Thembela KuJehova Njengoba Isiphelo Sisondela
“Thembelani kuJehova, nina bantu, phakade.”—ISAYA 26:4.
1. Imuphi umehluko okhona phakathi kwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu nabantu abasezweni?
SIPHILA ezweni lapho izigidi zabantu zingazi khona ukuthi zithembele kubani noma kuphi, mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuthi ziye zalinyazwa noma zadunyazwa izikhathi eziningi kakhulu. Yeka ukuthi izinceku zikaJehova zihluke kanjani! Ngenxa yokuthi ziqondiswa ukuhlakanipha kwaphezulu, ziyazi ukuthi akukhona ukuhlakanipha ukubeka ithemba lazo kuleli zwe noma “ezicukuthwaneni” zalo. (IHu. 146:3) Kunalokho, zibeka ukuphila kwazo nekusasa lazo ezandleni zikaJehova, zazi ukuthi uyazithanda nokuthi uligcwalisa njalo izwi lakhe.—Roma 3:4; 8:38, 39.
2. UJoshuwa wakufakazela kanjani ukwethembeka kukaNkulunkulu?
2 UJoshuwa wasendulo wakufakazela ukwethembeka kukaNkulunkulu. Lapho esezokufa wathi kuma-Israyeli akubo: “Nazi kahle ngazo zonke izinhliziyo zenu nangayo yonke imiphefumulo yenu ukuthi akukho nelilodwa izwi kuwo wonke amazwi amahle uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu awakhulumile kini eliye laphutha. Agcwaliseke wonke kini.”—Josh. 23:14.
3. Igama likaNkulunkulu lembulani ngaye?
3 UJehova uyazigcwalisa izithembiso zakhe, hhayi nje ngoba ethanda izinceku zakhe kodwa ikakhulukazi ngenxa yegama lakhe. (Eks. 3:14; 1 Sam. 12:22) Isethulo se-Emphasized Bible kaJ. B. Rotherham sithi ngokuphathelene negama likaNkulunkulu: “Liba isithembiso esihle kakhulu, libonisa amandla kaNkulunkulu okuzivumelanisa nanoma iziphi izimo, noma ibuphi ubunzima, noma isiphi isidingo esingase siphakame . . . [Li]yisithembiso, . . . isambulo, isikhumbuzo, isibambiso. UNkulunkulu uyohlale ethembekile kuleli Gama; akasoze azinyeza ngalo.”
4. (a) U-Isaya 26:4 usinxusa ukuba senzeni? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko?
4 Zibuze: ‘Ingabe uJehova ngimazi kahle kangangokuba ngingamethemba ngokuphelele? Ngilibheka ngokuqiniseka yini ikusasa, ngazi ukuthi uzilawula ngokuphelele zonke izinto?’ U-Isaya 26:4 uthi: “Thembelani kuJehova, nina bantu, phakade, ngoba iDwala laphakade likuJah Jehova.” Yiqiniso, manje uNkulunkulu akangeneli ngokuyisimangaliso ekuphileni kwabantu njengoba ayenza ngezinye izikhathi ezikhathini zeBhayibheli. Noma kunjalo, ‘njengeDwala laphakade,’ singamethemba ‘phakade.’ UNkulunkulu wethu othembekile ubasiza kanjani abakhulekeli bakhe abathembekile namuhla? Ake sibheke izindlela ezintathu: Uyasiqinisa lapho sifuna usizo lwakhe ukuze simelane nezilingo; uyasisekela lapho kudingeka sibhekane nokungasinaki kwabantu noma ukuphikiswa okuqondile futhi uyasiphakamisa lapho izinkathazo zisicindezela. Njengoba sihlola lezi zici, qiniseka ukuthi uyazindla ngendlela ongaqinisa ngayo ukwethembela kwakho kuJehova.
