“Ngihlole, NKulunkulu”

“[Ngihlole], Nkulunkulu, wazi inhliziyo yami. . . . Ungiholele endleleni yaphakade.”—IHUBO 139:23, 24.

 1. UJehova usebenzelana kanjani nezinceku zakhe?

SONKE sithanda ukusebenzelana nomuntu oqondayo, umuntu ocabangela izimo zethu, umuntu osisizayo lapho senza iphutha, umuntu ongafuni okungaphezu kwalokho esingakwenza. UJehova uNkulunkulu usebenzelana nezinceku zakhe ngaleyondlela. IHubo 103:14 lithi: “Uyakwazi ukubunjwa kwethu; uyakhumbula ukuthi siluthuli.” Futhi uJesu Kristu, ombonakalisa ngokuphelele uYise, udlulisela isimemo esifudumele: “Zanini kimi nina nonke enikhatheleyo nenisindwayo, mina ngizakuniphumuza. Bekani ijoka lami phezu kwenu [noma, “Ngenani nami ngaphansi kwejoka lami,” umbhalo waphansi we-NW] nifunde kimi, ngokuba ngimnene, ngithobile ngenhliziyo; khona imiphefumulo yenu iyakufumana impumuzo. Ngokuba ijoka lami lihle, nomthwalo wami ulula.”—Mathewu 11:28-30.

 2. Qhathanisa umbono kaJehova nowabantu ngokuphathelene (a) noJesu Kristu, (b) nabalandeli bakaKristu.

² Umbono kaJehova ngezinceku zakhe ngokuvamile uhluke kakhulu kulowo wabantu. Ubheka izindaba ngendlela ehlukile futhi ucabangela izici abanye abangase bangazi lutho ngazo. Lapho uJesu Kristu esemhlabeni, ‘wadelelwa futhi washiywa ngabantu.’ Labo abangazange babe nokholo kuye njengoMesiya ‘abamshayanga-nto yalutho.’ (Isaya 53:3; Luka 23:18-21) Nokho, emehlweni kaNkulunkulu, ‘wayeyiNdodana [kaNkulunkulu], ethandekayo,’ leyo uYise athi kuyo: “Ngithokozile ngawe.” (Luka 3:22; 1 Petru 2:4) Phakathi kwabalandeli bakaJesu Kristu kunabantu ababukelwa phansi ngenxa yokuthi bampofu ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo futhi bakhuthazelela izinhlupheko eziningi. Nokho, emehlweni kaJehova neNdodana yakhe, abanjalo kungenzeka bacebile. (Roma 8:35-39; IsAmbulo 2:9) Kungani kunemibono ehlukile?

 3. (a) Kungani umbono kaJehova ngabantu ngokuvamile uhluke kakhulu kowabantu? (b) Kungani kubaluleke kakhulu ngathi ukuba sihlole uhlobo lwabantu esiyilo ngaphakathi?

³ UJeremiya 11:20 uyaphendula: ‘[U]Jehova . . . uvivinya izinso nenhliziyo.’ Ubona lokho esiyikho ngaphakathi, ngisho nalezozici zobuntu bethu ezisithekile emehlweni abanye abantu. Ekuhloleni kwakhe, ugxila ngokuyinhloko ezimfanelweni nasezimweni ezibalulekile zokuba nobuhlobo obuhle naye, lezo eziyinzuzo ehlala njalo kithi. Ukwazi kwethu lokho kuyaqinisekisa; kuyasangulula. Njengoba uJehova enaka lokho esiyikho ngaphakathi, kubalulekile ngathi ukuba sihlole lokho esiyikho ngaphakathi ukuze sizibonakalise siwuhlobo lwabantu alufunayo ezweni lakhe elisha. IZwi lakhe liyasisiza ukuba senze ukuzihlola okunjalo.—Heberu 4:12, 13.

Yeka Indlela Imicabango KaNkulunkulu Eyigugu Ngayo!

 4. (a) Yini eyashukumisela umhubi ukuba athi imicabango kaNkulunkulu yayiyigugu kuye? (b) Kungani kufanele ibe yigugu kithi?

