethi u-Isaya wachaza uJehova ngokuthi “okufundisile okukusizayo; okuholile ngendlela omelwe ukuhamba ngayo.” (Isaya 48:17) Lapho sizibona lezi zinzuzo, siyezwa ukuthi kunjengokungathi uJehova “ungakwesokunene [sethu],” njengoba kwakunjalo kuDavide.—IHubo 16:8.
Igama LikaNkulunkulu—Yilokho Izimfanelo Zakhe Ezigxile Kukho
Izinkolo eziningi nezinguqulo ezandayo zeBhayibheli azilisebenzisi futhi azilenzi laziwe igama likaNkulunkulu. (IHubo 83:18) Nokho, embhalweni wokuqala wesiHeberu, lelo gama—elithi Jehova—livela izikhathi ezingaba ngu-7 000! (Abahumushi abaningi beBhayibheli bayishaya emuva bayishaye phambili ngokukhipha igama laphezulu, bebe bewagcina amagama onkulunkulu bamanga abaningi abashiwo embhalweni wokuqala, njengoBali, uBeli, uMerodaki ngisho noSathane!)
Abanye abantu banomuzwa wokuthi ukukhishwa kwegama likaNkulunkulu kuyinto engasho lutho. Kodwa ake ucabange: Ingabe kunzima ngokwengeziwe noma kulula ngokwengeziwe ukwakha ubuhlobo obuseduze nobusekelwe olwazini ngomuntu ongenagama? Iziqu ezinjengokuthi Nkulunkulu noma Nkosi (ezisetshenziswayo nakonkulunkulu bamanga) zingase zidonsele ukunaka emandleni, egunyeni noma esikhundleni sikaJehova, kodwa yigama lakhe kuphela elimqagulayo. (Eksodusi 3:15; 1 Korinte 8:5, 6) Igama likaNkulunkulu weqiniso libonisa izimfanelo nezici zakhe. Isazi semfundiso yenkolo uWalter Lowrie sasiqinisile lapho sithi: “Umuntu ongamazi ngegama uNkulunkulu akamazi ngempela njengomuntu.”
Cabanga ngesibonelo sikaMaria, umKatolika oqotho ohlala e-Australia. Lapho oFakazi BakaJehova beqala ukuhlangana naye, uMaria wabavumela ukuba bambonise igama likaNkulunkulu eBhayibhelini. Wasabela kanjani? “Lapho ngiqala ukubona igama likaNkulunkulu eBhayibhelini, ngakhala. Kwangithinta kakhulu ukwazi ukuthi empeleni ngingalazi futhi ngilisebenzise igama likaNkulunkulu.” UMariya waqhubeka etadisha iBhayibheli, futhi ngokokuqala ngqá ekuphileni kwakhe, wazi uJehova njengomuntu futhi wakwazi ukwakha ubuhlobo obuhlala njalo naye.
Yebo, ‘singasondela kuNkulunkulu,’ yize singamboni ngamehlo ethu enyama. “Singabubona” ubuntu bakhe obuhle ngokumangalisayo ezingqondweni nasezinhliziyweni zethu bese lukhula uthando esimthanda ngalo. Uthando olunjalo “luyisibopho esiphelele sobunye.”—Kolose 3:14.
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UJehova Uyasabela Othandweni Onalo Ngaye
UBUHLOBO buhilela izinhlangothi ezimbili. Njengoba sisondela kuNkulunkulu, naye usabela ngokusondela kithi. Cabanga ngemizwa yakhe ngoSimeyoni no-Ana abase begugile, bobabili abashiwo ngokukhethekile eBhayibhelini. Umlobi weVangeli uLuka usitshela ukuthi uSimeyoni “wayelungile futhi enenhlonipho,” elindele uMesiya. UJehova wayeziqaphela lezi izimfanelo ezinhle zikaSimeyoni futhi wabonisa uthando ngaleli khehla elithandekayo ngokulambulela ukuthi ‘lalingeke likubone ukufa ngaphambi kokuba libone uKristu.’ UJehova wasigcina isithembiso sakhe futhi waqondisa uSimeyoni osaneni olunguJesu, olwalulethwe abazali balo ethempelini eJerusalema. Ejabule kakhulu futhi enokwazisa okujulile, uSimeyoni wagona usana wayesethandaza: “Manje, Nkosi EnguMbusi, uyasiyeka isigqila sakho ukuba sihambe sikhululekile ngokuthula ngokwesimemezelo sakho; ngoba amehlo ami ayibonile indlela yakho yokusindisa”−Luka 2:25-35.
“Ngalo kanye lelohora,” uJehova wabonisa uthando Iwakhe nango-Ana owayeseneminyaka engu-84 ubudala ngokumqondisa kuJesu naye. IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi lo mfelokazi oyigugu wayehlale ekhona ethempelini “enikela inkonzo engcwele” kuJehova. Echichima ukwazisa, njengoSimeyoni wabonga uJehova ngomusa wakhe ongavamile, kamuva wakhuluma ngomntwana “kubo bonke labo ababelindele ukukhululwa kweJerusalema.”−Luka 2:36-38.
Yebo, uJehova waqaphela indlela uSimeyoni no-Ana ababemthanda futhi bemesaba ngokujule ngayo nendlela ababekukhathalela ngayo ukufezeka kwezinjongo zakhe. Ingabe ukulandisa kweBhayibheli okunjena akukusondezi kuJehova?
NjengoYise, noJesu wayembona umuntu wangaphakathi wangempela. Lapho efundisa ethempelini, wabona ‘umfelokazi osweleyo’ enikela ˈngezinhlamvu zemali ezimbili nje ezincane zenani elincane kakhulu. Kwabanye ababebukele, isipho sakhe sasiyoba yize, kodwa hhayi kuJesu. Wamtusa lona wesifazane ngoba wayenikele ngakho konke ayenakho. (Luka 21:1-4) Ngakho, singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova noJesu bayasazisa uma sibanika okungcono kakhulu kwethu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi isipho sethu sikhulu noma sincane.
Nakuba uNkulunkulu ebajabulela labo abamthandayo, uphatheka kabi lapho abantu bemfulathela futhi bethatha inkamboyo kona. UGenesise 6:6 usitshela ukuthi uJehova “wadabuka enhliziyweni” ngenxa yobubi besintu ngaphambi kweSikhukhula sosuku lukaNowa. Kamuva, amaHubo 78:41 athi ama-Israyeli angalaleli ‘amlinga uNkulunkulu, amdabukisa oNgcwele kaIsrayeli’ ngokuphindaphindiwe. Yebo, uNkulunkulu akayona “iMbangela Yokuqala” eziphakamisayo nengenamizwa. Ungumuntu ngempela, umuntu onemizwa enokulinganisela nengathuntubeziwe ukungapheleli, njengeyethu.
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Ukucabanga ngendalo kaJehova kungenye yezindlela zokusondela kuye