Kusho Ukuthini Ukuthanda UNkulunkulu?

EMINYAKENI engaba izinkulungwane eziyisithupha edlule, kwazalwa umntwana wokuqala ongumuntu. Ngemva kokuzalwa kwakhe, unina, u-Eva wathi: “Ngitholile indoda kuJehova.” (Genesise 4:1) Amazwi akhe ambula ukuthi, nakuba base begwetshelwe ukufa ngenxa yokuhlubuka kwabo, u-Eva nomyeni wakhe, u-Adamu, babesabuqaphela ubuNkulunkulu bukaJehova. Kamuva baba nendodana yesibili. Laba bafana baqanjwa ngokuthi uKayini no-Abela.

Njengoba lamadodana ekhula, ngokungangabazeki afunda okuningi ngothando lukaJehova ngokuhlola nje indalo yakhe. Ayejabulela imibala emihle yemvelo nezinhlobonhlobo zezilwane nezitshalo. UNkulunkulu akawanikanga ukuphila nje kuphela kodwa wawanika nekhono lokujabulela ukuphila.

Athola ukuthi abazali bawo babedalwe bephelele nokuthi injongo kaJehova yokuqala yayiwukuba abantu baphile phakade. Cishe u-Adamu no-Eva bawachazela ngobuhle bensimu yase-Edene, futhi ngandlela-thile kwadingeka bachaze ukuthi kungani babeye baxoshwa ekhaya elinjalo eliyipharadesi. Kungenzeka futhi ukuthi uKayini no-Abela babazi ngesiprofetho saphezulu esilotshwe kuGenesise 3:15. Ngaleso siprofetho uJehova wazwakalisa injongo yakhe yokulungisa izinto ngesikhathi esifanele ukuze kuzuze labo abamthandayo nababezibonakalisa beqotho kuye.

Kumelwe ukuba ukufunda ngoJehova nezimfanelo zakhe kwenza uKayini no-Abela bafisa ukwamukelwa uNkulunkulu. Ngakho basondela kuJehova ngokwenza iminikelo kuye. Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kuthi: “Kwathi emva kwezinsuku ezithile uKayini waletha kuJehova umnikelo wezithelo zomhlabathi. Naye uAbela waletha umnikelo kuwo amazibulo ezimvu zakhe ezinonileyo.”—Genesise 4:3, 4.

Isifiso sabo sokwamukelwa uNkulunkulu sabeka isisekelo sokuba nobuhlobo naye. UKayini wagcina ehlubukile kuNkulunkulu, kuyilapho u-Abela aqhubeka eshukunyiswa uthando oluqotho ngoNkulunkulu. U-Abela wayengeke ahlakulele ubuhlobo obunjalo noNkulunkulu uma ayengazange azuze kuqala ulwazi ngobuntu bukaJehova nezinjongo zakhe.

Nawe ungamazi uJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, eBhayibhelini ungafunda ukuthi uNkulunkulu ungumuntu ongokoqobo, hhayi nje amandla angaphili ahamba edala izinto ngengozi. (Qhathanisa noJohane 7:28; Heberu 9:24; IsAmbulo 4:11.) IBhayibheli lifundisa nokuthi uJehova ‘unguNkulunkulu ogcwele isihe; onomusa, ophuza ukuthukuthela, novamé ubumnene neqiniso.’—Eksodusi 34:6.

“Ukulalela Kuhle Kunomhlatshelo”

Njengoba kuboniswa yindaba kaKayini no-Abela, ukuba nolwazi ngoNkulunkulu nesifiso sokuba nobuhlobo obuseduze naye akwanele. Yiqiniso, lezi zelamani ezimbili zasondela kuNkulunkulu ngokwenza iminikelo. Nokho, “uJehova wanaka uAbela nomnikelo wakhe. Kepha uKayini nomnikelo wakhe akawunakanga. Wayesethukuthela kakhulu uKayini, ubuso bakhe banyukumala.”—Genesise 4:3-5.

