Unjani Ngempela UBaba Wasezulwini?
ABANTU abaningi bamusho ngekhanda uBaba Wethu, noma uMthandazo WeNkosi, umthandazo oyisibonelo uJesu awufundisa abafundi bakhe. (Mathewu 6:9-13) Isikhathi ngasinye lapho besho lowo mthandazo, babiza uNkulunkulu ngokuthi “Baba Wethu.” Kodwa bangaki abangathi bamazi kahle?
Kuthiwani ngawe? Umazi kahle kangakanani uNkulunkulu? Ingabe unobuhlobo obuseduze naye, uyakhuluma naye, umtshele ngezinto ezikujabulisayo nezikubangela usizi? Empeleni, yini ehilelekile ekumazini?
“NguJehova Igama Lakhe”
Ingane encane ingase yazi uyise ngokuthi uBaba kuphela. Kodwa njengoba ikhula, igcina seyilazi igama likayise nedumela lakhe futhi cishe iyaziqhenya ngaye. Kuthiwani ngoMniki-kuphila wethu wasezulwini? Ingabe uyalazi igama lakhe nokuthi lisho ukuthini?
Nakuba abaningi bephindaphinda inkulumo ethi “Malingcweliswe igama lakho” lapho besho uMthandazo WeNkosi, bangase baxakeke lapho bebuzwa ukuthi, “Lingubani lelo gama?” Amazulu anezinkanyezi, intaba ephakeme, isixhobo samakhorali esinezinto eziningi eziphilayo—konke kunikeza ubufakazi bokuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona. Kodwa lezi zinto azisitsheli igama lakhe. Ukuze silazi lelo gama, kudingeka siphenye iBhayibheli. Lisho ngokucacile: “NguJehova igama lakhe.”—Eksodusi 15:3.
UNkulunkulu ufuna simazi ngegama, elithi Jehova. Ngani? Ngenxa yokuthi igama lakhe limelela uhlobo lomuntu ayilo. Ngokwezwi nezwi lelo gama lisho ukuthi “Ubangela Ukuba Kube Khona.” Ngamanye amazwi, uba yinoma yini okudingeka abe yiyo ukuze afeze injongo yakhe. Ake ukucabange ngale ndlela: Ukuze anakekele umkhaya wakhe, ubaba uba umondli, umeluleki, umahluleli, umlamuli, umvikeli nomfundisi, kuye ngesidingo nezimo zomkhaya wakhe. Ngendlela efanayo, igama likaJehova liyasiqinisekisa ngokuthi uNkulunkulu ukwazi ngokuphelele ukufeza intando yakhe yokubusisa bonke abamkhonzayo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani.
Ake sicabangele izindima ezihlukene ezifezwa uNkulunkulu wethu onothando ngokuvumelana nencazelo yegama lakhe. Lokhu kuyokusiza ukuba uqonde uhlobo lukaNkulunkulu uJehova ayilo, futhi ufunde nalokho okumelwe ukwenze ukuze usondele kuye.
“UNkulunkulu Wothando Nokuthula”
Umphostoli uPawulu wabiza uMenzi wethu ngokuthi “uNkulunkulu wothando nokuthula.” (2 Korinte 13:11) Ngani? Ngaphambili uJesu Kristu wayethe: “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangangokuba waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, ukuze wonke umuntu obonisa ukholo kuyo angabhubhi kodwa abe nokuphila okuphakade.” (Johane 3:16) Ngenxa yokuthanda isintu ngokujulile, uNkulunkulu wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ethandekayo njengesihlengo, ebanika ithuba labo ababonisa ukholo kuyo ukuze bajabulele ukuphila okuphakade, okungenabo ubuhlungu nokuhlupheka okubangelwa yisono. Yingakho uPawulu naye athi: “Inkokhelo yesono ngukufa, kodwa isipho uNkulunkulu asinikezayo ngukuphila okuphakade ngoKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.” (Roma 6:23) Ingabe lokho akufanele kusishukumisele ukuba simthande uNkulunkulu futhi sisondele kuye?
UNkulunkulu akagcini ngokubonisa uthando lwakhe esintwini sisonke nje kuphela kodwa nakumuntu ngamunye othembekile. Kuma-Israyeli asendulo, ayephambuka njalo, uMose wathi: “Ingabe nenza ngale ndlela kuJehova, bantu abayiziphukuphuku nabangahlakaniphile? Akayena yini uYihlo owaniveza, Yena owanisimamisa na?” (Duteronomi 32:6) Ingabe uyaqaphela ukuthi lokho kusho ukuthini? NjengoBaba onothando, uJehova wayebazwela abantu bakhe, nakuba ayekubona ukushiyeka kwabo. Futhi wazinakekela zonke izidingo zabo ezifanele—ezingokwenyama, ezingokomzwelo nezingokomoya.
