1. (a) Abantu basabela ngaziphi izindlela ezikhumbuzweni, futhi kungani? (b) Ukuziqhenya kungayithinta kanjani indlela umuntu abheka ngayo iseluleko?

ABANTU basabela ngendlela engafani esiqondisweni. Bangase basamukele ngaphandle kwenkinga isikhumbuzo esivela kothile onegunya, kanti bangase basenqabe ingcaca iseluleko esivela kuntanga noma kumuntu ophansi. Indlela abantu abasabela ngayo ngokomzwelo lapho beyalwa noma bekhuzwa nayo yehluka kakhulu. Bangase basabele ngokuba lusizi, ngokudumala, ngokuba namahloni noma ngokuzizwa bekhuthazekile, benogqozi nokuzimisela. Kungani kunomehluko? Esinye isizathu salokhu ukuziqhenya. Ngempela, ukuba nomoya wokuzikhukhumeza kungenza umuntu angahluleli kahle, kumenze angasamukeli iseluleko futhi angazuzi esiqondisweni esibalulekile.—IzAga 16:18.

2. Kungani amaKristu eqiniso esazisa iseluleko esivela eZwini likaNkulunkulu?

² Ngakolunye uhlangothi, amaKristu eqiniso ayasazisa iseluleko esiwusizo, ikakhulukazi uma sisekelwe eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Izikhumbuzo zikaJehova zisinika ukuqonda okuwusizo, ziyasifundisa futhi zisisize ukuba sigweme izingibe ezinjengokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo, ukuziphatha okubi ngokobulili nokusebenzisa kabi izidakamizwa noma utshwala. (IzAga 20:1; 2 Kor. 7:1; 1 Thes. 4:3-5; 1 Thim. 6:6-11) Ngaphezu kwalokho, siyajabula “ngenxa yesimo esihle senhliziyo” esibangelwa ukulalela izikhumbuzo zikaJehova.—Isaya 65:14.

3. Isiphi isimo sengqondo somhubi okungaba kuhle ukuba sisilingise?

³ Ukuze silondoloze ubuhlobo bethu obuyigugu noBaba wethu osezulwini, kufanele siqhubeke sisisebenzisa ekuphileni kwethu isiqondiso esihlakaniphile esivela kuJehova. Yeka ukuthi kuhle kangakanani uma isimo sethu sengqondo sifana nesomhubi owabhala: “Ngithathé izikhumbuzo zakho njengefa kuze kube nini nanini,  ngoba ziwukwethaba kwenhliziyo yami”! (IHu. 119:111) Ingabe nathi siyayijabulela imiyalo kaJehova, noma ngezinye izikhathi siyibona iwumthwalo? Ngisho noma ngezinye izikhathi singase sicasuke lapho sinikwa iseluleko esithile, akufanele sidikibale. Singahlakulela ukukwethemba ngokuqinile ukuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu okungenakuqhathaniswa. Ake sixoxe ngezindlela ezintathu.

4. Yini engazange ishintshe ekuphileni kukaDavide?

⁴ INkosi uDavide yabhekana nezinkinga eziningi ekuphileni kwayo, kodwa kunento eyodwa engazange ishintshe—ukwethembela kwayo ngokuphelele kuMdali wayo. Yathi: “O Jehova, ngiwuphakamisela kuwe umphefumulo wami. O Nkulunkulu wami, ithemba lami ngilibeké kuwe.” (IHu. 25:1, 2) Yini eyasiza uDavide ukuba amethembe ngale ndlela uYise osezulwini?

5, 6. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lisitshelani ngobuhlobo uDavide ayenabo noJehova?

⁵ Abantu abaningi bathandaza kuNkulunkulu kuphela lapho besebunzimeni obukhulu. Ungazizwa kanjani lapho umngane noma isihlobo sakho sikuthinta kuphela lapho sidinga imali noma usizo? Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ungase uqale ukungabaza isisusa saso sokuzisondeza kuwe. Nokho, uDavide wayengenjalo. Ubuhlobo bakhe noJehova uNkulunkulu babubonisa ukholo nothando ayenalo ngoNkulunkulu wakhe phakathi nakho konke ukuphila kwakhe—ebuhleni nasebubini.—IHu. 40:8.