⁴ Ngemva kokuba eye wazindla ngokudepha nokujula kokwazi kukaNkulunkulu izinceku zakhe, kanye nekhono lakhe elingavamile lokulungiselela noma yiluphi usizo ezingase ziludinge, umhubi uDavide wabhala: “Imicabango yakho, . . . ingamagugu kimi.” (IHubo 139:17a) Leyomicabango, eyambulwe eZwini lakhe elilotshiwe, iphakeme kakhulu kunanoma yini evela kubantu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi imibono yabo ingase ibonakale ihlakaniphe kakhulu kangakanani. (Isaya 55:8, 9) Imicabango kaNkulunkulu isisiza ukuba sigxilise ukunakekela kwethu ezintweni ezibaluleke ngempela ekuphileni futhi sishiseke enkonzweni yakhe. (Filipi 1:9-11) Isibonisa indlela okufanele sibheke ngayo izinto ngendlela uNkulunkulu azibheka ngayo. Isisiza ukuba sithembeke kithi ngokwethu, sivume kithi ngokwethu uhlobo lwabantu esiyilo ngempela ngaphakathi. Ingabe uzimisele ukwenza lokho?

 5. (a) Yini iZwi likaNkulunkulu elisinxusa ukuba siyilonde ‘ngaphezu kwakho konke’? (b) Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli okuphathelene noKayini kungasizuzisa kanjani? (c) Nakuba singekho ngaphansi koMthetho kaMose, usisiza kanjani ukuba siqonde lokho okujabulisa uJehova?

⁵ Abantu bavame ukugxila kakhulu ekubukekeni kwangaphandle, kodwa imiBhalo iyaseluleka: “Phezu kwakho konke okugcinayo, gcina inhliziyo yakho.” (IzAga 4:23) Kokubili ngokusiyala nangezibonelo, iBhayibheli liyasisiza ukuba senze lokho. Lisitshela ukuthi uKayini wanikela ngeminikelo yokugcina icala kuNkulunkulu kuyilapho enhliziyweni yakhe ayegcwele inzondo ngomfowabo u-Abela. Futhi liyasinxusa ukuba singafani naye. (Genesise 4:3-5; 1 Johane 3:11, 12) Lilandisa ngemfuneko yokulalela yoMthetho kaMose. Kodwa futhi ligcizelela ukuthi imfuneko eyinhloko yoMthetho yayiwukuthi labo abakhulekela uJehova kumelwe bamthande ngenhliziyo yabo yonke, ingqondo, umphefumulo, namandla; futhi lithi okulandelayo ngokubaluleka kwakungumthetho wokuba bathande umakhelwane wabo njengalokhu bezithanda bona.—Duteronomi 5:32, 33; Marku 12:28-31.

 6. Lapho sisebenzisa izAga 3:1, yimiphi imibuzo okufanele sizibuze yona?

⁶ KuzAga 3:1, sinxuswa ukuba singagcini nje kuphela imiyalo kaNkulunkulu kodwa ukuba siqiniseke ukuthi ukulalela kuwukubonakaliswa kwalokho okusenhliziyweni yethu ngempela. Kudingeka ukuba sizibuze ngabanye, ‘Ingabe lokho kuyiqiniso ngokulalela kwami izimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu?’ Uma siqaphela ukuthi ezindabeni ezithile isisusa noma ukucabanga kwethu kuyantula—futhi akekho kithi ongasho ukuthi asinaphutha—khona-ke kudingeka sizibuze, ‘Yini engiyenzayo ukuze ngithuthukise lesimo?’—IzAga 20:9; 1 Johane 1:8.

 7. (a) Ukulahla kukaJesu abaFarisi kuMathewu 15:3-9 kungasisiza kanjani ukuba silonde inhliziyo yethu? (b) Yiziphi izimo ezingase zidinge ukuba sithathe izinyathelo eziqinile ukuze siqeqeshe ingqondo nenhliziyo yethu?

