Mthande UThixo Okuthandayo
“Uze umthande uYehova uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho iphela nangomphefumlo wakho uphela nangengqondo yakho iphela.”—MATEYU 22:37.
1, 2. Yintoni esenokuba yaphakamisa umbuzo ngokuphathelele owona mthetho mkhulu?
ABAFARISI bomhla kaYesu babuza umbuzo ekubonakala ukuba babewushukuxa shushu. Kwimithetho engaphezu kwama-600 yoMthetho kaMoses, nguwuphi owona wawubalulekile? Ngaba yayingumthetho ophathelele imibingelelo? Eneneni, imibingelelo yayisenzelwa ukuxolelwa nguThixo nokumbulela. Okanye ngaba owona mthetho wawubalulekile yayingowolwaluko? Nawo lowo wawubalulekile kuba ulwaluko lwalungumqondiso womnqophiso uYehova awawenza noAbraham.—Genesis 17:9-13.
2 Noko ke, abo babebambelele emthethweni babeqiqa ngelithi ekubeni wawubalulekile wonke umthetho kaThixo—nangona eminye isenokuba yayibonakala ingabalulekanga kangako—kuphosakele ukuphakamisa omnye umthetho kuneminye. AbaFarisi bagqiba ekubeni babuze loo mbuzo utshis’ ibunzi kuYesu. Basenokuba babecinga ukuba wayeza kuthetha into eyayiza kwenza abantu bayeke ukumthemba. Omnye wabo waya kuYesu waza wambuza: “Nguwuphi owona myalelo mkhulu eMthethweni?”—Mateyu 22:34-36.
3. UYesu wathi nguwuphi owona myalelo mkhulu?
3 Impendulo kaYesu ibaluleke gqitha kuthi namhlanje. Waphendula ngokuchaza ngokufutshane eyona nto ebisoloko ibalulekile kunqulo lokwenyaniso neya kuhlala injalo. Ecaphula iDuteronomi 6:5, uYesu wathi: “‘Uze umthande uYehova uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho iphela nangomphefumlo wakho uphela nangengqondo yakho iphela.’ Lo ngowona myalelo mkhulu nowokuqala.” Nangona umFarisi wayebuze umyalelo omnye, uYesu wamnika nomnye. Ecaphula iLevitikus 19:18, wathi: “Owesibini, njengawo, ngulo, ‘Uze umthande ummelwane wakho njengawe siqu.’” Wandula ke uYesu wabonisa ukuba le mithetho mibini yeyona isisiseko kunqulo olunyulu. Ephepha ukuba bathi makalandelelanise eminye imithetho ngokubaluleka kwayo, waqukumbela wathi: “Kule miyalelo yomibini kuxhomekeke uMthetho uphela, nabaProfeti.” (Mateyu 22:37-40) Kweli nqaku, siza kuxubusha ngowona myalelo mkhulu kule mibini. Kutheni simele simthande nje uThixo? Sibonisa njani ukuba siyamthanda? Singakuhlakulela njani ukumthanda uThixo? Kubalulekile ukuba sazi iimpendulo zale mibuzo kuba ukuze simkholise uYehova, simele simthande ngentliziyo, ngomphefumlo nangengqondo iphela.
Ukubaluleka Kothando
4, 5. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze umFarisi angamangaliswa yimpendulo kaYesu? (b) Yiyiphi eyona nto ixabisekileyo ngaphezu kwemibingelelo neminikelo kuThixo?
4 Kuyabonakala ukuba umFarisi owabuza uYesu akazange akhathazwe okanye othuswe yimpendulo awayifumanayo. Wayesazi ukuba ukuthanda uThixo yeyona nto ibalulekileyo kunqulo lokwenyaniso, nangona abaninzi babesilela ukulubonisa. Kwindlu yesikhungu, kwakusisithethe ukucengceleza iShema [umthandazo wesiHebhere] okanye isivumo sokholo, ezazinamazwi awacatshulwa nguYesu eDuteronomi 6:4-9. Ngokutsho kwengxelo efanayo ekuMarko, lo mFarisi wandula wathi kuYesu: “Mfundisi, utsho kakuhle ngokuvumelana nenyaniso ukuthi, ‘Mnye, yaye akakho omnye ngaphandle Kwakhe’; yaye oku kumthanda ngentliziyo kabani iphela nangokuqonda kukabani kuphela nangamandla kabani ephela noku kuthanda ummelwane kabani njengaye kuxabiseke ngaphezulu lee kunayo yonke iminikelo etshiswa kuphele nemibingelelo.”—Marko 12:32, 33.