Kungani uJehova awenqaba umhlatshelo kaKayini? Ingabe kwakukhona okungalungile ngesimo somnikelo wakhe? Ingabe uJehova wacasuka ngoba uKayini wanikela ‘ngezithelo zomhlabathi’ esikhundleni somhlatshelo wesilwane? Akunjalo ngempela. Kamuva, uNkulunkulu wayamukela ngenjabulo iminikelo yempuphu neyezinye izithelo zomhlabathi eyayenziwa abakhulekeli bakhe abaningi. (Levitikusi 2:1-16) Khona-ke, ngokobufakazi obutholakayo kwakunokuthile okungalungile ngenhliziyo kaKayini. UJehova wayekwazi ukufunda inhliziyo kaKayini futhi wamxwayisa: “Uthukuthelelani na? Ubuso bakho bunyukumeleleni na? Angithi uma wenza kahle, uyamukeleka na? Uma ungenzi kahle, isono sihlezi ngasemnyango; ukunxanela kwaso kukuwe.”—Genesise 4:6, 7.

Uthando oluqotho ngoNkulunkulu lusho okungaphezu kokumane wenze imihlatshelo. Yingakho uJehova akhuthaza uKayini ukuba ‘enze kahle.’ UNkulunkulu wayefuna ukulalela. Ukulalela uNkulunkulu okunjalo kwakuyosiza uKayini ukuba akhe isisekelo esihle sokuba nobuhlobo obunothando noMdali. IBhayibheli ligcizelela ukubaluleka kokulalela ngalamazwi: “UJehova uyenamela yini iminikelo yokushiswa nemihlatshelo, njengalokhu enamele ukulalelwa kwezwi likaJehova, na? Bheka, ukulalela kuhle kunomhlatshelo, nokuqaphela kuhle kunamanoni ezinqama.”—1 Samuweli 15:22.

Kamuva lomqondo wagcizelelwa kahle ngamazwi akweyoku-1 Johane 5:3 athi: “Ngoba yilokhu okushiwo uthando ngoNkulunkulu, ukuba sigcine imiyalo yakhe; futhi imiyalo yakhe ayiwona umthwalo osindayo.” Ayikho indlela engcono esingabonisa ngayo uthando lwethu ngoJehova kunokuzithoba egunyeni lakhe. Lokhu kusho ukulalela isimiso seBhayibheli sokuziphatha. (1 Korinte 6:9, 10) Kusho ukuthanda okuhle nokuzonda okubi.—IHubo 97:10; 101:3; IzAga 8:13.

Enye indlela ebalulekile esibonisa ngayo uthando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu iwukuba sithande umakhelwane. IBhayibheli liyasitshela: “Uma noma ubani ethi: ‘Ngiyamthanda uNkulunkulu,’ kodwa nokho abe ezonda umfowabo, ungumqambimanga. Ngoba ongamthandi umfowabo, ambonileyo, akunakwenzeka ukuthi uyamthanda uNkulunkulu, angambonanga.”—1 Johane 4:20.

Ukusondelana NoNkulunkulu Kungenzeka

Abanye bangase bathi, ‘Ngikhulekela uJehova. Ngiyayilalela imithetho yakhe. Ngimphatha ngokungakhethi umakhelwane wami. Konke lokho ngiyakwenza. Noma kunjalo, angizizwa ngempela ngisondelene noNkulunkulu. Angizizwa nginothando oluqinile ngaye, futhi lokho kungenza ngizizwe nginecala.’ Abanye bangase bacabange ukuthi abakufanelekeli ukufinyelela ubuhlobo obunjalo obuseduze noJehova.

Ngemva kweminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-37 ekhonza uJehova ngokuzinikela, omunye umKristu wabhala: “Kaningi ekuphileni kwami ngiye ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi ngimane ngigcina icala enkonzweni yami eya kuJehova, wokuthi mhlawumbe inhliziyo yami ayikho nokuba khona kuyo. Kodwa ngangazi ukuthi ukukhonza uJehova iyonanto okufanele ngiyenze, futhi ngangingenakuzivumela ukuba ngiyeke. Nokho, njalo lapho ngifunda ngothile othi ‘inhliziyo yakhe ichichima uthando ngoJehova,’ ngangizibuza, ‘Yini engalungile kimi njengoba ngingakaze ngizizwe kanjalo?’” Singasondelana kanjani noNkulunkulu?

