1, 2. (a) Kuyini okwenza ungathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova uyabathanda abantu bakhe? (b) Abantu badalwa belasiphi isidingo?

KUYINI okukwenza uvume ukuthi uJehova uyabathanda abantu bakhe? Ungakaphenduli umbuzo lo ake ucabange ngezibonelo lezi ezilandelayo: Okweminyaka ethile abazalwane babekhuthaza udade okuthiwa nguTaylene, ukuthi angaziboni eyisehluleki empilweni kodwa asuthiseke ngalokho ayesenelisa ukukwenza. Uthi: “Aluba uJehova ubengangithandi ubengeke angeluleke kanengi kangaka.” UBrigitte, umama owakhulisa abantwana ababili ngemva kokufelwa ngumkakhe uthi: “Ukukhulisa abantwana emhlabeni kaSathane kunzima, ikakhulu nxa ubakhulisa uwedwa. Kodwa angithandabuzi ukuthi uJehova uyangithanda ngoba kazange angitshiye lapho ngiphakathi kobunzima njalo kazange avumele ukuthi ngehlelwe yibunzima ebengingeke ngibumele.” (1 Khor. 10:13) USandra uphila lomkhuhlane ongelaphekiyo. Wathi esemhlanganweni waphathwa kuhle kakhulu yinkosikazi yomunye umzalwane owayejayelekile. UmkaSandra uthi: “Lanxa sasingamazisisi, indlela asiphatha ngayo yasithokozisa kakhulu. Konke esikwenzelwa ngabafowethu labodadewethu kutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda kakhulu kungelani lokuthi kuncane kangakanani.”

² Kusegazini ukuthi abantu bazizwe befuna ukuthanda kanye  lokuthandwa. Kodwa kulula ukuthi izinto ezehlela umuntu elibele, ukudaniswa ngumuntu omthembayo, ukugula, ukuswelakala kwezimali kumbe ukungaphumeleli enkonzweni kukuqede amandla uzizwe angani kawusathandwa. Nxa usubona angani uJehova kasakuthandi, khumbula ukuthi uqakathekile kuye lokuthi ulawe, ‘ukubambe ngesandla sakho sokudla’ ukuze akuncede. Kasoze akukhohlwe nxa ungahlala uthembekile kuye.—Isaya. 41:13; 49:15.

3. Kuyini okungasenza siqiniseke ukuthi uthando lukaJehova kalupheli?

³ Abantu okusanda kukhulunywa ngabo babengakuthandabuzi ukuthi uNkulunkulu kazange abatshiye ngesikhathi besebunzimeni. Lathi singaqiniseka ukuthi ulathi. (Hubo. 118:6, 7) Esihlokweni lesi sizahlola indlela uthando lukaNkulunkulu olukhanya ngayo (1) ezintweni azidalileyo, (2) eLizwini lakhe eliphefumulelweyo, (3) endabeni yomthandazo (4) lasenhlawulweni kaJesu. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi ukucabangisisa ngezinto ezinhle ezenziwe nguJehova kuzasenza simbonge kakhulu ngothando lwakhe olungapheliyo.—Bala iHubo 77:11, 12.

4. Ukucabangisisa ngendalo kaJehova kusitshengisani?

⁴ Indalo iyatshengisa yini ukuthi uJehova ulothando olungapheliyo ngabantu bakhe? Ye, ngoba khona ukuthi wadala izinto kutshengisa ukuthi ulothando. (Rom. 1:20) Umhlaba wabunjwa waba lezinto ezisekela ukuphila, yikho sisenelisa ukuphila kuwo. Kodwa uNkulunkulu ufuna siyikholise impilo kulokuthi siphonguphila nje. Kumele sidle ukuze siqhubeke siphila. UJehova waba leqiniso lokuthi umhlaba uyaveza imihlobo lemihlobo yezimila ezingaba yikudla okwakha umzimba. Wenza lokuthi nxa umuntu esidla akholise futhi asuthiseke. (UmTshu. 9:7) Udadewethu okuthiwa nguCatherine uyakuthanda kakhulu ukubuka indalo, ikakhulu ngesikhathi sentwasa eCanada. Uthi: “Kuyamangalisa ukuthi izinto zonke ziyavuka zithi kwatshu—amaluba ayabe eseqalisa ukumila, izinyoni ebezithuthile ngesikhathi somqando seziphenduka, ngitsho lomzwilili uyenelisa ukuphenduka lapho engijayele ukufakela khona inyoni ukudla phansi kwewindi lomkulu wami. Indlela okuthokozisa ngayo ukubona lokhu itshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda.” UBaba wethu olothando uyathokoza kakhulu nxa ebona izinto azidalileyo njalo ufuna lathi sikukholise ukubuka indalo.—ImiSeb. 14:16, 17.