5 Eneneni, ngoxa imibingelelo etshiswayo neminikelo zazifuneka kuMthetho, eyona nto ibalulekileyo kuThixo ziintliziyo zabakhonzi bakhe eziqhutywa luthando. Ungqatyana onikelwe ngothando kuThixo wayexabiseke ngaphezu kwamawaka eenkunzi zegusha ezinikelwe ngenjongo ephosakeleyo. (Mika 6:6-8) Khumbula ingxelo yomhlolokazi osweleyo owayejongwe nguYesu etempileni eYerusalem. Iingqekembe ezimbini ezincinane awazifaka emkhumbini zazingenakuthenga nongqatyana lo omnye. Sekunjalo, loo mnikelo, owanikelwa ngenxa yokumthanda ngokusuk’ entliziyweni uYehova, wawuthetha lukhulu kuye kuneminikelo emikhulu yezityebi ezazithabatha kwinzala yazo. (Marko 12:41-44) Kukhuthaza gqitha ukwazi ukuba eyona nto ayixabisayo uYehova yinto esinokukwazi sonke ukuyenza kungakhathaliseki ukuba iimeko zethu zinjani—ukumthanda!
6. Yintoni eyabhalwa nguPawulos ngokubaluleka kothando?
6 Ebethelela ukubaluleka kothando kunqulo lokwenyaniso, umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Nokuba ndingade ndithethe ngeelwimi zabantu nezeengelosi kodwa ukuba andinalo uthando, ndisuke ndaba yixina ehlokomayo okanye icangci elikhenkcezayo. Ndingade ndibe naso nesiphiwo sokuprofeta yaye ndiqhelane nazo zonke iimfihlelo ezingcwele nalo lonke ulwazi, ndinalo nokholo lokususa iintaba, kodwa ukuba andinalo uthando, ndiyinto engento. Ndingade ndinikele ngayo yonke impahla yam ukuze kondliwe abanye, ndinikela nangomzimba wam, ukuze ndiqhayise, kodwa ukuba andinalo uthando, akuncedi nto konke konke.” (1 Korinte 13:1-3) Kucacile ukuba, uthando lubalulekile ukuze unqulo lwethu lumkholise uThixo. Noko ke, sibonisa njani ukuba siyamthanda uYehova?
Indlela Esibonisa Ngayo Ukuba Siyamthanda UYehova
7, 8. Singabonisa njani ukuba siyamthanda uYehova?
7 Abaninzi bakholelwa ukuba uthando ziimvakalelo esingenakukwazi ukuzilawula, njengokusuka kuthandane indoda nebhinqa. Ukanti, uthando lokwenene aluyomvakalelo nje esiba nayo. Lubonakaliswa ngezenzo, kungekhona ngeemvakalelo. IBhayibhile ibhekisela kuthando ‘njengendlela egqwesileyo’ nento esimele ‘siyiphuthume.’ (1 Korinte 12:31; 14:1) AmaKristu akhuthazwa ukuba athande kungekhona kuphela nje ‘ngezwi nangomlomo, kodwa ngezenzo nangenyaniso.’—1 Yohane 3:18.
