Basabela Ngokungazingci Kuthando LukaThixo
“Mabayibulele kuYehova inceba yakhe, nemisebenzi yakhe ebalulekileyo koonyana babantu!”—INDUMISO 107:8.
1. Umpostile uYohane ulugxininisa njani uphawu lothando kwincwadi yakhe yokuqala?
“UTHIXO uluthando.” Hayi indlela anentsingiselo epheleleyo ngayo loo mazwi! Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba umpostile uYohane wakubona kufanelekile ukuba awaphinde kwincwadi yakhe yokuqala. (1 Yohane 4:8, 16) UYehova uThixo akapheleli nje ngokuba luthando kodwa ukwasisimntwiso sothando.
2. UThixo walubonakalisa ngaziphi iindlela uthando ekudaleni indoda nomfazi nasekubalungiseleleni?
2 Cinga ngothando uThixo awalubonakalisayo ngendlela awasidala ngayo. Amazwi kaDavide oxabiso afaneleke ngokwenene. Njengomdumisi ophefumlelweyo, wathi: “Ndiyabulela kuwe ngenxa enokuba ndenziwe ngokoyikekayo, ngokubalulekileyo.” (INdumiso 139:14) Ukuze sihlale sisempilweni yaye sonwabile, uThixo wenza kwaba nokwenzeka ngathi ukunandipha uyolo olungenasiphelo ngokusenzela izivamvo ezintlanu—ukubona, ukuva, ukungcamla, ukusezela neemvakalelo. Obunjani bona ubuhle esibubonayo kuyo yonke indalo esingqongileyo! Hayi indlela ezimangalisa ngayo iintlobo ngeentlobo ezininzi zezityalo nezilwanyana, singasathethi nto ngendlela entle abantu ababunjwe ngayo! Kwakhona uThixo wasilungiselela iintlobo ngeentlobo zeziqhamo, imifuno, nokunye ukudla okumnandi ngokuncamisileyo. (INdumiso 104:13-16) Ngesizathu esifanelekileyo, umpostile uPawulos wakhumbuza abemi baseListra yamandulo ukuba uThixo ‘wenza okulungileyo, esinika imvula evela ezulwini, namaxesha anendyebo, ezanelisa iintliziyo zethu ngokudla nangemihlali.’—IZenzo 14:17.
3. Ngawaphi amandla angummangaliso uThixo asinike wona?
3 Cinga kwanangazo zonke iintsikelelo ezinxulumene nobomi obonwabisayo bentsapho. Ngaphezu koko, khawucamngce ngalo lonke uyolo esikwaziyo ukulunandipha ngenxa yamandla ethu angokwengqondo nangokweemvakalelo: awokucinga, ukuqiqa, inkumbulo, isazela, yaye ngokukhethekileyo amandla okunqula—onke asenza sibe ngabongamileyo kunezilwanyana; yaye asifanele silibale ngolonwabo esinokulufumana emculweni. Ezi nezinye izipho ezininzi ziziimbonakaliso zothando lukaThixo ngathi.
4. Ziziphi iimbonakaliso zothando lukaThixo abaye abantu banamava azo ukususela kwixesha lokukreqa kwabazali babo bokuqala?
4 Alithandabuzeki elokuba uAdam noEva babenentabalala yezinto ezazibayolisa ngoxa babekwimo efezekileyo kumyezo wase-Eden. (Genesis 2:7-9, 22, 23) Kodwa xa basilelayo ukusabela ngokungazingci kuzo zonke iimbonakaliso zothando lukaThixo ababezinandipha, ngaba uThixo walulahla uhlanga loluntu? Nakanye! Ngokukhawuleza wenza ilungiselelo lokulungisa konke okonakalayo ngenxa yokukreqa kwabazali bethu bokuqala. (Genesis 3:15) Kwakhona uYehova wabonakalisa uthando ngokuthi ngomonde ayinyamezele inzala ka-Adam engafezekanga. (Roma 5:12) Ixesha elide kangakanani? Kaloku, sekuphele iminyaka engama-6 000 ukuza kuthi ga ngoku! UThixo uye walubonakalisa ngokukhethekileyo uthando lwakhe ekuqhubaneni nabakhonzi bakhe. Ayinyaniso amazwi athi: “UYehova, uYehova, uThixo onemfesane, onobabalo, ozeka kade umsindo, omninzi ngenceba nenyaniso; olondolozela amawaka inceba, oxolela ubugwenxa, nokreqo, nesono.”—Eksodus 34:6, 7.