5. Indlela esidalwe ngayo itshengisa njani ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda?

⁵ Indlela uJehova asidale ngayo yenza senelise ukwenza imisebenzi esincedayo njalo esenza sisuthiseke. Lokhu ngokunye okwenza impilo yethu ibemnandi. (UmTshu. 2:24) Wayehlose ukuthi abantu bagcwalise umhlaba, bawubuse, njalo babuse phezu kwezinhlanzi, izinyoni lezidalwa zonke ezihambayo emhlabathini. (Gen. 1:26-28) UJehova uyasithanda sibili ngoba wasinika lobuntu obuhle obenza senelise ukumlingisela.—Efe. 5:1.

6. Kungani kumele siliqakathekise kakhulu iLizwi likaNkulunkulu?

⁶ UNkulunkulu utshengise ukuthi uyasithanda kakhulu ngokusinika iLizwi lakhe eliphefumulelweyo. Lisitshela okunengi ngaye ukuze simazi njalo liveza indlela asebenzelana ngayo labantu. Ngokwesibonelo iMibhalo iyasitshela ukuthi wabaphatha njani abantu bako-Israyeli ababesephula imithetho yakhe kokuphela. IHubo 78:38 lithi: “Wayelesihawu; wazithethelela izono zabo kaze ababhubhisa. Isikhathi ngesikhathi waluthoba ulaka lwakhe akaze akuqubula konke ukuthukuthela kwakhe.” Ukunakana ngevesi le kuzakwenza ubone ukuthi uJehova uyakuthanda futhi uyakukhathalela.  Hlala ukwazi ukuthi uqakathekile kakhulu kuye.—Bala u-1 Phetro 5:6, 7.

7. Kungani kumele silithande kakhulu iBhayibhili?

⁷ Kumele siliqakathekise kakhulu iBhayibhili ngoba liyindlela eyisiqokoqela uNkulunkulu ayisebenzisayo ukuze akhulume lathi. Nxa abazali labantwababo besiba lezingxoxo ezakhayo njalo ezitshengisa ukuthi bayakhathalelana, kuba lokuthembana phakathi kwabo njalo kwenza ukuthi bazizwe bethandwa. Kuthiwani ngoJehova? Lanxa singakaze simbone kumbe sizwe ilizwi lakhe, “ukhuluma” lathi esebenzisa iLizwi lakhe eliphefumulelweyo futhi kumele sililalele. (Isaya. 30:20, 21) UJehova ufuna ukusiqondisa sonke esizinikele kuye njalo ufuna lokusivikela ezintweni ezingasilimaza. Kanti njalo ufuna simazi futhi simethembe.—Bala iHubo 19:7-11; iZaga 1:33.

8, 9. Kuyini uJehova afuna sikwazi? Nika isibonelo esiseBhayibhilini.

⁸ UJehova ufuna sikwazi ukuthi uyasithanda lokuthi kahlali ekhangela amaphutha ethu. Uyasihlolisisa ukuze athole okuhle kithi. (2 ImiLan. 16:9) Wakwenza lokhu eNkosini yakoJuda uJehoshafathi. Kwelinye ilanga uJehoshafathi wenza ubuthutha wamanyana lo-Ahabi iNkosi yako-Israyeli besiyahlasela iRamothi Gileyadi ukuze bayithathe ezandleni zamaSiriya. Lanxa abaprofethi bamanga abangu-400 batshela u-Ahabi ukuthi wayezanqoba, umphrofethi kaJehova uMikhaya wabika ukuthi lokhu kwakungasoze kwenzakale. U-Ahabi wafika wabulawa empini njalo uJehoshafathi wasila ngesikhala senalithi. Wathi esebuyela eJerusalema wakhuzwa ngokuthi wayencedisane lo-Ahabi. Lanxa kunjalo, uJehu  indodana kaHanani umboni yatshela uJehoshafathi yathi: “Kodwa-ke kukhona okuhle ngawe.”—2 ImiLan. 18:4, 5, 18-22, 33, 34; 19:1-3.

⁹ UJehoshafathi wathi esanda kuba yinkosi walaya izikhulu zakhe, abaLevi kanye labaphristi ukuthi babhode kuwo wonke amadolobho akoJuda ukuze bafundise abantu uMthetho kaJehova. Umkhankaso lo waphumelela kakhulu okokuthi abantu ababehlala ezizweni ezazingomakhelwana labo baqalisa ukumesaba uJehova. (2 ImiLan. 17:3-10) Kuliqiniso ukuthi uJehoshafathi wenza ngobuthutha, kodwa uJehova kazange azikhohlwe izinto ezinhle indoda le eyayizenzile. Indaba le eseBhayibhilini isikhumbuza ukuthi lanxa siphambanisa, uJehova uzakuba lothando olungapheliyo kithi nxa singazimisela ukumthokozisa ngenhliziyo yonke.