8 Ukuthanda uThixo kusibangela senze oko akholiswa kuko silumele size siluphakamise ulongamo lwakhe, ngamazwi nangezenzo. Kusishukumisela ekubeni siphephe ukuthanda ihlabathi neendlela zalo zokungahloneli uThixo. (1 Yohane 2:15, 16) Abo bathanda uThixo bakuthiyile okubi. (INdumiso 97:10) Ukuthanda uThixo kuquka ukuthanda ummelwane, nto leyo esiza kuyixubusha kwinqaku elilandelayo. Ngaphezulu, ukuba siyamthanda uThixo kufuneka simthobele. IBhayibhile ithi: “Ukumthanda uThixo kuko ukuthi, siyigcine imiyalelo yakhe; kwaye ayinzima imiyalelo yakhe.”—1 Yohane 5:3.
9. UYesu wabonisa njani ukuba uyamthanda uThixo?
9 UYesu wakubonisa kakuhle oko kuthetha kona ukuthanda uThixo. Uthando lwamshukumisela ekubeni ashiye ikhaya lakhe lasezulwini aze kuhlala emhlabeni njengomntu. Lwamenza wazukisa uYise ngezinto awayezenza nawayezifundisa. Lwabangela ukuba ‘azithobe kwada kwasa ekufeni.’ (Filipi 2:8) Loo ntobelo—ebonisa uthando lwakhe—yavulel’ indlela abathembekileyo ukuba babe ngamalungisa kuThixo. UPawulos wathi: “Ngokungathobeli komntu omnye [uAdam] abaninzi benziwa aboni, ngokunjalo kwanangentobelo yomntu omnye [uKristu Yesu] abaninzi baya kwenziwa amalungisa.”—Roma 5:19.
10. Kutheni ukuthanda uThixo kuquka ukumthobela?
10 NjengoYesu, sibonisa ukuba siyamthanda uThixo ngokumthobela. Umpostile kaYesu awayemthanda, uYohane wathi: “Oku koko luthetha kona uthando, ukuba siqhubeke sihamba ngokuvumelana nemiyalelo yakhe.” (2 Yohane 6) Abo bamthanda ngokwenene uYehova balangazelela ukukhokelwa nguye. Beqonda ukuba abanako ukuzalathisa ngokuphumelelayo indlela abamele bahambe ngayo, bakholosa ngobulumko bukaThixo baze bathobele ulwalathiso lwakhe lothando. (Yeremiya 10:23) Bafana nabantu baseBhereya yamandulo ababechubekile nabamkela isigidimi sikaThixo ‘ngentumekelelo yengqondo,’ benomnqweno wokwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. (IZenzo 17:11) Bazihlolisisa ngenyameko iZibhalo ukuze bazi ukuthanda kukaThixo ngokupheleleyo, nto leyo eyabanceda babonisa uthando ngokuthobela.
11. Kuthetha ukuthini ukuthanda uThixo ngentliziyo, ngengqondo, ngomphefumlo nangamandla ethu ephela?
11 Njengoko uYesu watshoyo, ukuthanda uThixo kuquka intliziyo, ingqondo, umphefumlo namandla ethu ephela. (Marko 12:30) Uthando olunjalo luphuma entliziyweni, yaye luquka indlela esivakalelwa ngayo, iminqweno neengcamango zethu ezinzulu, ibe ngokunyanisekileyo sifuna ukukholisa uYehova. Sikwabonisa uthando ngeengqondo zethu. Asinako ukuzinikela singenalo ulwazi; simele simazi uYehova—iimpawu, imilinganiselo neenjongo zakhe. Simkhonza size simdumise ngomphefumlo wethu, nobomi bethu bonke. Sikwasebenzisa namandla ethu onke.
Isizathu Sokuba Simele Simthande UYehova
12. Kutheni uThixo efuna simthande nje?
12 Esinye isizathu sokuba simthande uYehova kukuba ufuna sibonise iimpawu zakhe. UThixo ungumthombo wothando aphinde abe ngumzekelo obalaseleyo walo. Umpostile uYohane ophefumlelweyo wathi: “UThixo uluthando.” (1 Yohane 4:8) Abantu badalwa ngokomfanekiso kaThixo; sadalwa ngendlela yokuba sibe nothando. Eneneni, ulongamo lukaYehova lusekelwe kuthando. Ufuna ukulawula abo bamkhonza kuba bemthanda nabafuna indlela yakhe yokulawula ngobulungisa. Ngokwenene, uthando lubalulekile ukuze yonke indalo ibe noxolo nomanyano.
13. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze kuthiwe kumaSirayeli: “Mthande uYehova uThixo wakho”? (b) Kutheni kusengqiqweni nje ukuba uYehova elindele ukuba simthande?
13 Esinye isizathu sokuba simthande uYehova sikukuba siyakuxabisa oko asenzele kona. Khumbula ukuba uYesu wathi kumaYuda: “Uze umthande uYehova uThixo wakho.” Kwakungalindelekanga ukuba athande uthixo ongenaluthando nongaziwayo. Ayefanele athande uThixo oye wabonisa uthando kuwo. UYehova wayenguThixo wawo. Nguye owawakhupha eYiputa wawasa kwiLizwe Lesithembiso, wawakhusela, ewaxhasa waza ewathanda, wawaqeqesha ngothando. Namhlanje, uYehova nguThixo wethu, owanikela ngoNyana wakhe njengentlawulelo ukuze sikwazi ukuzuza ubomi obungunaphakade. Isengqiqweni ke into yokuba uYehova alindele ukuba nathi simthande. Ukumthanda kwethu kukusabela kolwakhe uthando. Thina sithanda uThixo kuba “wasithanda kuqala.”—1 Yohane 4:19.
14. Yiyiphi indlela olufana ngayo uthando lukaYehova nelomzali onothando?
14 Indlela uYehova abathanda ngayo abantu ifana nendlela umzali onothando abathanda ngayo abantwana bakhe. Nangona bengafezekanga, abazali abanothando basebenza nzima iminyaka benyamekela abantwana babo, bencama izinto ezithile. Abazali bayabafundisa, babaxhase baze babaqeqeshe abantwana babo kuba befuna bonwabe baze baphumelele. Yintoni abafuna ukubuyekezwa ngayo? Bafuna abantwana babo babathande baze bakuxabise oko babenzele kona. Ngaba akukho ngqiqweni ukuba uBawo wethu wasezulwini ofezekileyo elindele ukuba sibe noxabiso ngezinto asenzele zona?
Ukuhlakulela Ukuthanda UThixo
15. Liliphi inyathelo lokuqala lokuhlakulela ukuthanda uThixo?
15 Asizange khe simbone uThixo okanye sive ilizwi lakhe. (Yohane 1:18) Sekunjalo, usimema ukuba simthande sakhe ulwalamano naye. (Yakobi 4:8) Sinokukwenza njani oko? Okokuqala ukuze uthande ubani umele umazi; kunzima ukuthanda umntu ongamaziyo. UYehova usilungiselele iLizwi lakhe, iBhayibhile, ukuze sifunde ngaye. Yiloo nto uYehova esebenzisa intlangano yakhe ukuze isikhuthaze sihlale sifunda iBhayibhile. YiBhayibhile esifundisa ngoThixo, iimpawu zakhe, ubuntu bakhe nendlela awayeqhubana ngayo nabantu kumawaka eminyaka eyadlulayo. Njengoko sicingisisa nzulu ngezo ngxelo, siya kuya simxabisa size simthande ngakumbi.—Roma 15:4.
16. Ukucamngca ngobulungiseleli bukaYesu kulukhulisa njani uthando lwethu kuThixo?
16 Indlela ebalulekileyo enokusinceda simthande ngakumbi uYehova kukucinga ngobomi nobulungiseleli bukaYesu. Eneneni, uYesu wayefana noYise ngokupheleleyo kangangokuba wathi: “Lowo undibonileyo mna umbonile noBawo.” (Yohane 14:9) Ngaba ayikuchukumisi imfesane eyaboniswa nguYesu xa wavusa unyana womhlolokazi okuphela kwakhe? (Luka 7:11-15) Ngaba akubangeli umdla ukwazi ukuba yena—uNyana kaThixo noyena mntu ubalaseleyo wakha waphila—wathobeka wahlamba iinyawo zabafundi bakhe? (Yohane 13:3-5) Ngaba akukuchukumisi ukwazi ukuba nangona wayemkhulu yaye enobulumko ngaphezu kwakhe nawuphi na omnye umntu, wonke umntu wayetsaleleka kuye kuquka nabantwana? (Marko 10:13, 14) Xa sicamngca ngazo zonke ezi zinto, siye sifane namaKristu uPetros awathi ngawo: “Nakuba ningazange nimbone [uYesu], niyamthanda.” (1 Petros 1:8) Njengoko siya simthanda uYesu, siya simthanda ngakumbi noYehova.