⁷ Lapho abaFarisi abangamaJuda benza sengathi badumisa uNkulunkulu kuyilapho ngobuqili bethuthukisa umkhuba owawushukunyiswa ubugovu, uJesu wabalahla njengabazenzisi futhi wabonisa ukuthi ukukhulekela kwabo kwakuyize. (Mathewu 15:3-9) UJesu futhi waxwayisa ngokuthi ukuze sijabulise uNkulunkulu, obona inhliziyo, akwanele ukuphila ukuphila okubonakala kukuhle ngaphandle kuyilapho siphikelela futhi nokuzitika ngemicabango yokuziphatha okubi ukuze sithole injabulo evusa inkanuko. Kungase kudingeke ukuba sithathe izinyathelo eziqinile ukuze siqeqeshe ingqondo nenhliziyo yethu. (IzAga 23:12; Mathewu 5:27-29) Ukuziqeqesha okunjalo kungase kudingeke futhi uma kungukuthi ngenxa yomsebenzi wethu wokuziphilisa, imigomo yethu emfundweni, noma ukukhetha kwethu ezokuzilibazisa, silingisa lelizwe, silivumela ukuba lisilolonge ngokwezindinganiso zalo. Masingalokothi sikhohlwe ukuthi umfundi uJakobe wababiza ngokuthi ‘bayiziphingi’ labo abazisholo ukuthi bangabakaNkulunkulu kodwa abafuna ukuba ngabangane bezwe. Ngani? Ngoba “izwe lonke limi ebubini.”—Jakobe 4:4; 1 Johane 2:15-17; 5:19.

 8. Ukuze sizuze ngokugcwele emicabangweni kaNkulunkulu eyigugu, yini okumelwe siyenze?

⁸ Ukuze sizuze ngokugcwele emicabangweni kaNkulunkulu kulezindaba nakwezinye, kudingeka ukuba sibekele eceleni isikhathi sokuyifunda noma sokuyizwa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kudingeka ukuba siyitadishe, sikhulume ngayo, futhi sizindle ngayo. Abafundi abaningi be-Nqabayokulinda baba khona njalo emihlanganweni yebandla yoFakazi BakaJehova, lapho kuxoxwa khona ngeBhayibheli. Bathengisisa isikhathi kweminye imisebenzi ukuze bakwenze. (Efesu 5:15-17) Futhi lokho abakuthola kuyo kuyidlula kude kakhulu ingcebo yezinto ezibonakalayo. Ingabe yileyo indlela ozizwa ngayo?

 9. Kungani abanye ababa khona emihlanganweni yobuKristu bethuthuka ngokushesha kunabanye?

⁹ Nokho, abanye ababa khona kulemihlangano bathuthuka ngokushesha kakhulu ngokomoya kunabanye. Balisebenzisa ngokugcwele iqiniso ekuphileni kwabo. Yini ebangela lokhu? Ngokuvamile, isici esiyinhloko yinkuthalo yabo esifundweni somuntu siqu. Bayaqonda ukuthi asiphili ngesinkwa sodwa; ukudla okungokomoya nsuku zonke kubaluleke njengokudla njalo ukudla okungokwenyama. (Mathewu 4:4; Heberu 5:14) Ngakho bazama ukusebenzisa okungenani isikhathi esithile nsuku zonke befunda iBhayibheli noma izincwadi ezilichazayo. Balungiselela imihlangano yebandla, batadisha izifundo kusengaphambili futhi bebheka nemibhalo. Benza okungaphezu kokufunda ukwaziswa; bayazindla ngakho. Indlela yabo yokutadisha ihlanganisa ukucabanga ngokungathi sína ngomphumela lokho abakufundayo okufanele kube nawo ekuphileni kwabo siqu. Njengoba ingokomoya labo likhula, bazizwa njengomhubi owabhala: “Ngiyawuthanda umthetho wakho kangaka. . . . Ubufakazi bakho buyisimangaliso.”—IHubo 1:1-3; 119:97, 129.

10. (a) Kuyinzuzo isikhathi eside kangakanani ukuqhubeka sitadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu? (b) ImiBhalo ikubonisa kanjani lokhu?