5. UYehova wawubonakalisa njani umonde onothando ekuqhubaneni nohlanga lwakwaSirayeli?
5 Ewe, wawumkhulu ngokwenene umonde uYehova uThixo awawubonakalisayo kwiinkqubano zakhe namaSirayeli ukususela kwixesha lokuwamisela kwakhe njengohlanga emazantsi eNtaba yeSinayi de ukuba neenkani kwawo kwamnyanzelela ukuba awalahle ngokupheleleyo. Kunjengokuba sifunda oku kweyesi-2 yeziKronike 36:15, 16: “UYehova, uThixo wooyise, wathumela kubo ngabathunywa bakhe, wanyameka ukuthumela; ngokuba wayenemfesane ngabantu bakhe, nekhaya lakhe. Baye bebagculela abathunywa bakaThixo, bewadela amazwi akhe, bebagxeka abaprofeti bakhe, bada benyuka ubushushu bukaYehova, beza kubantu bakhe, kwada akwabakho mpilo.” Kodwa babekho abo basabela ngokungazingci kuthando lukaYehova uThixo. Ukuze sibone indlela abakwenza ngayo oko, ngoku makhe siqwalasele ubomi babathile baba bantu. Oku kuya kubeka isiseko sokubonisa indlela thina esinokusabela ngayo kuthando lukaYehova ngeendlela eziphumelelayo.
Indlela UMoses Awasabela Ngayo Ngokungazingci
6. Umzekelo kaMoses wawubalasele ngaziphi iindlela, ibe kuxa wayekhonza njengantoni xa waba namava othando lukaThixo?
6 UMoses wayengumzekelo obalaseleyo womntu owasabela ngokungazingci kuthando lukaThixo. Anjani wona amathuba awayenokuwaxhamla uMoses njengonyana owakhuliswa yintombi kaFaro! Kodwa wakhetha “ukuba aphathwe kakubi, ndawonye nabantu bakaThixo, kunokuba axhamle izono okomzuzwana; ekubalele ukungcikivwa kukaKristu kububutyebi obungaphezu kobutyebi baseYiputa.” (Hebhere 11:25, 26) Ngaxa lithile, uMoses wayefuna ukukhulula abazalwana bakhe, amaSirayeli, kubukhoboka baseYiputa. Kodwa abazange bayixabise imigudu yakhe, ibe elo yayingekabi lilo nexesha likaThixo elifanelekileyo lokukhululwa kwabo. (IZenzo 7:23-29) Noko ke, kumashumi eminyaka kamva, ngenxa yokholo lukaMoses nomnqweno wokungazingci wokunceda abazalwana bakhe, uYehova wamnika amandla okwenza imimangaliso emininzi nawokunikela inkonzo kumaSirayeli kangangeminyaka engama-40 njengomprofeti, umgwebi, ummisi-mthetho, nomlamleli Wakhe. Kwezi zikhundla, kangangezihlando ezininzi uMoses waba namava othando lukaYehova ngaye nangamaSirayeli angoowabo.
