UJehova Uyabalonda Abathembela Kuye
“Umusa wakho wothando nokuba kwakho neqiniso makungilonde njalo.”—IHUBO 40:11.
1. INkosi uDavide yacelani kuJehova, futhi okwamanje leso sicelo sigcwaliswa kanjani?
INKOSI yakwa-Israyeli wasendulo uDavide ‘yathemba uJehova ngobuqotho’ futhi yashukunyiselwa ukuba ithi uJehova “wathambekisela indlebe yakhe [kimi] wakuzwa nokukhalela [kwami] usizo.” (IHubo 40:1) Yayizibonele ngokuphindaphindiwe indlela uJehova ayebalonda ngayo abamthandayo. Ngakho, uDavide wayengacela ukuba uJehova amlonde njalo. (IHubo 40:11) Njengoba ebalwa phakathi kwamadoda nabesifazane abathembekile abathenjiswa “uvuko olungcono,” okwamanje uDavide ulondekile enkumbulweni kaJehova njengomuntu oyowuthola lowo mvuzo. (Hebheru 11:32-35) Ngakho ikusasa lakhe lisezandleni eziphephile. Igama lakhe liqoshwe ‘encwadini kaJehova yenkumbulo.’—Malaki 3:16.
2. ImiBhalo isisiza kanjani ukuba siqonde lokho okushiwo ukulondwa uJehova?
2 Nakuba abathembekileyo okukhulunywe ngabo kumaHebheru isahluko 11 baphila ngaphambi kwesikhathi uJesu Kristu asiphila emhlabeni, baphila ngokuvumelana nalokho uJesu akufundisa lapho ethi: “Lowo othanda umphefumulo wakhe uyawubhubhisa, kodwa lowo ozonda umphefumulo wakhe kuleli zwe, uyowulondela ukuphila okuphakade.” (Johane 12:25) Ngakho, kuyacaca ukuthi ukulondwa uJehova akusho ukuthi umuntu ngeke ahlupheke noma ashushiswe. Kusho ukuthi uyovikelwa ngokomoya ukuze aqhubeke enokuma okuhle phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
3. Ibuphi ubufakazi esinabo bokuthi uJehova wamlonda uKristu Jesu, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?
3 UJesu ngokwakhe washushiswa ngonya futhi wahlanjalazwa, futhi ekugcineni, izitha zakhe zaphumelela ukumbulala ngendlela ehlazisayo nebuhlungu kakhulu. Nokho, lokhu akuphikisani nesithembiso sikaNkulunkulu sokulonda uMesiya. (Isaya 42:1-6) Ukuvuswa kukaJesu ngosuku lwesithathu ngemva kokufa kwakhe okuhlazisayo kubonisa ukuthi uJehova wayekuzwile ukukhalela kwakhe usizo—njengoba nje uJehova akuzwa nokukaDavide. UJehova wamphendula uJesu ngokumnika amandla okulondoloza ubuqotho bakhe. (Mathewu 26:39) Njengoba alondwa ngaleyo ndlela, uJesu wazuza ukungafi emazulwini, futhi izigidi zabantu eziye zabonisa ukholo esihlengweni zinethemba lokuthola ukuphila okuphakade.
4. Isiphi isiqinisekiso “ezinye izimvu” kanye namaKristu agcotshiwe anikezwa sona?
4 Singaqiniseka ukuthi namanje uJehova usazimisele futhi usakwazi ukulonda izinceku zakhe njengoba kwakunjalo ezinsukwini zikaDavide nezikaJesu. (Jakobe 1:17) Abafowabo bakaJesu abagcotshiwe manje asebeyidlanzana abasele emhlabeni bangathembela esithembisweni sikaJehova: ‘Ifa elingenakonakala nelingangcolile nelingabuni ligcinelwe nina ezulwini, nina enilondwa ngamandla kaNkulunkulu ngokholo ngenjongo yensindiso elungele ukwambulwa enkathini yokugcina yesikhathi.’ (1 Petru 1:4, 5) “Ezinye izimvu,” ezinethemba lasemhlabeni, nazo zingathembela kuNkulunkulu nasesithembisweni sakhe asinikeza ngomhubi: “O mthandeni uJehova, nina nonke abaqotho bakhe. UJehova uyabalonda abathembekile.”—Johane 10:16; IHubo 31:23.