¹⁰ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi iZwi likaNkulunkulu sesilitadishe unyaka, iminyaka emihlanu noma engu-50, alimane nje libe ukuphindaphinda—akwenzeki uma imicabango kaNkulunkulu iyigugu kithi. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sesifunde okungakanani emiBhalweni, kunokuningi esingakwazi. “Bukhulu kangaka ubuningi bayo,” kusho uDavide. “Uma bengiyakuyibala, miningi kunesihlabathi.” Imicabango kaNkulunkulu ingaphezu kwekhona lethu lokubala. Uma besingabala imicabango kaNkulunkulu usuku lonke futhi sizumeke sisenza lokho, lapho siphaphama ekuseni, besisengaba nokuningi kakhulu esingacabanga ngakho. Ngakho, uDavide wabhala: “Lapho ngivuka, bengiyakuba-nawe.” (IHubo 139:17, 18) Kuyoba nokuningi esiyokufunda phakade ngoJehova nangezindlela zakhe. Akunakwenzeka ukuba sifike eqophelweni lokwazi konke.—Roma 11:33.

Ukuzonda Lokho UJehova Akuzondayo

11. Kungani kungabalulekile ukwazi imicabango kaNkulunkulu kuphela kodwa nokuba nemizwa yakhe?

¹¹ Ukutadisha kwethu iZwi likaNkulunkulu akwenziwa nje ngombono wokugcwalisa ikhanda lethu ngamaqiniso. Njengoba sivumela imicabango kaNkulunkulu ukuba igxile enhliziyweni yethu, siqala futhi ukuba nemizwa kaNkulunkulu. Yeka ukuthi lokho kubaluleke kangakanani! Uma singabi nemizwa enjalo, ungaba yini umphumela? Nokho, nakuba singase sikwazi ukuphindaphinda lokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo, singase sibheke lokho okwenqatshelwe njengokufiselekayo, noma singase sibe nomuzwa wokuthi lokho okudingekayo kuwumthwalo. Kuyiqiniso ukuthi ngisho nakuba sikuzonda okungalungile, singase silwe kanzima ngenxa yokungapheleli kobuntu. (Roma 7:15) Kodwa uma singawenzi umzamo wenkuthalo wokuvumelanisa esiyikho ngaphakathi nokulungile, singalindela yini ukujabulisa uJehova, “ovivinya izinhliziyo”?—IzAga 17:3.

12. Lubaluleke kangakanani uthando lokwesaba uNkulunkulu nenzondo yokwesaba uNkulunkulu?

¹² Ukuzonda kokwesaba uNkulunkulu kuyisivikelo esinamandla ngokumelene nokwenza okungalungile, njengoba nje nothando lokwesaba uNkulunkulu lwenza kube injabulo ukwenza okulungile. (1 Johane 5:3) ImiBhalo isinxusa ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuba sihlakulele kokubili uthando nenzondo. “Nina enithanda uJehova zondani okubi.” (IHubo 97:10) “Nenyanye okubi, nibambelele kokuhle.” (Roma 12:9) Ingabe siyakwenza lokho?

13. (a) Yimuphi umthandazo kaDavide ngokuphathelene nokubhujiswa kwababi esivumelana nawo ngokugcwele? (b) Njengoba kuboniswe emthandazweni kaDavide, bangobani ababi athandazela ukuba uNkulunkulu ababhubhise?

¹³ UJehova uye wayisho ngokusobala injongo yakhe yokusiphula ababi emhlabeni nokuletha izwe elisha lapho kuyakuba khona ukulunga. (IHubo 37:10, 11; 2 Petru 3:13) Abathandi bokulunga balangazelela ukufika kwalesosikhathi. Bavumelana ngokugcwele nomhubi uDavide, owathandaza: “Sengathi ungabulala ababi, Nkulunkulu; ngalokho sukani kimi nina-bantu begazi. Bakhuluma ngamacebo ngawe, baliphatha ngeze igama lakho.” (IHubo 139:19, 20) UDavide akazange akulangazelele ukubabhubhisa ngokwakhe abantu abanjalo ababi. Wathandazela ukuba impindiselo ize ngesandla sikaJehova. (Duteronomi 32:35; Heberu 10:30) Laba kwakungebona nje abantu ababeye bacunula uDavide ngokwakhe ngandlela-thile. Babeye bammelela kabi uNkulunkulu, bephatha igama lakhe ngendlela engenanhlonipho. (Eksodusi 20:7) Ngokungathembeki, babezisholo ukuthi bayamkhulekela, kodwa babesebenzisa igama lakhe ukuze baqhubekisele phambili amacebo abo. UDavide wayengabathandi labo abakhetha ukuba yizitha zikaNkulunkulu.