Thembela KuNkulunkulu Lapho Ulingelwa Ukuba Wenze Okubi
5. Endabeni yokwethembela kwethu kuNkulunkulu, kunini lapho kungaba khona uvivinyo olukhulu?
5 Kulula ukumethemba uJehova ngokuphathelene nesithembiso sakhe sePharadesi noma sovuko ngoba yizinto esizilangazelelayo. Kodwa kungaba okuhluke ngokuphelele uma kudingeka simethembe ezindabeni zokuziphatha, siqiniseke ngokuphelele ezinhliziyweni zethu ukuthi ukuzithoba ezindleleni nasezindinganisweni zakhe kuyinto efanele nokuthi kuyosilethela injabulo enkulu kakhulu. INkosi uSolomoni yabhala lesi seluleko: “Thembela kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, ungenciki kokwakho ukuqonda. Mqaphele kuzo zonke izindlela zakho, yena uyokwenza izindlela zakho ziqonde.” (IzAga 3:5, 6) Phawula ukuthi kusetshenziswe igama elithi “izindlela” zethu. Yebo, yonke indlela yethu yokuphila—hhayi nje ithemba esinalo njengamaKristu—kufanele ibonise ukuthi siyamethemba uNkulunkulu. Singakubonisa kanjani lokho kumethemba lapho kuvela izilingo?
6. Singakuqinisa kanjani ukuzimisela kwethu ukwenqaba imicabango emibi?
6 Ukubalekela okubi kuqala engqondweni. (Funda amaRoma 8:5; Efesu 2:3.) Ungakuqinisa kanjani-ke ukuzimisela kwakho ukwenqaba imicabango emibi? Cabangela lezi zindlela ezinhlanu: 1. Funa usizo lukaNkulunkulu ngomthandazo. (Math. 6:9, 13) 2. Zindla ngezibonelo eziseBhayibhelini zalabo abangazange bamlalele uJehova nalabo abamlalela. Yibe usuphawula ukuthi waba yini umphumela.a (1 Kor. 10:8-11) 3. Cabanga ngokucindezeleka isono esingakubangela ezingqondweni nasemizwelweni yakho neyalabo abakuthandayo. 4. Cabanga ngendlela okumelwe ukuba uNkulunkulu uzizwa ngayo lapho enye yezinceku zakhe iwela esonweni esibi. (Funda iHubo 78:40, 41.) 5. Cabanga ngenjabulo enkulu uJehova ayizwayo enhliziyweni yakhe lapho ebona umkhulekeli wakhe oqotho enqaba okubi futhi enza okulungile kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uphambi kwabantu noma uyedwa. (IHu. 15:1, 2; IzAga 27:11) Nawe ungakwazi ukubonisa ukuthi uthembele kuJehova.
Thembela KuNkulunkulu Lapho Ubhekene Nokunganakwa Nokuphikiswa
7. Iluphi uvivinyo uJeremiya ayebhekana nalo, futhi ngezinye izikhathi wayezizwa kanjani?
7 Iningi labafowethu likhonza emasimini okuyinselele ngokukhethekile ukukhuthazela kuwo. Umprofethi uJeremiya wakhonza ngaphansi kwezimo ezinjalo—ezinsukwini zokugcina zombuso wakwaJuda ezazinezinxushunxushu. Nsuku zonke ukholo lwakhe lwaluvivinywa kaningi ngoba walalela futhi wamemezela izigijimi zesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu. Ngesinye isikhathi, ngisho nonobhala wakhe oqotho, uBharuki, wathi wayesekhathele. (Jer. 45:2, 3) Ingabe uJeremiya wavumela ukunqotshwa ukudumazeka? Ngesinye isikhathi wake wazizwa ecindezelekile. Wabalisa: “Maluqalekiswe usuku engazalwa ngalo! Kungani ngiphumile esibelethweni ukuze ngibone umsebenzi onzima nosizi nokuba izinsuku zami ziphele ngehlazo lodwa?”—Jer. 20:14, 15, 18.
8, 9. NgokukaJeremiya 17:7, 8 neHubo 1:1-3, yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze siqhubeke sithela izithelo?