Ukulondwa Ngokomoya
5, 6. (a) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu baye balondwa kanjani ezikhathini zanamuhla? (b) Abagcotshiweyo banabuphi ubuhlobo noJehova, futhi kuthiwani ngalabo abanethemba lasemhlabeni?
5 Ezikhathini zanamuhla, uJehova uye wenza amalungiselelo okulonda abantu bakhe ngendlela engokomoya. Yize engabavikeli ukuba bangashushiswa noma bangabhekani nobunzima nezinsizi zokuphila kwamihla yonke, ngobuqotho uye wabanikeza usizo nesikhuthazo abasidingayo ukuze balonde ubuhlobo babo naye. Lobu buhlobo babakhele esisekelweni sokholo lwabo elungiselelweni likaNkulunkulu lothando lesihlengo. Amanye ala maKristu athembekile aye agcotshwa ngomoya kaNkulunkulu ukuba abe ababusi kanye noKristu ezulwini. Kuye kwathiwa alungile njengamadodana kaNkulunkulu angokomoya, futhi la mazwi asebenza kuwo: “Wasikhulula egunyeni lobumnyama wasidlulisela embusweni weNdodana yothando lwakhe, esithola ngayo ukukhululwa ngesihlengo, ukuthethelelwa kwezono zethu.”—Kolose 1:13, 14.
6 Izigidi zamanye amaKristu athembekile ziyaqinisekiswa ukuthi nazo zingazuza elungiselelweni likaNkulunkulu lesihlengo. Siyafunda: ‘INdodana yomuntu ayizelanga ukukhonzwa, kodwa ukukhonza nokunikela umphefumulo wayo ube yisihlengo sabaningi.’ (Marku 10:45) Lawo maKristu asilindele ngabomvu isikhathi esifanele ayojabulela ngaso ‘inkululeko ekhazimulayo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.’ (Roma 8:21) Okwamanje, ayabazisa ubungane anabo noNkulunkulu futhi ngobuqotho alwela ukubuqinisa lobo buhlobo.
7. UJehova uyilonda kanjani inhlalakahle engokomoya yabantu bakhe namuhla?
7 Enye indlela uJehova alonda ngayo inhlalakahle engokomoya yabantu bakhe, iwukubanikeza isimiso sokuqeqeshwa okuqhubekayo. Lokhu kubenza bakwazi ukuqhubeka bethola ulwazi lweqiniso olunembile. UJehova unikeza isiqondiso esiqhubekayo nangeZwi lakhe, ngenhlangano yakhe, nangomoya wakhe ongcwele. Ngaphansi kokuqondisa ‘kwenceku ethembekileyo neqondayo,’ abantu bakaNkulunkulu emhlabeni wonke banjengomkhaya wezizwe zonke. Isigaba senceku sinakekela izidingo ezingokomoya zalo mkhaya wezinceku zikaJehova, futhi uma kudingeka, sinakekela ngisho nezingokwenyama—kungakhathaliseki ubuzwe noma ukuma kwazo emphakathini.—Mathewu 24:45.
8. Ikuphi ukuqiniseka uJehova anako ngabaqotho bakhe, futhi lokho kubaqinisekisa ngani?
8 Njengoba uJehova engazange amvikele uJesu ngokwenyama ukuba angahlaselwa izitha zakhe, akawavikeli namaKristu ngaleyo ndlela namuhla. Kodwa lokhu akulona neze uphawu lokuthi uwadubile. Kunalokho, kubonisa ukuthi uyaqiniseka ukuthi ayoba ngasohlangothini lwakhe empikiswaneni enkulu yendawo yonke. (Jobe 1:8-12; IzAga 27:11) UJehova akasoze abashiya abaqotho kuye, “ngoba uJehova ungumthandi wobulungisa, futhi ngeke abashiye abaqotho bakhe. Ngokuqinisekile bayoqashwa kuze kube nini nanini.”—IHubo 37:28.
Ukulondwa Umusa Wothando Neqiniso
9, 10. (a) Ukuba neqiniso kukaJehova kubalonda kanjani abantu bakhe? (b) IBhayibheli libonisa kanjani ukuthi uJehova uyabalonda abantu bakhe abaqotho ngomusa wakhe wothando?