⁶ Phawula amazwi kaDavide okudumisa nokubonga uJehova: “O Jehova Nkosi yethu, yeka ukuthi igama lakho likhulu ngendlela ebabazeka kangakanani emhlabeni wonke, wena osithunzi sakho kulandiswa ngaso ngaphezu kwamazulu!” (IHu. 8:1) Uyaqaphela yini emazwini akhe ukuthi wayenobuhlobo obuseduze noYise wasezulwini? Ukwazisa kukaDavide ubukhazikhazi nobukhulu bukaNkulunkulu kwamshukumisela ukuba adumise uJehova “usuku lonke.”—IHu. 35:28.

7. Sizuza kanjani ngokusondela kuNkulunkulu ngomthandazo?

⁷ NjengoDavide, kudingeka sikhulume njalo noJehova ukuze sakhe ukumethemba. IBhayibheli lithi: “Sondelani kuNkulunkulu, naye uyosondela kini.” (Jak. 4:8) Ukusondela kuNkulunkulu ngomthandazo nakho kuyindlela ebalulekile esithola ngayo umoya ongcwele.—Funda eyoku-1 Johane 3:22.

8. Kungani kufanele sigweme imithandazo ephindaphindayo?

⁸ Lapho uthandaza, ingabe uthambekele ekuphindaphindeni amazwi afanayo njalo? Uma kunjalo, ngaphambi kokuthandaza, zinike imizuzu embalwa ucabange ngalokho ofuna ukukusho. Ake sithi siphindaphinda amazwi afanayo njalo lapho sikhuluma nomngane noma isihlobo, ingabe ubeyokujabulalela lokho? Angase ayeke ukusilalela. Yiqiniso, uJehova akasoze awenqaba umthandazo oqotho wenceku yakhe ethembekile. Nokho, kuhle sigweme ukuphindaphinda into eyodwa lapho sikhuluma naye.

9, 10. (a) Singase sihlanganise nani emithandazweni yethu? (b) Yini engasisiza ukuba sithandaze ngokusuka enhliziyweni?

⁹ Kusobala ukuthi imithandazo yethu akufanele ikhe phezulu uma sifuna ukusondelana noNkulunkulu. Lapho sithululela inhliziyo yethu kuJehova, siyosondelana naye nakakhulu futhi simethembe ngokwengeziwe. Nokho, imithandazo yethu kufanele ihlanganise nani? IZwi likaNkulunkulu liyaphendula: “Kukho konke izicelo zenu mazaziwe nguNkulunkulu ngomthandazo nangokunxusa kanye nokubonga.” (Fil. 4:6) Iphuzu esilitholayo liwukuthi imithandazo yethu ingahlanganisa ngokufanele noma yini ethinta ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu noma ukuphila kwethu njengezinceku zakhe.

¹⁰ Kuyazuzisa ukufunda amazwi ashiwo abesilisa nabesifazane abathembekile emithandazweni yabo elotshwe eBhayibhelini. (1 Sam. 1:10, 11; IzE. 4:24-31) AmaHubo  anemithandazo eminingi esuka enhliziyweni nezingoma zokudumisa uJehova. Yonke imizwelo yomuntu kusukela osizini kuye enjabulweni iyembulwa kule mithandazo nezingoma. Ukuhlaziya amazwi anjalo ashiwo yilaba bantu abathembekile kungasisiza senze imithandazo enengqondo kuJehova.