Lapho umthanda ngempela othile, ucabanga njalo ngalowo muntu. Uba nesifiso esinamandla sokuba seduze naye ngoba uyamkhathalela. Lapho umbona kaningi, ukhuluma naye, futhi ucabanga ngaye, uthando lwakho ngaye luyakhula. Lesi simiso siyasebenza nasekuhlakuleleni kwakho uthando ngoNkulunkulu.

KuyiHubo 77:12, umlobi ophefumulelwe uthi: “Ngicabange ngawo wonke umsebenzi wakho, ngizindle ngezenzo zakho.” Ukuzindla kubalulekile ekuhlakuleleni uthando ngoNkulunkulu. Lokhu kuyiqiniso ngokukhethekile ngenxa yeqiniso lokuthi akabonakali. Kodwa lapho ucabanga kakhulu ngaye, uyoba ngokoqobo nakakhulu kuwe. Ukwenza kanjalo kuphela okuyokwenza ube nobuhlobo obusuka enhliziyweni nobunothando naye—ngoba engokoqobo kuwe.

Ukuthanda kwakho ukuzindla njalo ngezindlela nezenzo zikaJehova kuyoxhomeka ekutheni uvame kangakanani ukumlalela. Ulalela ngokufunda nokutadisha njalo iZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli. Umhubi ukhuluma ngomuntu ojabulayo njengalowo “okuthokoza kwakhe kusemthethweni kaJehova, ozindla ngomthetho wakhe imini nobusuku.”—IHubo 1:1, 2.

Esinye isici esibalulekile umthandazo. Yingakho iBhayibheli lisikhuthaza ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuba sithandaze—“ngezikhathi zonke,” ‘sinikele isikhathi emthandazweni,’ ‘siphikelele emthandazweni,’ futhi ‘sithandaze ngokungaphezi.’ (Efesu 6:18; 1 Korinte 7:5; Roma 12:12; 1 Thesalonika 5:17) Imithandazo yethu engaphezi eya kuJehova iyosenza sithandeke kuye, futhi isiqinisekiso sokuthi uyalalela siyosisondeza eduze naye. Lokhu kwaqinisekiswa umhubi, lapho ethi: “Ngiyamthanda uJehova, ngokuba uyezwa izwi lokukhuleka kwami. Ngokuba ubekile indlebe kimi ngiyakukhuleka kuye zonke izinsuku zami.”—IHubo 116:1, 2.

Ukulingisa UNkulunkulu Wothando

UJehova usiphatha kahle. Njengoba enguMdali wendawo yonke, ngokuqinisekile unezinto eziningi okufanele azicabangele futhi azinakekele. Nokho, iBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi nakuba emkhulu enjalo, usayinakekela indalo yakhe engabantu. Uyasithanda. (1 Petru 5:6, 7) Umhubi uqinisekisa lokhu ngamazwi akhe: “Jehova Nkosi yethu, igama lakho liyababazeka kangaka emhlabeni wonke! wena owabeka inkazimulo yakho ezulwini. [Lapho] ngibuka izulu lakho, umsebenzi weminwe yakho, inyanga nezinkanyezi ozimisileyo, umuntu uyini ukuba umkhumbule, nendodana yomuntu ukuba uyinake na?”—IHubo 8:1, 3, 4.

UJehova uye wamkhumbula kanjani umuntu? IBhayibheli liyaphendula: “Ngalokhu uthando lukaNkulunkulu lwabonakaliswa ngokuqondene nathi, ngoba uNkulunkulu wathumela iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ezweni ukuze sizuze ukuphila ngayo. Uthando lukulesisici, akukhona ukuthi thina siye samthanda uNkulunkulu, kodwa ukuthi yena wasithanda futhi wathumela iNdodana yakhe njengomhlatshelo oyisihlawulelo wezono zethu.”—1 Johane 4:9, 10.