9 Emthandazweni wakhe osencwadini yeHubo 40, uDavide wacela ukuba umusa wothando kaJehova nokuba kwakhe neqiniso kumlonde. Ukuba neqiniso kukaJehova nothando lwakhe ngokulunga kwenza kudingeke ukuba asitshele ngokucacile izindinganiso zakhe. Labo abaphila ngalezi zindinganiso bayalondeka kakhulu ekucindezelekeni, ekwesabeni, nasezinkingeni ezikhungethe labo abazishaya indiva lezo zindinganiso. Ngokwesibonelo, singazivikela thina nabathandekayo bethu ezinkingeni eziningi ezibuhlungu uma sigwema ukusebenzisa kabi izidakamizwa notshwala, ukuziphatha okubi ngokobulili, nokuphila ngobudlova. Ngisho nalabo abanhlanhlathile endleleni kaJehova yeqiniso—njengoba kwenza uDavide ngezinye izikhathi—banikezwa isiqinisekiso sokuthi uNkulunkulu usalokhu ‘eyindawo yokucasha’ kubenzi bobubi abaphendukayo. Abantu abanjalo bangakhamuluka ngenjabulo bathi: “Uyongilonda ekucindezelekeni.” (IHubo 32:7) Yeka ukubonakaliswa komusa wothando kaNkulunkulu!
10 Esinye isibonelo somusa wothando kaNkulunkulu siwukuthi uyazixwayisa izinceku zakhe ukuba zihlale zihlukile kuleli zwe elibi azolibhubhisa maduze. Siyafunda: “Ningalithandi izwe noma izinto ezisezweni. Uma umuntu ethanda izwe, uthando lukaBaba alukho kuye; ngoba konke okusezweni—isifiso senyama nesifiso samehlo nokugabisa ngalokho umuntu aziphilisa ngakho—akuveli kuBaba, kodwa kuvela ezweni.” Ngokulalela lesi sixwayiso nangokwenza ngokuvumelana naso, singakulonda ngokoqobo ukuphila kwethu kuze kube phakade, ngoba lo mBhalo uqhubeka uthi: “Ngaphezu kwalokho, izwe liyadlula, kanjalo nesifiso salo, kodwa lowo owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube phakade.”—1 Johane 2:15-17.
Ukulondwa Ikhono Lokucabanga, Ukuqonda, Nokuhlakanipha
11, 12. Chaza indlela ikhono lokucabanga, ukuqonda, nokuhlakanipha okusilonda ngayo.
11 Kulabo abafisa ukuvunyelwa nguNkulunkulu, indodana kaDavide, uSolomoni, yaphefumulelwa ukuba ibhale: “Ikhono lokucabanga liyokuqapha, ukuqonda kuyokulonda.” Yabuye yanxusa: “Zuza ukuhlakanipha . . . Ungakushiyi, kuyokugcina. Kuthande, kuyokulonda.”—IzAga 2:11; 4:5, 6.
12 Uma sizindla ngalokho esikufunda eZwini likaNkulunkulu sisebenzisa ikhono lokucabanga. Ukwenza kanjalo kusenza sikwazi ukuba nokuqonda okwengeziwe ukuze sizihlele ngokufanele izinto eziza kuqala. Lokhu kubalulekile, njengoba iningi lethu lazi—cishe ngokuhlangenwe nakho komuntu siqu—ukuthi kuphakama izinkinga lapho abantu behlela izinto eziza kuqala ngendlela engahlakaniphile, behlosile noma bengahlosile. Izwe likaSathane lisibekela imigomo yengcebo, udumo, namandla, kuyilapho uJehova esikhuthaza ukuba siphishekele imigomo engokomoya okuyiyona ebaluleke kakhulu. Ukungayiniki indawo yokuqala le migomo engokomoya kungawohloza imikhaya nobungane, kuyifiphaze nale migomo engokomoya. Ngenxa yalokho, umuntu angehlelwa umphumela odabukisayo osemazwini kaJesu: “Kunanzuzoni ukuba umuntu azuze izwe lonke kodwa alahlekelwe ngumphefumulo wakhe?” (Marku 8:36) Sibonisa ukuhlakanipha lapho silalela lesi seluleko sikaJesu: “Ngakho, qhubekani nifuna kuqala umbuso nokulunga kwakhe, khona-ke zonke lezi ezinye izinto niyozenezelelwa.”—Mathewu 6:33.