11. Kungani kudingeka ukuba sizindle ngeseluleko esivela kuNkulunkulu?

¹¹ UDavide wathi: “Isikhumbuzo sikaJehova sithembekile, sihlakaniphisa ongenalwazi.” (IHu. 19:7) Yebo, ngisho noma singenakho okuhlangenwe nakho, singahlakanipha ngokulalela imiyalo kaNkulunkulu. Nokho, ezinye izeluleko ezisemiBhalweni kuye kudingeke ukuba sizindle ngazo ukuze sizuze ngokugcwele. Kudingeka ukuzindla ukuze sigcine ubuqotho nalapho sibhekene nezingcindezi esikoleni noma emsebenzini wokuziphilisa, ukuze sinamathele endinganisweni kaNkulunkulu ephathelene negazi, silondoloze ukungathathi hlangothi njengamaKristu futhi sisebenzise izimiso zeBhayibheli eziphathelene nokugqoka nokuzilungisa. Ukuthola umbono kaNkulunkulu ezindabeni ezinjalo kuyosisiza ukuba sizilungele izinkinga. Uma senza kanjalo siyokwazi ukunquma ezinhliziyweni zethu ukuthi sizokwenzenjani lapho zivela. Ukucabanga ngazo nokuzilungiselela kusengaphambili kungasivikela ebuhlungwini benhliziyo obukhulu.—IzAga 15:28.

12. Ukuzindla ngani okuyosisiza ukuba sigcine izikhumbuzo zikaNkulunkulu?

¹² Njengoba silindele ukugcwaliseka kwalokho uNkulunkulu akuthembisile, ingabe ukuphila kwethu kubonisa ukuthi sihlale siphapheme ngokomoya? Ngokwesibonelo, ingabe siyakholelwa ngempela ukuthi iBhabhiloni Elikhulu lizobhujiswa maduze? Ingabe izibusiso zesikhathi esizayo, njengokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi zisengokoqobo kithi njengoba kwakunjalo lapho siqala ukuzwa ngazo? Ingabe siyilondolozile intshiseko yethu ngenkonzo kunokuba sivumele izinto zomuntu siqu zize kuqala ekuphileni kwethu? Kuthiwani ngethemba lovuko, ukungcweliswa kwegama likaJehova nokulwelwa kobukhosi bakhe? Ingabe lokhu kuseyizindaba ezibalulekile kithi? Ukuzindla ngale mibuzo kungasisiza ukuba senze lokho okwashiwo umhubi, sigcine ‘izikhumbuzo zikaNkulunkulu njengefa kuze kube nini nanini.’—IHu. 119:111.

13. Kungani amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala akuthola kunzima ukuqonda ezinye izinto? Nikeza isibonelo.

¹³ Ezinye izinto okukhulunywa ngazo eBhayibhelini singase singaziqondi ngokuphelele manje ngenxa yokuthi akukabi isikhathi sikaJehova esifanele sokuzicacisa. UJesu watshela abaphostoli bakhe ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuthi kwakuyodingeka ahlushwe futhi abulawe. (Funda uMathewu 12:40; 16:21.) Kodwa abaphostoli abazange bakuqonde ayekusho. Bakuqonda ngemva kokufa nokuvuka kwakhe lapho ezibonakalisa kubafundi bakhe abaningana embethe umzimba womuntu futhi ‘evula izingqondo zabo ngokugcwele ukuze baqonde okushiwo imiBhalo.’ (Luka 24:44-46; IzE. 1:3) Ngokufanayo, abalandeli bakaKristu abazange baqonde ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu wawuzomiswa ezulwini kwaze kwaba ngemva kokuba bethululelwe umoya ongcwele ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E.—IzE. 1:6-8.

14. Ekuqaleni kwekhulu lamashumi amabili, isiphi isibonelo esihle abafowethu abaningi abasibekela sona nakuba kwakunezinto ababengaziqondi kahle ngokuphathelene nezinsuku zokugcina?