8 Noma kunjalo, uJeremiya akazange alilahle ithemba. Waqhubeka ethembele kuJehova. Ngenxa yalokho, lo mprofethi othembekile wabona ukugcwaliseka kwamazwi kaJehova akuJeremiya 17:7, 8: “Ibusisiwe indoda enamandla ebeka ithemba layo kuJehova, futhi eqholo layo linguJehova. Ngokuqinisekile iyoba njengomuthi otshalwe ngasemanzini, othumela izimpande zawo ngasemseleni wamanzi; ngeke ibone lapho kufika ukushisa, kodwa empeleni amahlamvu ayo ayokhephuzela. Nangonyaka wesomiso ngeke ikhathazeke, futhi ngeke iyeke ukuthela izithelo.”
9 Njengomuthi “otshalwe ngasemanzini” noma engadini yezithelo eniselwayo, uJeremiya akazange ‘ayeke ukuthela izithelo.’ Wenqaba ukuthonywa abahleki bosulu ababi ababemzungezile. Kunalokho, wanamathela eMthonjeni ‘wamanzi’ asekela ukuphila futhi wakufaka enhliziyweni yakhe konke uJehova ayemtshela kona. (Funda iHubo 1:1-3; Jer. 20:9) Yeka indlela uJeremiya ayisibonelo esihle ngayo kithi, ikakhulukazi kulabo abakhonza uJehova emasimini alukhuni! Uma ubhekene nesimo esinjalo, qhubeka uncika ngokuphelele kuJehova, oyokunika amandla okukhuthazela njengoba ‘uvuma obala igama lakhe.’—Heb. 13:15.
10. Iziphi izibusiso esinazo, futhi yini okufanele sizibuze yona?
10 Ukuze asisize sibhekane nokuphila kulezi zinsuku zokugcina, uJehova uye wasinika ifa elingokomoya elinothe ngempela. Phakathi kwezinye izinto, usinike iZwi lakhe eliphelele elihunyushelwa ngokunembile ezilimini ezengeziwe. Usinika inala yokudla okungokomoya okufika ngesikhathi esebenzisa isigaba senceku ethembekileyo neqondayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, emihlanganweni emincane nemikhulu usinika isixuku esikhulu sabafowethu nodadewethu abasisekelayo. Ingabe uwasebenzisa ngokugcwele wonke la malungiselelo? Bonke abawasebenzisayo ‘bayokhamuluka ngenjabulo ngenxa yesimo esihle senhliziyo.’ Nokho, labo abangamlaleli uNkulunkulu ‘bayokhala ngenxa yobuhlungu benhliziyo futhi bayohewula ngenxa yokwaphuka umoya.’—Isaya 65:13, 14.
Thembela KuNkulunkulu Lapho Ubhekene Nezinkathazo
11, 12. Ngenxa yezinkinga zezwe, iyiphi inkambo ewukuhlakanipha kwangempela?
11 Njengoba kwabikezelwa, isintu sihlushwa isikhukhula esandayo somaye. (Math. 24:6-8; IsAm. 12:12) Lapho kuba nesikhukhula, abantu bavame ukubalekela ezindaweni eziphakeme noma bagibele ophahleni lwezakhiwo—noma kuyiphi indawo ephakeme. Ngokufanayo, njengoba izinkinga zaleli zwe zanda, izigidi zabantu zifuna isiphephelo ezinhlanganweni ezibonakala ziphakeme zezomnotho, ezombusazwe noma ezenkolo, esayensini nakwezobuchwepheshe. Kodwa ayikho neyodwa kulezi enikeza ukulondeka kwangempela. (Jer. 17:5, 6) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, izinceku zikaJehova zinaso isiphephelo esiqinisekile—“iDwala laphakade.” (Isaya 26:4) Umhubi wathi: “[UJehova] uyidwala lami nensindiso yami, indawo yami ephakeme elondekile.” (Funda iHubo 62:6-9.) Silenza kanjani leli Dwala libe isiphephelo sethu?