Ingozi Yokuzikhathalela Thina
13, 14. Kusho ukuthini ukuzikhathalela wena, futhi kungani kungahlakaniphile ukwenza kanjalo?
13 Ngokwemvelo abantu banesithakazelo kubo ngokwabo. Nokho, lapho izifiso nezithakazelo zomuntu ziba ezibaluleke kunakho konke ekuphileni kwakhe, umphumela uba izinkinga. Ngakho-ke, uJehova usifundisa ukuba sigweme ukuzikhathalela thina ukuze kulondolozeke ubungane bethu naye. Ukuzikhathalela wena kusho “ukukhathalela izifiso, izidingo noma izithakazelo zakho wedwa.” Lokhu kubachaza kahle kakhulu abantu abaningi namuhla, akunjalo? Ngokuphawulekayo, iBhayibheli libikezela ukuthi “ezinsukwini zokugcina” zesimiso esibi sikaSathane, “abantu bayokuba abazithandayo,” noma bayozikhathalela bona.—2 Thimothewu 3:1, 2.
14 AmaKristu ayaqonda ukuthi kungani kuhlakaniphile ukulandela umyalo weBhayibheli wokukhathalela abanye, ubathande njengoba uzithanda wena. (Luka 10:27; Filipi 2:4) Iningi labantu lingase licabange ukuthi lokhu kuyinto engenakwenzeka, kanti akuve kudingeka uma sifuna ukuphumelela emshadweni, ukuba nobuhlobo bomkhaya obujabulisayo kanye nobungane obuhle. Ngakho, inceku kaJehova yeqiniso akumelwe nanini ivumele ukuthambekela kwemvelo kokuzikhathalela kubuse ukuphila kwayo zize zingabe zisaba nendawo izinto okuyizona ezibaluleke kakhulu. Okuphambili kulezo zinto, yizithakazelo zikaJehova, uNkulunkulu emkhonzayo.
15, 16. (a) Isimo sengqondo sokuzikhathalela wena singaholelaphi, njengoba kwabonakala kobani? (b) Ikuphi ngempela akwenzayo umuntu oshesha ukwahlulela abanye?
15 Isimo sengqondo sokuzikhathalela wena singakwenza uzibone ulungile kunabanye, bese ungabe usayinaka imibono yabo, futhi ugabadele. IBhayibheli lisho kufanele ukuthi: “Awunazaba, wena muntu, noma ngabe ungubani, uma wahlulela; ngoba entweni owahlulela omunye kuyo, uzilahla wena, njengoba wena owahlulelayo uzenza zona lezo zinto.” (Roma 2:1; 14:4, 10) Abaholi benkolo bosuku lukaJesu babeqiniseka kakhulu ngokulunga kwabo kangangokuthi bazizwa bekufanelekela ukuba basole uJesu nabalandeli bakhe. Ngokwenza kanjalo, bazenza abahluleli. Njengoba babengakuboni okwabo ukushiyeka, empeleni bazibizela ukulahlwa.
16 UJuda, umlandeli kaJesu, owamkhaphela, wazivumela ukuba abe umahluleli wabanye. Ngesikhathi beseBhethaniya lapho uMariya, udadewabo kaLazaru, egcoba uJesu ngamafutha anamakha, uJuda wakugxeka kakhulu lokhu. Waveza ukucasuka kwakhe ngokuthi: “Kungani la mafutha anamakha engathengiswanga ngodenariyu abangamakhulu amathathu, baphiwa abantu abampofu?” Kodwa ukulandisa kube sekuqhubeka kuchaza: “Nokho, washo lokhu kungengenxa yokuba ekhathalela abampofu, kodwa ngoba eyisela futhi ephatha ibhokisi lemali futhi evame ukuthatha imali eyayifakwa kulo.” (Johane 12:1-6) Masingalokothi sibe njengoJuda noma sibe njengabaholi benkolo ababeshesha ukwahlulela abanye, kanti bazibizela ukulahlwa.