¹⁴ Ngendlela efanayo, ekuqaleni kwekhulu lamashumi amabili, amaKristu eqiniso ayenamathemba athile ayiphutha ngokuphathelene ‘nezinsuku zokugcina.’ (2 Thim. 3:1) Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-1914, amanye ayecabanga ukuthi ayesezonyuselwa ezulwini. Lapho amathemba awo engafezeki ngokushesha, aphinde ahlolisisa ngobuqotho imiBhalo, okwawasiza ukuba aqonde ukuthi kwakunomsebenzi omkhulu wokushumayela okwakumelwe wenziwe. (Marku  13:10) Yingakho ngo-1922, u-J. F. Rutherford, owayehola emsebenzini wokushumayela ngaleso sikhathi, atshela labo ababesemhlanganweni wezizwe eCedar Point, e-Ohio, e-U.S.A.: “Bhekani, iNkosi iyabusa! Nina ningamanxusa ayo okuyimemezela. Ngakho-ke, memezelani, memezelani, memezelani, iNkosi nombuso wayo.” Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, ukumemezela “izindaba ezinhle zombuso” bekulokhu kuwuphawu lwezinceku zikaJehova zanamuhla.—Math. 4:23; 24:14.

15. Sizuza kanjani ngokuzindla ngendlela uNkulunkulu aye wasebenzelana ngayo nabantu bakhe?

¹⁵ Ukuzindla ngendlela emangalisayo uJehova aye wasebenzelana ngayo nabantu bakhe, kokubili esikhathini esidlule namanje, kwenza simethembe ngokwengeziwe ukuthi uyakwazi ukufeza intando nenjongo yakhe ngekusasa. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, izikhumbuzo zikaNkulunkulu zisisiza ukuba sizigcine zizintsha engqondweni nasenhliziyweni yethu iziprofetho zakhe ezisazogcwaliseka. Singaqiniseka ngokuthi ukwenza kanjalo kuyosisiza ukuba sizethembe izithembiso zakhe.

16. Iziphi izibusiso ezilethwa ukuhlale simatasa enkonzweni?

¹⁶ UNkulunkulu wethu, uJehova, unguNkulunkulu onamandla, uNkulunkulu wezenzo. Umhubi wabuza, “Ubani oyingqabavu njengawe Jah?” Wanezela: “Isandla sakho sinamandla, isandla sakho sokunene siphakeme.” (IHu. 89:8, 13) Ngokuvumelana nalokho, uJehova uyayazisa futhi uyayibusisa imizamo esiyenzayo yokuthuthukisa izithakazelo zoMbuso. Uyabona ukuthi izinceku zakhe—ezabesilisa noma abesifazane, abasha noma abadala—azihlali zigoqe izandla, zidle “isinkwa sobuvila.” (IzAga 31:27) Silingisa uMdali wethu, sizigcina simatasa emisebenzini engokwasezulwini. Ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngomphefumulo wonke kuyasizuzisa ngabanye, futhi  kwenza uJehova akujabulele kakhulu ukubusisa inkonzo yethu.—Funda iHubo 62:12.

17, 18. Kungani singase sithi izenzo zokholo zisisiza ukuba sihlakulele ukusethemba iseluleko sikaJehova? Nikeza isibonelo.

¹⁷ Izenzo zokholo zisisiza kanjani ukuba sakhe ukwethembela kuJehova? Cabanga ngokulandisa kwemiBhalo ngokungena kwama-Israyeli eZweni Lesithembiso. UJehova wayeyale abapristi ababethwele umphongolo wesivumelwano ukuba baqhubeke behamba baze bayongena eMfuleni iJordani. Nokho, njengoba abantu babesondela, babona ukuthi umfula wawugcwele udla izindwani ngenxa yezimvula zasentwasahlobo. Ayezokwenzenjani ama-Israyeli? Ingabe ayeyokanisa ngasosebeni lomfula alinde amasonto noma ngaphezulu ukuba amanzi abohle? Cha, athembela ngokuphelele kuJehova futhi alandela iziqondiso zakhe. Waba yini umphumela? Ukulandisa kuthi: “Lapho nje izinyawo zabapristi zithinta amanzi, umfula wanqamuka ukugeleza, . . . futhi abapristi bama emhlabathini owomile maphakathi nomfula eduze neJeriko kuyilapho bonke abanye bewela.” (Josh. 3:12-17, Contemporary English Version) Cabanga nje ukuthi kwakuthinta inhliziyo kanjani ukubona lawo manzi ayehlokoma ema! Ngempela ukholo lwama-Israyeli kuJehova lwaqiniswa ngenxa yokuthi athembela eziqondisweni zakhe.