17, 18. Ngawaphi amalungiselelo kaYehova othando anokusenza simthande ngakumbi xa sicamngca ngawo?
17 Enye into enokusinceda simthande ngakumbi uThixo kukucamngca ngezinto ezininzi asilungiselele zona ngothando ukuze sinandiphe ubomi—indalo entle, izinto ezityiwayo ezimnandi ezahlukahlukeneyo, abahlobo abalungileyo abasithandayo, nezinye izinto ezisonwabisayo zize zisanelise. (IZenzo 14:17) Okukhona sifunda ngoThixo wethu, kokukhona sifumana izizathu zokumxabisa ngokulunga kwakhe okukhulu nesisa. Cinga ngazo zonke izinto uYehova akwenzele zona. Ngaba akuvumi ukuba ufanele umthande?
18 Phakathi kwezipho ezininzi uThixo asinike zona lilungelo lokuthetha naye ngomthandazo, sisazi ukuba ‘umphulaphuli wemithandazo’ usiphulaphule. (INdumiso 65:2) UYehova unike uNyana wakhe igunya lokulawula nokugweba. Kodwa, akukho mntu amnike ilungelo lokuphulaphula imithandazo kuquka noNyana wakhe. Uyiphulaphula ngokwakhe imithandazo yethu. Uthando nenkxalabo eboniswa nguYehova kuthi zisenza sisondele kuye.
19. Ziziphi izithembiso zikaYehova ezisenza sisondele kuye?
19 Xa sicinga ngekamva uYehova asilungiselele lona oko kusenza sisondele kuye. Uthembisa ukuphelisa ukugula, iintlungu nokufa. (ISityhilelo 21:3, 4) Xa abantu befezekile, akukho mntu uya kudandatheka, adimazeke okanye ahlelwe yintlekele. Akusayi kubakho ndlala, ubuhlwempu nemfazwe. (INdumiso 46:9; 72:16) Umhlaba uya kuguqulwa ube yiparadesi. (Luka 23:43) UYehova uza kuzisa zonke ezi ntsikelelo, kungekhona kuba enyanzelekile, kodwa kuba esithanda.
20. UMoses wathi kunaziphi iingenelo ukuthanda uYehova?
20 Ngoko ke, kukho izizathu ezinamandla zokuthanda uThixo wethu nokuvumela olo thando lukhule. Ngaba uya kuqhubeka ulomeleza uthando lwakho kuThixo, umvumela ukuba akhokele iindlela zakho? Amasi abekw’ elangeni. UMoses wayeziqonda iingenelo zokuhlakulela ukumthanda uYehova nokuhlala unjalo. Wathi kumaSirayeli amandulo: “Nyula ke ubomi ukuze uphile, wena nenzala yakho, ngokuthi umthande uYehova uThixo wakho, uliphulaphule ilizwi lakhe, unamathele kuye; ngokuba ububomi bakho nokolulwa kwemihla yakho.”—Duteronomi 30:19, 20.
Ngaba Uyakhumbula?
• Kutheni kubalulekile nje ukuba simthande uYehova?
• Sinokubonisa njani ukuba siyamthanda uThixo?
• Ziziphi izizathu ezisenza simthande uYehova?
• Sinokukuhlakulela njani ukumthanda uThixo?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 20]
UYehova uyixabisa ngokwenene into esinokukwazi sonke ukuyenza—ukumthanda
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 23]
“Lowo undibonileyo mna umbonile noBawo.”—Yohane 14:9