14. Ingabe bakhona abantu ababi abangase basizwe? Uma bekhona, bangasizwa kanjani?

¹⁴ Kunezinkulungwane zezigidi zabantu ezingamazi uJehova. Iningi lazo ngokungazi lenza izinto iZwi likaNkulunkulu elibonisa ukuthi zimbi. Uma liphikelela kulenkambo, liyoba phakathi kwabayobhubha phakathi nosizi olukhulu. Nokho, uJehova akakujabuleli ukufa komubi, nathi akufanele sikujabulele. (Hezekeli 33:11) Uma nje isikhathi sisavuma, sizama ukusiza abantu abanjalo ukuba bafunde futhi basebenzise izindlela zikaJehova. Kodwa kuthiwani uma abantu abathile bebonisa inzondo ejulile ngoJehova?

15. (a) Babengobani labo umhubi ababheka ‘njengezitha’? (b) Thina singabonisa kanjani namuhla ukuthi ‘siyabazonda’ labo abavukela uJehova?

¹⁵ Ngokuphathelene nabo, umhubi wathi: “Jehova, angibazondi abakuzondayo na? Anginengwa ngabakuvukelayo na? Ngiyabazonda ngenzondo epheleleyo; bayizitha kimi.” (IHubo 139:21, 22) UDavide wababheka ngokubenyanya ngoba babemzonda ngokujulile uJehova. Izihlubuki zihlanganiswa phakathi kwalabo ababonisa inzondo yabo ngoJehova ngokumvukela. Eqinisweni, ukuhlubuka kuwukuvukela uJehova. Ezinye izihlubuki zizisholo ukuthi ziyamazi futhi ziyamkhonza uNkulunkulu, kodwa ziyazenqaba izimfundiso noma izimfuneko ezibekwe eZwini lakhe. Ezinye zithi ziyalikholelwa iBhayibheli, kodwa zenqaba inhlangano kaJehova futhi ngentshiseko zizama ukuvimbela umsebenzi wayo. Lapho ngokuzithandela bekhetha ububi obunjalo ngemva kokuba sebekwazi okulungile, lapho okubi kugxila kakhulu kangangokuba kuze kube ingxenye engenakuhlukaniswa yobuntu babo, khona-ke, umKristu kumelwe abazonde (ngomqondo ongokweBhayibheli waleligama) labo abaye bazihlanganisa ngokungenakwehlukaniswa nobubi. AmaKristu eqiniso azizwa njengoJehova ngezihlubuki ezinjalo; awanalo ilukuluku lokwazi ngemibono yezihlubuki. Kunalokho, ‘ayanengwa’ yilabo abaye bazenza izitha zikaNkulunkulu, kodwa akushiyela kuJehova ukukhipha impindiselo.—Jobe 13:16; Roma 12:19; 2 Johane 9, 10.

Lapho UNkulunkulu Esihlola

16. (a) Kungani uDavide afuna ukuba uJehova amhlole? (b) Yini okufanele ukuba sicele uNkulunkulu asisize siyibone ngokuphathelene nenhliziyo yethu?

¹⁶ UDavide akazange nakancane afune ukufana nababi. Abantu abaningi bazama ukufihla lokho abayikho ngaphakathi, kodwa ngokuthobeka uDavide wathandaza: “[Ngihlole], Nkulunkulu, wazi inhliziyo yami; ngilinge, wazi imicabango yami, ubone, uma kukhona indlela yosizi kimi, ungiholele endleleni yaphakade.” (IHubo 139:23, 24) Lapho ebhekisela enhliziyweni yakhe, uDavide wayengasho isitho somzimba. Ngokuvumelana nencazelo engokomfanekiso yaleyonkulumo, wayebhekisela kulokho ayeyikho ngaphakathi, umuntu wangaphakathi. Nathi ngokufanayo kufanele sifune ukuba uNkulunkulu ahlole inhliziyo yethu futhi abone ukuthi sinazo yini izifiso, uthando, imizwelo, izinjongo, imicabango, noma izisusa ezingalungile. (IHubo 26:2) UJehova uyasimema: “Ndodana yami, ngiphe inhliziyo yakho, amehlo akho enamele izindlela zami.”—IzAga 23:26.