Sonke sibhekana nezingqinamba ekuphileni futhi ngezinye izikhathi siyakhathazeka, size sicindezeleke nokucindezeleka. Sidinga othile ongasisiza sibe nombono ofanele ngesimo sethu nezinkinga zethu. Ubani ongasisiza? NgeZwi lakhe iBhayibheli, uJehova uzibonakalisa enguMeluleki noMnakekeli onothando. Lowo Mqulu Ongcwele uyasichazela ukuthi kungani sihlupheka kangaka nendlela esingabhekana nakho ngayo ngokuphumelelayo. Njengoba nje nobaba ngothando esiza indodana yakhe eye yawa yalimala, ngothando lwakhe olukhulu uJehova uyazehlisa ukuze asinike usizo esiludingayo. Ngempela, isandla sikaJehova asisifushane kulabo ababonisa ukholo kuye.—Isaya 59:1.
Uthando lukaNkulunkulu ngathi lubonakala nangokuthi ‘unguMuzwi womthandazo.’ (IHubo 65:2) Kanjani? Umphostoli uPawulu uyachaza: “Ningakhathazeki ngalutho, kodwa kukho konke izicelo zenu mazaziwe nguNkulunkulu ngomthandazo nangokunxusa kanye nokubonga; ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula konke ukucabanga kuyolinda izinhliziyo zenu namandla enu engqondo ngoKristu Jesu.” (Filipi 4:6, 7) Ngokuya kuNkulunkulu ngomthandazo oqotho nangokulandela isiqondiso asinikeza ngeZwi lakhe, nawe ungathola “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula konke ukucabanga.”
‘UNkulunkulu Wolwazi’
EBhayibhelini, uJehova uNkulunkulu uchazwa ngokuthi ‘uphelele ngolwazi.’ ‘NjengoNkulunkulu wolwazi,’ ukuqonda kangcono ukwakheka kwabantu nezidingo zabo kunanoma ubani omunye. (Jobe 36:4; 1 Samuweli 2:3) Ngenceku yakhe uMose, wakwenza kwaziwa ukuthi “umuntu akaphili ngesinkwa sodwa kodwa umuntu uphila nangawo wonke amazwi omlomo kaJehova.” (Duteronomi 8:3; Mathewu 4:4) Lokhu kusho ukuthi ukuze saneliseke ngempela ekuphileni, sidinga okungaphezu nje kwezinto ezibonakalayo.
UMdali wethu usinikeza isiqondiso esiyigugu neseluleko ngeZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli. Lapho sifunda iBhayibheli futhi sisebenzisa iseluleko sakhe ekuphileni kwethu, siyazuza ‘kuwo wonke amazwi omlomo kaJehova.’ Ngokwesibonelo, owesifazane ongumKristu, uZuzanna, washo lokhu ngokuphila komkhaya wakhe: “Umshado wethu waqiniswa ukufunda kwethu iBhayibheli ndawonye, ukuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu ndawonye nokutshela abanye ngalokho esikufundayo. Ngenxa yemfundo kaNkulunkulu engokomoya, sinemigomo efanayo futhi sinobuhlobo obuqinile.”
Ungathanda yini ukuzuza eselulekweni esingokomoya nasesiqondisweni esinikezwa nguNkulunkulu? Ngokufunda iBhayibheli njalo nangokusebenzisa iseluleko salo, uzibeka ethubeni lokuthola izibusiso eziningi ezingokomoya kuye.—Hebheru 12:9.
‘UNkulunkulu Wensindiso’
Izwe namuhla ligcwele umbango. Akekho oqinisekayo ukuthi ikusasa lisiphatheleni. Uma uphila ezweni elikhungethwe yimpi, ungase ulangazelele ukuthula. Ezingxenyeni eziningi zomhlaba, abantu baphila ngokwesaba ubugebengu nobudlova, ukuntengantenga komnotho nezenzo zobuphekula. Ubani oyosisindisa kukho konke lokhu? Manje kunanini ngaphambili, isintu sidinga ukuvikelwa nokukhululwa.
IBhayibheli lithi: “Igama likaJehova lingumbhoshongo oqinile. Olungileyo ugijimela kuwo athole isivikelo.” (IzAga 18:10) Ukwazi igama likaNkulunkulu nokuthembela kulo kungasenza sigxile kulokho akwenzile nalokho asazokwenza ukuze akhulule labo ababonisa ukholo kuye. UJehova uNkulunkulu uye wabonisa ngaphandle kokungabaza ukuthi angabakhulula abantu bakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, wasindisa u-Israyeli ngokubhubhisa izinqola zempi zikaFaro namabutho akhe. UJehova wazibonakalisa enguNkulunkulu wokwethembeka, uNkulunkulu obakhumbulayo abahluphekayo futhi ofisayo ukubasiza.—Eksodusi 15:1-4.