7. UMoses wasabela njani ngokungazingci kuthando lukaThixo?
7 UMoses wasabela njani kuthando nobabalo lukaThixo? Ngaba ‘walwamkelela ilize ubabalo lukaThixo’? (2 Korinte 6:1, TE) Akunjalo! Ngokungazingci uMoses wasabela kwiimbonakaliso zothando lukaThixo ngaye ngokuba ngowayame ngoThixo ngokupheleleyo. Wakhangela kuYehova ngamaxesha onke waza waba nolwalamano olusenyongweni noMenzi wakhe. Hayi indlela uThixo awamncoma ngayo uMoses xa wayekhalimela uAron noMiriyam ngokugxeka umntakwabo! Ewe, uYehova wathetha “umlomo kumlomo” noMoses waza wamvumela ukuba abone ‘ubume bukaYehova.’ (Numeri 12:6-8) Phezu kwawo nje amalungelo amaninzi uMoses awayenawo, wahlala eyeyona ndoda ilulamileyo waza wayiphumeza imiyalelo kaYehova “njengako konke uYehova abemwisele umthetho ngako.”—Eksodus 40:16; Numeri 12:3.
8. UMoses wabonisa njani ukuba wayayame ngoThixo ngokwenyaniso?
8 Kwakhona uMoses wabonisa ukuba wayetyekele kuThixo ngokungazingci ngenkxalabo awayibonakalisa ngegama, udumo nonqulo olunyulu lukaYehova. Ngaloo ndlela, kangangezihlandlo ezibini uMoses wambongoza ngokunempumelelo uYehova ukuba abonakalise inceba kuSirayeli kuba igama likaThixo lalibandakanyekile. (Eksodus 32:11-14; Numeri 14:13-19) Xa amaSirayeli abandakanyeka ekunquleni isithixo esilithole, uMoses wabonakalisa inzondelelo ngonqulo olunyulu ngokumemeza athi: “OngakuYehova makeze kum apha.” Emva koko, uMoses nabo babenaye babulala abanquli-zithixo abangama-3 000. Wandula ke, kangangeminyaka engama-40 wabanyamezela abantu abakhalazayo nabanemvukelo. Alithandabuzeki elokuba uMoses wasabela ngokungazingci kwiimbonakaliso zothando lukaThixo, esimisela umzekelo omhle namhlanje.—Eksodus 32:26-28; Duteronomi 34:7, 10-12.
Intsabelo Entle KaDavide
9. (a) UDavide wasabela njani kuthando lukaYehova uThixo? (b) NjengoDavide, sinokumzukisa njani uYehova ngobuncwane bethu?
9 Omnye umntu obalaseleyo eBhayibhileni owamisela umzekelo omhle wokusabela ngokungazingci kuthando lukaThixo yayingumdumisi uDavide, ukumkani wesibini wakwaSirayeli. Inzondelelo yakhe ngegama likaYehova yamshukumisela ukuba alwe noGoliyati, isigebenga samaFilisti esasigculela, awathi uThixo wambangela uDavide ukuba asoyise. (1 Samuweli 17:45-51) Kwaloo nzondelelo ikwanye yashukumisela uDavide ukuba azise ityeya yomnqophiso eYerusalem. (2 Samuweli 6:12-19) Yaye ngaba umnqweno kaDavide wokwakhela uYehova itempile wawungeyombonakaliso ebhekele phaya yenzondelelo noxabiso lwakhe ngothando nokulunga kukaThixo? Kakade wawuyiyo. Ukwalelwa elo lungelo akuzange kumdimaze uDavide ekulungiseleleni ezo zakhiwo nasekuzukiseni uYehova ngokuthi ngokobuqu anikele ngegolide, isilivere namatye anqabileyo axabiso likhulu. (2 Samuweli 7:1-13; 1 Kronike 29:2-5) Ukusabela ngokungazingci okufanayo kuthando lukaThixo kufanele kusishukumisele ukuba ‘simzukise uYehova ngobuncwane bethu’ ngokusebenzisa izinto zethu eziphathekayo ekuhambiseleni phambili izilangazelelo zoBukumkani.—IMizekeliso 3:9, 10; Mateyu 6:33.