12 Sinamathela kuJehova lapho silalela iZwi lakhe, elivame ukuhluka ekuhlakanipheni kwabantu. (IHu. 73:23, 24) Ngokwesibonelo, labo abathonywe ukuhlakanipha kwabantu bangase bathi: ‘Uphila kanye kuphela; kusebenzise ngokugcwele.’ ‘Lwela ukuthola umsebenzi omuhle.’ ‘Gaya imali.’ ‘Thenga lokhu nalokhuya.’ ‘Hamba ubone amazwe.’ Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu kuhambisana nalesi seluleko: “Labo abasebenzisa izwe [mababe] njengalabo abangalisebenzisi ngokugcwele; ngoba isimo saleli zwe siyashintsha.” (1 Kor. 7:31) Ngokufanayo, uJesu usinxusa njalo ukuba sibeke izithakazelo zoMbuso kuqala futhi ngaleyo ndlela sizibekele “ingcebo ezulwini,” lapho iyolondeka khona ngokuphelele.—Math. 6:19, 20.
13. Sicabanga ngeyoku-1 Johane 2:15-17, yini okufanele sizibuze yona?
13 Ingabe isimo sakho sengqondo ‘ngezwe nangezinto ezisezweni’ sibonisa ukuthi uthembele ngokuphelele kuNkulunkulu? (1 Joh. 2:15-17) Ingabe ingcebo engokomoya namalungelo enkonzo yoMbuso afiseleka kakhudlwana kuwe futhi abaluleke kunezinto esingazithola ezweni? (Fil. 3:8) Ingabe ulwela ukuhlale ‘uneso elihle’? (Math. 6:22) Yiqiniso, uNkulunkulu akafuni ukuba ube ongahlakaniphile noma ongayinaki imithwalo yakho yemfanelo, ikakhulukazi uma unomkhaya okumelwe uwunakekele. (1 Thim. 5:8) Kodwa ukulindele ukuba izinceku zakhe zithembele kuye ngokuphelele, zingathembeli ezweni likaSathane elifayo.—Heb. 13:5.
14-16. Abanye baye bazuza kanjani ngokuhlale ‘beneso elihle’ nangokugcina izithakazelo zoMbuso ziza kuqala?
14 Cabanga ngesibonelo sikaRichard noRuth, abanezingane ezincane ezintathu. URichard uthi: “Ngangizwa ngaphakathi ukuthi ngingenza okwengeziwe enkonzweni kaJehova. Ngangiphila ukuphila okuntofontofo kodwa nginomuzwa wokuthi nginika uNkulunkulu izinsalela. Ngemva kokuthandaza ngale ndaba nokubala izindleko, mina noRuth savumelana ukuba ngicele umphathi wami anginciphisele isikhathi somsebenzi sibe izinsuku ezine ngesonto—ngisho noma izwe lakithi ngaleso sikhathi lalintengantenga impela kwezomnotho. Isicelo sami samukelwa futhi ingakapheli inyanga ngaqala ukusebenza izinsuku ezine.” URichard uzizwa kanjani manje?
15 Uthi: “Umholo wami usunciphe ngamaphesenti angu-20, kodwa senginezinsuku ezengeziwe ezingu-50 ngonyaka zokuba nomkhaya wami futhi ngiqeqeshe nabantwana. Ngiye ngakwazi ukusebenza isikhathi esiphindwe kabili enkonzweni yasensimini, inani lezifundo zami zeBhayibheli laphindeka kathathu futhi sengisiza kakhulu ebandleni. Ngenxa yokuthi senginesikhathi esengeziwe sokusiza uRuth ngabantwana, useye wakwazi ukuba iphayona elisizayo ngezikhathi ezithile. Ngizimisele ukunamathela kulesi simiso uma nje kusengenzeka.”
16 URoy noPetina, abasahlala nendodakazi yabo ekhaya, bakwazi ukunciphisa isikhathi somsebenzi wokuziphilisa ukuze bahlanganyele enkonzweni isikhathi esigcwele. URoy uthi: “Ngisebenza izinsuku ezintathu ngesonto, uPetina yena usebenza ezimbili. Sasuka nasendlini yethu enkulu sathuthela efulethini, okulula kakhulu ukulinakekela. Sasiphayona ngaphambi kokuba sibe nendodana nendodakazi, futhi sasilokhu sifisa ukubuyela enkonzweni yamaphayona. Ngakho, sabuyela enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele lapho izingane zethu sezikhulile. Ayikho imali esingayiqhathanisa nezibusiso esiye sazithola.”