¹⁸ Kuyiqiniso ukuthi uJehova akasabenzeli abantu bakhe izimangaliso ezinjalo namuhla, kodwa uyazibusisa izenzo zabo zokholo. Amandla kaNkulunkulu asebenzayo ayabaqinisa ukuze baqhubeke nomsebenzi abawabelwe wokushumayela isigijimi soMbuso emhlabeni wonke. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uFakazi kaJehova ovelele, uKristu Jesu ovusiwe, waqinisekisa abafundi bakhe ukuthi uyobasekela kulo msebenzi obalulekile, wathi: “Hambani niyokwenza abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi  . . Nginani izinsuku zonke kuze kube isiphelo sesimiso sezinto.” (Math. 28:19, 20) OFakazi abaningi ababenamahloni noma ababesaba bangakufakazela ukuthi umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu ubanike isibindi sokukhuluma nabantu abangabazi enkonzweni yasensimini.—Funda iHubo 119:46; 2 Korinte 4:7.

19. Naphezu kokulinganiselwa esinakho, yini esiqiniseka ngayo?

¹⁹ Kuncane kakhulu abanye abafowethu nodadewethu abakwazi ukukwenza ngenxa yokugula noma ukukhula. Noma kunjalo, bangaqiniseka ukuthi “uYise wesihe noNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke” uyaziqonda izimo zomKristu weqiniso ngamunye. (2 Kor. 1:3) Wazisa konke esikwenzayo ekuthuthukiseni izithakazelo zoMbuso. Sonke kudingeka sikhumbule ukuthi, ngokuyinhloko ukholo lwethu elungiselelweni lesihlengo sikaKristu olusigcina siphila njengoba senza konke izimo zethu ezisivumela ukuba sikwenze.—Heb. 10:39.

20, 21. Yiziphi ezinye izindlela esingabonisa ngazo ukuthi siyamethemba uJehova?

²⁰ Ukukhulekela kwethu kuhilela ukusebenzisa isikhathi sethu, amandla nezinto zethu ezibonakalayo ngokugcwele ngangokunokwenzeka. Yebo, sikufuna ngenhliziyo yethu yonke ‘ukwenza umsebenzi womvangeli.’ (2 Thim. 4:5) Iqiniso liwukuthi siyakujabulela ukwenza kanjalo njengoba kusiza abanye ukuba ‘bafinyelele olwazini olunembile lweqiniso.’ (1 Thim. 2:4) Kusobala ukuthi ukudumisa nokubonga uJehova kusenza sicebe ngokomoya. (IzAga 10:22) Kusisiza nokuba sakhe isibopho esingenakunyakaziswa sokuthembela kuMdali wethu.—Roma 8:35-39.

²¹ Njengoba sesixoxile, ukwethembela kuJehova ukuze sithole isiqondiso esihlakaniphile akuzenzakaleli; kudingeka sisebenzele ekuhlakuleleni lokho kusethemba. Ngakho, ncika kuJehova ngomthandazo. Zindla ngendlela uJehova uNkulunkulu aye wafeza ngayo intando yakhe esikhathini esidlule nangendlela ayoyifeza ngayo esikhathini esizayo. Qhubeka wakha ukwethembela kuJehova ngezenzo zokukhulekela. Ngempela, izikhumbuzo zikaJehova ziyohlala kuze kube phakade. Nawe ungahlala kuze kube phakade!