10. Sifanele silixelise kuyiphi inkalo ikhondo likaDavide?
10 Nangona uDavide wenza iimpazamo ezinzulu, kubo bonke ubomi bakhe wazingqina ‘eyindoda ekholekileyo kwintliziyo kaYehova.’ (1 Samuweli 13:14; IZenzo 13:22) Iindumiso zakhe zizaliswe ngamazwi oxabiso ngothando lukaThixo. IThe International Standard Bible Encyclopœdia ithi uDavide “wayephuphuma ngumbulelo ngaphezu kwakhe nabani na ongomnye okhankanyiweyo kwiZibhalo Ezingcwele.” Umdumisi uAsafu wathi uThixo ‘wanyula uDavide umkhonzi wakhe, wamthabatha ezibayeni zezimvu. Wamzisa ukuba aluse kwaYakobi abantu bakhe, kwaSirayeli ilifa lakhe. Wabalusa ke ngengqibelelo yentliziyo yakhe.’ (INdumiso 78:70-72) Enyanisweni, simele silixelise ikhondo likaDavide.
UYesu Kristu, Umzekelo Wethu Ogqibeleleyo
11, 12. UYesu wabonisa njani ukuba wayayame ngoThixo ngokwenyaniso?
11 Kambe ke, eZibhalweni uYesu Kristu ungowona mzekelo mhle womntu owasabela ngokungazingci kuthando lukaThixo. Oku kwamshukumisela ukuba enze ntoni uYesu? Okokuqala, washukunyiselwa ukuba azinikele kuYehova ngokupheleleyo. Alithandabuzeki elokuba uYesu wayayame ngoThixo ngokupheleleyo. Uxabiso ngothando nokulunga kukaYise osemazulwini lwamshukumisela ukuba abe yindoda etyekele ngokwenene kwizinto zokomoya. Wayenolwalamano olusondeleyo nolusenyongweni noThixo. UYesu wayeyindoda eyayiwuxabisile umthandazo, yaye wayekuthanda ukuthetha noYise osemazulwini. Amaxesha amaninzi, sifunda ukuba uKristu wayethandaza. Ngesinye isihlandlo wachitha ubusuku bonke ethandaza. (Luka 3:21, 22; 6:12; 11:1; Yohane 17:1-26) Esabela kuthando lukaThixo, uYesu waphila ngokuvisisana nenyaniso yokuba “akaphili ngasonka sodwa umntu, uphila ngamazwi onke aphuma emlonyeni kaThixo.” Enyanisweni, ukwenza ukuthanda kukaYise kwakukukudla kuye. (Mateyu 4:4; Yohane 4:34) Ngaba asifanele sisabele ngendlela efanayo kuthando lukaThixo, sizinikela kuye ngokupheleleyo?
12 Esabela ngokungazingci kuthando lukaThixo, uYesu wayesoloko esalathisela ingqalelo kuThixo noYise. Xa umntu othile wabiza uYesu ngokuthi “Mfundisi ulungileyo,” wala esithi: “Akukho ulungileyo, mnye kwaphela, nguThixo.” (Luka 18:18, 19) Ngokuphindaphindiweyo uYesu wagxininisa ukuba wayengenakwenza nto ngokwakhe. Wayewasebenzisa onke amathuba okuzukisa igama likaYise, yaye ngokufaneleke ngokona kona wawuqalisa umthandazo wakhe ongumzekelo ngesibongozo esithi: “Malingcwaliswe igama lakho.” Wathandaza wathi: “Bawo, lizukise igama lakho.” Yaye ngaphambi nje kokuba afe, uKristu wathi kuYise: “Mna ndikuzukisile emhlabeni, ndiwufezile umsebenzi obundinikile ukuba ndiwenze.” (Mateyu 6:9; Yohane 12:28; 17:4) Ngokuqinisekileyo, sifanele sisabele kuthando lukaThixo, ngokuthi sifune ukumzukisa uYehova, sithandazele ukungcwaliswa kwegama lakhe elingcwele.