17. (a) Kunokuba sifihle imicabango yethu esikhathazayo, yini okufanele siyenze? (b) Ingabe kufanele kusimangaze ukuthola ukuthambekela okungalungile enhliziyweni yethu, futhi yini okufanele siyenze ngakho?

¹⁷ Uma ngaphakathi kithi kunemicabango ebuhlungu, esikhathazayo ngenxa yezifiso noma izisusa ezingalungile noma ngenxa yokuziphatha kwethu okungalungile, khona-ke ngokuqinisekile sifuna ukuba uJehova asisize silungise lendaba. Esikhundleni samazwi athi “noma iyiphi indlela yosizi,” inguqulo kaMoffatt isebenzisa inkulumo ethi “inkambo engalungile”; I-New English Bible ithi: “Noma iyiphi indlela ekudabukisayo [okungukuthi, uNkulunkulu].” Thina ngokwethu singase singayiqondi ngokucacile imicabango yethu esikhathazayo futhi ngaleyondlela singazi ukuthi singayiveza kanjani inkinga yethu kuNkulunkulu, kodwa uyasiqonda isimo sethu. (Roma 8:26, 27) Akufanele kusimangaze uma kunokuthambekela okubi enhliziyweni yethu; nakuba kunjalo, akufanele sikuthethelele. (Genesise 8:21) Kufanele sifune usizo lukaNkulunkulu ukuze sikususe ngokuphelele. Uma simthanda ngempela uJehova nezindlela zakhe, singasondela kuye ukuze sithole usizo olunjalo sinethemba lokuthi “uNkulunkulu mkhulu kunenhliziyo yethu, futhi uyazi konke.”—1 Johane 3:19-21.

18. (a) UJehova usiholela kanjani endleleni yaphakade? (b) Uma siqhubeka silandela isiqondiso sikaJehova, yikuphi ukutuswa okufudumele esingalindela ukukuthola?

¹⁸ Ngokuvumelana nomthandazo womhubi wokuthi uJehova amhole endleleni yaphakade, ngempela uJehova uyazihola izinceku zakhe ezithobekile, nezilalelayo. Akaziholeli nje kuphela endleleni engase isho ukuphila isikhathi eside ngoba azibhujiswa ngaphambi kwesikhathi ngenxa yokwenza okubi kodwa futhi uziholela endleleni eyisa ekuphileni okuphakade. Ugcizelela kithi isidingo senani lomhlatshelo kaJesu ohlawulela izono. NgeZwi lakhe nangenhlangano yakhe, usinikeza isiyalo esiwusizo ukuze sikwazi ukwenza intando yakhe. Ugcizelela kithi ukubaluleka kokusabela osizweni lwakhe ukuze ngaphakathi sibe uhlobo lwabantu esithi siyilo ngaphandle. (IHubo 86:11) Futhi usikhuthaza ngethemba lempilo ephelele ezweni elisha lokulunga kanye nokuphila okuphakade esiyokusebenzisa ekukhonzeni yena, okuwukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso. Uma siqhubeka sisabela ngobuqotho esiqondisweni sakhe, eqinisweni uyakuthi kithi, njengoba asho eNdodaneni yakhe: “Ngithokozile ngawe.”—Luka 3:22; Johane 6:27; Jakobe 1:12.

Uthini?

◻ Kungani umbono kaJehova ngezinceku zakhe ngokuvamile uhlukile kowabantu?

◻ Yini engasisiza ukuba sibone lokho uNkulunkulu akubonayo lapho ehlola inhliziyo yethu?

◻ Hlobo luni lokutadisha olusisiza ukuba sifunde amaqiniso futhi silonde inhliziyo yethu?

◻ Kungani kungabalulekile ukwazi lokho uNkulunkulu akushoyo kuphela kodwa nokuba nemizwa yakhe?

◻ Kungani kumelwe sithandaze ngokomuntu siqu sithi: “[Ngihlole], Nkulunkulu, wazi inhliziyo yami”?

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

Lapho utadisha, zama ukwenza imicabango nemizwa kaNkulunkulu ibe ngeyakho

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

Imicabango kaJehova “miningi kunesihlabathi”

[Umthombo]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.