Kukanjani lomhlatshelo oyisihlawulelo uwubufakazi obukhulu kunabo bonke bothando lukaNkulunkulu? Ake sicabangele lokho okwenzeka ensimini yase-Edene. U-Adamu no-Eva babebhekene nesinqumo sokuba bazithobe emthethweni kaJehova benethemba lokuphila okuphelele phakade noma bahlubuke kuJehova kuphumele ekufeni. Bakhetha ukuhlubuka. (Genesise 3:1-6) Ngokwenza kanjalo balahlela sonke isintu ekufeni. (Roma 5:12) Ngokugabadela basiphuca ithuba lokuzinqumela. Akekho kithi owaba nezwi kulendaba.

Nokho, ngothando uJehova uye wamkhumbula umuntu, eqaphela isimo esibucayi akuso. Ngokufa okuwumhlatshelo kweNdodana yaKhe, uJesu Kristu, uJehova uye walungiselela isisekelo esingokomthetho sokuba ngamunye wethu azikhethele ukuphila noma ukufa, ukulalela noma ukuhlubuka. (Johane 3:16) Kunjengokungathi uJehova uye wasinika ithuba lokuzahlulela ngokwethu—njengokungathi usinika ithuba lokubuyela emuva e-Edene, bese sizinqumela ngokwethu. Lokhu ukubonakaliswa kothando okukhulu kunakho konke okwake kwenziwa.

Cabanga ngobuhlungu uJehova abukhuthazelela lapho ebona izibulo lakhe lithukwa, lihlushwa, futhi libethelwa njengeselelesi. UNkulunkulu wakhuthazelela lokho ngenxa yethu. Ukuqaphela kwethu ukuthatha kukaJehova isinyathelo kuqala sokusithanda kufanele kusishukumisele ukuba nathi simthande futhi simfune. (Jakobe 1:17; 1 Johane 4:19) IBhayibheli lisimema ukuba ‘sifune uJehova namandla akhe, sifunisise ubuso bakhe njalo. Masikhumbule izimangaliso zakhe azenzileyo, nezibonakaliso zakhe zezahlulelo zomlomo wakhe.’—IHubo 105:4, 5.

Ukuba nokusondelana komuntu siqu nobuhlobo obunothando noNkulunkulu, ukuba umngane wakhe, kuyinto engokoqobo. Kungafinyelelwa. Yiqiniso, uthando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu asinakulufanisa ncamashí nobuhlobo babantu. Umuzwa wothando esiba nawo ngomngane wethu womshado, abazali, esizalwa nabo, izingane, noma abangane uhlukile othandweni esiba nalo ngoNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 10:37; 19:29) Ukuthanda uJehova kuhilela ukuzinikela, ukukhulekela, nokuzinikezela kwethu kuye ngokungenamibandela. (Duteronomi 4:24) Abukho obunye ubuhlobo obuhilela lokhu. Nakuba kunjalo, singaba nemizwa enamandla nejulile ngoNkulunkulu ngendlela enenhlonipho, ngokwesaba.—IHubo 89:7.

Nakuba ungaphelele, njengoKayini no-Abela ungamthanda uMdali wakho. UKayini wazikhethela, wazihlanganisa noSathane, wabe eseba umbulali wokuqala ongumuntu. (1 Johane 3:12) Ngokuphambene, u-Abela uyokhunjulwa uJehova njengendoda yokholo nokulunga futhi uyovuzwa ngokuphila ePharadesi elizayo.—Heberu 11:4.

Nawe kumelwe uzikhethele. Ngosizo lomoya kaNkulunkulu neZwi lakhe, ungamthanda ngempela uNkulunkulu “ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho, nangawo onke amandla akho.” (Duteronomi 6:5) UJehova naye uyoqhubeka ekuthanda, ngoba ‘ungumvuzi walabo abamfuna ngobuqotho.’—Heberu 11:6.

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Umhlatshelo ka-Abela wawemukeleka kuNkulunkulu