13. Uthando lukaThixo lwamshukumisela ukuba enze ntoni uYesu?
13 Ngoku, khawuphawule indlela yesibini eyathi intsabelo yokungazingci kuthando lukaThixo yamshukumisa ngayo uYesu. Yambangela ukuba athande ubulungisa athiye ubungendawo, njengoko kwaxelwa kwangaphambili kwiNdumiso 45:7. (Hebhere 1:9) ‘Wayengcwele, engenabubi, engenabala, ahlukile kubo aboni.’ (Hebhere 7:26) UYesu wabacel’ umngeni abo babemchase ngokunengcwangu ukuba bamohlwaye ngenxa yesono, kodwa abazange bakwazi ukwenjenjalo. (Yohane 8:46) Ngezihlandlo ezibini, intiyo yakhe ngobungendawo yambangela ukuba ahlambulule itempile ngokuthi akhuphe abantu bonqulo ababawayo. (Mateyu 21:12, 13; Yohane 2:13-17) Yaye hayi indlela ebukhali uYesu awazigxeka ngayo iinkokeli zonqulo ezihanahanisayo, ngokokude azixelele ukuba zazingabakaMtyholi!—Mateyu 6:2, 5, 16; 15:7-9; 23:13-32; Yohane 8:44.
14. Esabela kuthando lukaYehova, uYesu waqhubana njani nabafundi bakhe?
14 Kwakhona enye indlela olwathi uthando ngoYehova lwamshukumisa ngayo uYesu lunokubonwa kwiinkqubano zakhe nabapostile bakhe nabanye abafundi. Hayi indlela awayenothando, enomonde nokuzeka kade umsindo ngayo kubo! Bamele ukuba bamenza buhlungu kakhulu ngokungavisisani kwabo, bephikisana ngokuba nguwuphi na ongoyena mkhulu de kwangobusuku bokungcatshwa kwakhe. (Luka 22:24-27) Kanti, uYesu wahlala ezibonakalisa engonobulali nothobekileyo ngentliziyo. (Mateyu 11:28-30) Enyanisweni, uYuda wamngcatsha uYesu, uPetros wamkhanyela izihlandlo ezithathu, yaye abanye abapostile babaleka xa ihlokondiba lalize kumbamba. Kodwa akazange acaphuke. Sazi njani? Kaloku, xa waphinda wahlangana nabapostile bakhe emva kokuvuka kwakhe, uYesu akazange abakhalimele kabukhali ngenxa yokuba bavumela uloyiko. Kunoko, wabathuthuzela waza wabomelezela inkonzo engakumbi yoBukumkani.—Yohane 20:19-23.
15. UYesu wazilungiselela ngokungazingci njani iintswelo zokwenyama zabantu?
15 Makhe siqwalasele nenye indlela uYesu awasabela ngayo ngokungazingci kuthando lukaThixo. Wakwenza oko ngokuzinikela njengedini ngenxa yabanye, ukusa ekufeni okuhlazisayo nokubuhlungu kumthi wentuthumbo. (Filipi 2:5-8) UYesu wazilungiselela iintswelo zokwenyama zabantu ngokutyisa izihlwele ngokungummangaliso nangokuphilisa abaninzi. (Mateyu 14:14-22; 15:32-39) Wayesoloko ebeke izilangazelelo zabanye ngaphambi kwezakhe. Kungenxa yoko awayenokuthi: “Iimpungutye zinemingxuma, neentaka zezulu zineendawo zokuhlala; yena uNyana woMntu akanandawo apho angalalisa khona intloko.” (Mateyu 8:20) UYesu wayekuphaphele ukusebenza komoya kaThixo njengoko wawumnika amandla okuphilisa ngokungummangaliso. Kodwa akazange azame ukufumana ingenelo yezinto eziphathekayo ngokusebenzisa amandla anjalo angaphezu kwawomntu, njengaxa umfazi owayenethombo legazi kangangeminyaka eli-12 wathi ngokuqhutywa lukholo wachukumisa ingubo yakhe yokwaleka waza waphiliswa. (Marko 5:25-34) Ngaphezu koko, uYesu akazange awasebenzisele okwakhe ukulungelwa amandla akhe angaphezu kwawomntu.—Thelekisa uMateyu 4:2-4.