Ikusasa lethu laphakade nalo lixhomeke ekubeni nokholo kuJehova uNkulunkulu njengoMsindisi. INkosi uDavide yakwa-Israyeli wasendulo, okwadingeka ukuba ibhekane nezingqinamba eziningi, yabonisa lolo hlobo lokholo lapho ibhala lokhu ngoJehova: “UnguNkulunkulu wami wensindiso.” (IHubo 25:5) Ngokuqiniseka, umphostoli uPetru wathi: “UJehova uyayazi indlela yokukhulula ekulingweni abantu abanokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu.”—2 Petru 2:9.
Ngokuphathelene nomuntu othembele kuye ukuze athole usizo, uNkulunkulu uthembisile: “Ngizomvikela ngoba ulazile igama lami.” (IHubo 91:14) Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zanamuhla ziye zakubona ukuba yiqiniso kwaleso sithembiso. UHenryk wasePoland usekhonze uJehova ngokwethembeka iminyaka engu-70, naphezu kobunzima noshushiso. Lapho eseneminyaka engu-16 nje ubudala, uyise wathunyelwa ekamu lokuhlushwa lase-Auschwitz. UHenryk nomfowabo bayiswa esikhungweni samaNazi sokuqondisa izigwegwe zentsha. Ngemva kwalokho, wathunyelwa emakamu okuhlushwa ahlukahlukene. Ekhumbula izenzakalo zangalezo zinsuku, uHenryk uthi: “Kuzo zonke izimo ezivivinyayo engabhekana nazo, uJehova akazange angishiye. Wayengisiza njalo ukuba ngihlale ngithembekile, nakuba ngaba sethunzini lokufa izikhathi eziningi.” Yebo, uJehova unikeza izinceku zakhe ukholo namandla okukhuthazela.
Maduzane, uNkulunkulu uzozibonakalisa enguMsindisi kubo bonke ababonisa ukholo kuye nabathembele kuye ukuze bakhululwe. Uthi: “Mina nginguJehova, ngaphandle kwami akekho umsindisi.” (Isaya 43:11) “Empini yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke,” uyobhubhisa ababi emhlabeni futhi akhulule abaqotho. (IsAmbulo 16:14, 16; IzAga 2:21, 22) UJehova uyasiqinisekisa: “Abamnene bayodla ifa lomhlaba, futhi ngempela bayothola injabulo enkulu ngokuchichima kokuthula.”—IHubo 37:11.
Ukuba ‘Abantwana BakaNkulunkulu’
Ezinsukwini zomprofethi uMalaki, ama-Israyeli ayethi uJehova unguYise. Kodwa, uma kuziwa ekuboniseni udumo nokuzinikela kuye, ayenikela imihlatshelo yesinkwa esingcolile nezilwane eziyizimpumputhe nezinyonga. Yingakho uJehova awabuza: “Uma nginguyihlo, kuphi ukudunyiswa kwami?”—Malaki 1:6.
Ungenzi iphutha njengalawo ma-Israyeli. Kunalokho, sikukhuthaza ukuba ufunde ngoJehova uNkulunkulu futhi usondele kuye. Umfundi uJakobe wakhuthaza: “Sondelani kuNkulunkulu, naye uyosondela kini.”—Jakobe 4:8.
Ukuba noJehova njengoBaba kuletha imithwalo ethile. Uma ulwela ukudumisa uNkulunkulu ngokunamathela ngobuqotho ezindinganisweni zakhe kuzo zonke izici zokuphila kwakho, akasoze ayikhohlwa imizamo yakho. Kunalokho, uyokusiza ukuba uhambe endleleni eqondile eholela ezweni elisha elithenjisiwe, lapho ‘ukufa kungeke kusaba khona, noma ukulila noma ukukhala noma ubuhlungu kungeke kusaba khona.’ (IsAmbulo 21:4) Ngaleso sikhathi, sonke isintu esilalelayo ‘siyokhululwa ekugqilazweni ukonakala sibe nenkululeko ekhazimulayo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.’—Roma 8:21.
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 5]
UNkulunkulu ufuna simazi ngegama lakhe, elithi Jehova, ngokwezwi nezwi elisho ukuthi “Ubangela Ukuba Kube Khona”
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 6]
“Kuzo zonke izimo ezivivinyayo engabhekana nazo, uJehova akazange angishiye.”—UHENRYK
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 7]
“Umshado wethu waqiniswa ukufunda kwethu iBhayibheli ndawonye, ukuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu ndawonye nokutshela abanye ngalokho esikufundayo.”—UZUZANNA