17. Bonisa ingozi ehambisana nokuzazisa noma nokuzethemba ngokweqile.
17 Kuyadabukisa ukuthi yize ayengewona amasela njengoJuda, amaKristu okuqala athile aba izisulu zokuqhosha, azazisa. UJakobe wabhala ngawo: “Niziqhenya ngokuzigabisa kwenu kokuzazisa.” Wabe esenezela: “Konke ukuziqhenya okunjalo kubi.” (Jakobe 4:16) Ukugabisa ngalokho okwenzile noma ngamalungelo akho enkonzweni kaJehova kuwukuzigwaza ngowakho. (IzAga 14:16) Sikhumbula lokho okwenzeka kumphostoli uPetru, owaqhosha ngesikhathi efikelwa umuzwa wokuzethemba ngokweqile: “Nakuba bonke abanye bekhubeka ngawe, mina angisoze ngakhubeka! . . . Ngisho noma kungadingeka ngife kanye nawe, angisoze ngakuphika.” Empeleni, akukho okungokwethu esingaqhosha ngakho. Konke esinakho sikuthole ngomusa wothando kaJehova kuphela. Ukuhlale sikukhumbula lokhu kuyosivimbela ukuba singazazisi.—Mathewu 26:33-35, 69-75.
18. UJehova uzizwa kanjani ngokuziqhenya?
18 Sitshelwa ukuthi: “Ukuziqhenya kwandulela ukuphahlazeka, nomoya ozidlayo wandulela ukukhubeka.” Ngani? UJehova uyaphendula: “Ukuziphakamisa nokuziqhenya . . . ngiyakuzonda.” (IzAga 8:13; 16:18) Yingakho uJehova avutha ‘ngokweyisa kwenhliziyo yenkosi yase-Asiriya nangenxa yokuzibona ibalulekile ngamehlo ayo aqhoshayo’! (Isaya 10:12) UJehova wenza ukuba ilandise. Maduzane, lonke izwe likaSathane, kanye nabaholi balo abaqhoshayo, abazibona bebalulekile, ababonakalayo nabangabonakali, kuzodingeka balandise nabo. Kwangathi singelokothe silingise isimo sengqondo senkani sezitha zikaJehova!
19. Kungayiphi indlela abantu bakaNkulunkulu beziqhenya kodwa bebe bethobekile?
19 AmaKristu eqiniso anesizathu esizwakalayo sokuziqhenya ngokuthi ayizinceku zikaJehova. (Jeremiya 9:24) Ngesikhathi esifanayo, anesizathu esizwakalayo sokuhlala ethobekile. Ngani? Ngoba “bonke bonile futhi bayasilela enkazimulweni kaNkulunkulu.” (Roma 3:23) Ngakho-ke, ukuze silonde ukuma kwethu njengezinceku zikaJehova, kumelwe sibe nesimo sengqondo somphostoli uPawulu, owathi “uKristu Jesu weza ezweni ezosindisa izoni.” Wabe esenezela: “Kulezi ngingesiphambili.”—1 Thimothewu 1:15.
20. UJehova ubalonda kanjani abantu bakhe manje, futhi uyobalonda kanjani esikhathini esizayo?
20 Njengoba abantu bakaJehova bekujabulela ukubeka izithakazelo zikaNkulunkulu kuqala kunezabo, singaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uyoqhubeka ebalonda ngokomoya. Singaqiniseka nangokuthi lapho usizi olukhulu lugadla, uJehova uyobalonda abantu bakhe, hhayi ngokomoya nje kuphela kodwa nangokwenyama. Lapho bengena ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu, bayokwazi ukukhamuluka: “Bheka! Lona nguNkulunkulu wethu. Sithembele kuye, uyosisindisa. Lona nguJehova. Sithembele kuye. Masijabule sithokoze ngensindiso yakhe.”—Isaya 25:9.
Usakhumbula?
• INkosi uDavide noJesu Kristu balondwa kanjani?
• Abantu bakaJehova balondwa kanjani namuhla?
• Kungani kufanele sigweme ukuzikhathalela thina?
• Kungani singase siziqhenye kodwa sibe sithobekile?
[Izithombe ekhasini 9]
UJehova wabalonda kanjani oDavide noJesu?
[Izithombe ekhasini 10, 11]
Abantu bakaNkulunkulu balondwa ngaziphi izindlela ngokomoya namuhla?
[Izithombe ekhasini 12]
Yize siziqhenya ngokuthi sikhonza uJehova, kumelwe sihlale sithobekile