16. UKristu wazilungiselela ngaziphi iindlela iintswelo zokomoya zabantu?
16 Nangona uYesu wazinyamekela ngokungazingci iintswelo zokwenyama zabantu ngokubaphilisa kwizifo zabo nokubatyisa ngokungummangaliso, uthumo oluyintloko lobulungiseleli bakhe basemhlabeni lwalukukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo, ukufundisa, nokwenza abafundi. Phezu kwako nje konke ukuphilisa okumangalisayo awakwenzayo, wayengaziwa njengoGqirha Omkhulu okanye uSomimangaliso kodwa wayesaziwa njengoMfundisi Olungileyo. (Mateyu 4:23, 24; Marko 10:17) UYesu wazibiza njengoMfundisi, njengoko abafundi bakhe kwaneentshaba zakhe zazimbiza ngolo hlobo. (Mateyu 22:16; 26:18; Marko 9:38) Yaye ezinjani zona iinyaniso awazifundisayo, njengakwiNtshumayelo yakhe yaseNtabeni! (Mateyu 5:1–7:29) Hayi indlela eyayifaneleke ngayo imizekeliso yakhe, yaye hayi indlela eyayichukumisa ngayo imizekeliso yakhe ebuprofeti nezinye iziprofeto! Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba amasoldati awayethunywe ukuya kubamba uYesu ngesinye isihlandlo engazange akwazi ukumbamba!—Yohane 7:45, 46.
17. (a) UYesu wawumisela njani umzekelo ogqibeleleyo wothando? (b) Kuya kuxutyushwa ntoni kwinqaku elilandelayo?
17 Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, uYesu wasimisela umzekelo ogqibeleleyo wokusabela ngokungazingci kwiimbonakaliso zothando lukaThixo kuthi. UYesu wambeka kwindawo yokuqala uYise wasemazulwini kubomi nakwiimvakalelo zakhe. Wabuthanda ngokwenyaniso ubulungisa, waqhubana ngothando nabapostile bakhe nabanye abafundi, yaye wachithela ubomi bakhe elungiselela iintswelo zabantu zokomoya nezokwenyama. Ekugqibeleni, uYesu wabufeza ubulungiseleli bakhe ngokunikela ngobomi bakhe njengentlawulelo. (Mateyu 20:28) Kodwa kuthekani ngathi? Enyanisweni, asifezekanga, njengoMoses noDavide. Noko ke, njengoko inqaku elilandelayo libonisa, zikhona iindlela ezisebenzisekayo esinokuwuxelisa ngazo uMzekelo wethu ekusabeleni ngokungazingci kwiimbonakaliso zothando lukaThixo.
Ubuya Kuphendula Njani?
◻ Kutheni kunokuthiwa “uThixo uluthando”?
◻ UMoses wasabela njani kwiimbonakaliso zothando lukaThixo?
◻ UDavide wasabela ngaziphi iindlela kuthando lukaYehova uThixo?
◻ Nguwuphi umzekelo uYesu Kristu awawumiselayo ekusabeleni kuthando lukaThixo?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]
Ngaba uyayazi indlela uMoses awasabela ngayo kuthando lukaThixo?
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 12, 13]
UYesu wasabela kuthando lukaThixo ngokunceda abanye ngokomoya nangokwenyama nangokunikela ngobomi bakhe njengentlawulelo