Vumela “Ukuthula KukaNkulunkulu” Kulonde Inhliziyo Yakho
17. Ngenxa yokuthi ukuphila akuqinisekile, iyiphi induduzo oye wayithola emiBhalweni?
17 Akekho owaziyo ukuthi olwakusasa lumphatheleni, ngoba “isikhathi nesenzakalo esingalindelekile” sisehlela sonke. (UmSh. 9:11) Nokho, ukungaqiniseki ngolwakusasa akudingeki kusiphuce ukuthula kwengqondo namuhla, njengoba kuvame ukuba njalo kwabangenakho ukulondeka okutholakala ngokuba nobuhlobo obufudumele noNkulunkulu. (Math. 6:34) Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Ningakhathazeki ngalutho, kodwa kukho konke izicelo zenu mazaziwe nguNkulunkulu ngomthandazo nangokunxusa kanye nokubonga; ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula konke ukucabanga kuyolinda izinhliziyo zenu namandla enu engqondo ngoKristu Jesu.”—Fil. 4:6, 7.
18, 19. UNkulunkulu usiduduza ngaziphi izindlela? Bonisa.
18 Abafowethu nodadewethu abaningi ababhekene nezimo ezinzima baye bathola ukuzola nokuthula okuvela kuJehova. Omunye udade uthi: “Udokotela ohlinzayo wazama ngokuphindaphindiwe ukungethusa ukuze ngivume ukumpontshelwa igazi. Lapho ehlangana nami ‘wangibingelela’ ngokuthi, ‘Mbhedo muni lona engiwuzwayo wokuthi wenqaba igazi?’ Ngathandaza kuJehova ngenhliziyo ngaso leso sikhathi nangangezinye izikhathi futhi wanginika ukuthula. Ngazizwa ngiqina njengedwala. Naphezu kokuthi ngangibuthakathaka ngoba nganginesilinganiso esiphansi kakhulu segazi, ngakwazi ukunikeza izizathu ezicacile ezingokomBhalo zokwenqaba kwami.”
19 Ngezinye izikhathi uNkulunkulu angasisekela ngokuthumela omunye umKristu ukuba azosiduduza noma ngokusinika ukudla okungokomoya okufike ngesikhathi. Cishe wake wezwa umzalwane noma udade ethi: “Bengisidinga ngempela lesi sihloko. Sibhalelwe mina nje!” Yiqiniso, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi zinjani izimo noma izidingo zethu, uJehova uyobonakalisa uthando lwakhe ngathi uma sithembela kuye. Kakade, ‘siyizimvu’ zakhe futhi usiphathise igama lakhe.—IHu. 100:3; Joh. 10:16; IzE. 15:14, 17.
20. Kungani izinceku zikaJehova ziyohlala ngokulondeka lapho izwe likaSathane liphela?
20 Phakathi ‘nosuku lokufutheka kukaJehova’ olusondela ngokushesha, yonke into izwe likaSathane elithembele kuyo iyoshabalala. Igolide, isiliva nezinye izinto zenani elikhulu ngeke zasilethela noma yikuphi ukulondeka. (Zef. 1:18; IzAga 11:4) ‘IDwala lethu laphakade’ liyoba ukuphela kwesiphephelo. (Isaya 26:4) Ngakho, masibonise ukuthi sethembele kuJehova ngokugcwele manje ngokumlalela sihambe ezindleleni zakhe zokulunga, ngokumemezela isigijimi soMbuso nalapho abantu bengasinaki noma siphikiswa nangokugingqela zonke izinkathazo zethu kuye. Njengoba senza lezi zinto, ngempela ‘siyohlala ngokulondeka singaphazanyiswa yingebhe yenhlekelele.’—IzAga 1:33.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Bheka incwadi ethi “Zigcineni Othandweni LukaNkulunkulu,” amakhasi 102-106.
Ungachaza?
Singathembela kanjani kuNkulunkulu
• lapho silingelwa ukuba senze okubi?
• lapho abantu bengasinaki noma siphikiswa?
• lapho sibhekene nezinkathazo?
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
Ukunamathela ezindinganisweni zikaNkulunkulu kuletha injabulo
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
‘UJehova iDwala laphakade’