10, 11. (a) Kungani umthandazo uyisipho esiligugu esivela kuJehova? (b) UNkulunkulu angayiphendula njani imithandazo yethu? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

¹⁰ Ubaba olothando uyazinika isikhathi sokulalela abantwabakhe nxa befuna ukukhuluma laye. Uyabe efuna ukuzwa izikhalazo zabo lezinto ezibakhathazayo ngoba ulendaba lalokho okusezinhliziyweni zabo. UJehova uBaba wethu osezulwini usinike isibusiso esiligugu sokuthandaza, ngakho uyasilalela nxa sikhuleka kuye.

¹¹ Singathandaza kuJehova loba ngasiphi isikhathi. Akulamigoqo asifakele yona. Ungumngane wethu ohlala ekulindele ukuzwa esingabe sifuna ukumtshela khona. UTaylene okukhulunywe ngaye phezulu uthi: “Ungamtshela loba yini ofuna ukuyitsho.” Nxa sikhuleka kuNkulunkulu simtshela konke okusezinhliziyweni zethu, angasiphendula esebenzisa indaba eseBhayibhilini, isihloko esiphuma kumagazini, kumbe amazwi akhuthazayo avela komunye esikhonza laye. UJehova uyakuzwa ukuncenga kwethu njalo uyasizwisisa lanxa abanye bengabe bengasizwisisi. Indlela aphendula ngayo imithandazo yethu itshengisa ukuthi ulothando olungapheliyo ngathi.

12. Kungani kumele sihlole imithandazo elotshwe eBhayibhilini? Nika isibonelo.

¹² Kunengi esingakufunda emikhulekweni elotshwe eLizwini likaNkulunkulu. Yikho kungasinceda ukuthi kwezinye izikhathi nxa sisenza ukukhonza kwemuli siyihlole imithandazo le. Ukucabangisisa ngendlela izinceku zikaJehova zasendulo ezazimtshela ngayo lokho okwakusezinhliziyweni zazo, kungasinceda ukuthi imithandazo yethu ibe ngeyohlonzi. Cabanga ngomthandazo wokuzisola uJona awutsho esesiswini senhlanzi enkulu. (Jona. 1:17–2:10) Ungahlola lomthandazo kaSolomoni osuka enhliziyweni awenza ngesikhathi kunikelwa ithempeli. (1 AmaKho. 8:22-53) Cabangisisa langomthandazo oyisibonelo owenziwa nguJesu. (Mat. 6:9-13) Okuqakatheke kakhulu, ‘beka izicelo zakho kuNkulunkulu’ nsuku zonke. Ungenza njalo ‘ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula ukuqedisisa konke, kuzalinda inhliziyo yakho lengqondo yakho.’ Lokhu kuzathuthukisa indlela ombonga ngayo uJehova ngothando lwakhe olungapheliyo.—Flp. 4:6, 7.

13. Inhlawulo ivulela abantu ithuba lani?

¹³ Sanikwa isipho esingasifanelanga esingumhlatshelo wenhlawulo kaJesu ukuze “siphile.” (1 Joh. 4:9) UPhawuli wabhala ngendlela le enkulu kulazo zonke uNkulunkulu alubonakalisa ngayo uthando lwakhe wathi: ‘Ngesikhathi esifaneleyo, uKhristu wafela abangakholwa kuNkulunkulu. Akuvamanga ukuthi umuntu afele umuntu olungileyo, lanxa kungaba lolesibindi sokufela umuntu olungileyo. Kodwa uNkulunkulu ubonakalisa uthando lwakhe kithi ngalokhu: Siseseyizoni, uKhristu wasifela.’  (Rom. 5:6-8) Uthando lolu olumangalisayo uJehova uNkulunkulu alubonisa abantu lubavulela ithuba lokuthi babe lobuhlobo obuhle laye.

14, 15. Inhlawulo ibavulela liphi ithuba (a)abagcotshiweyo? (b) abalethemba lokuphila emhlabeni?

¹⁴ Kulabalutshwana uJehova ababonise uthando lwakhe olungapheliyo ngendlela eqakatheke kakhulu. (Joh. 1:12, 13; 3:5-7) ‘Sebengabantwana bakaNkulunkulu’ ngoba bagcotshwe ngomoya ongcwele. (Rom. 8:15, 16) UPhawuli wachaza amaKhristu agcotshiweyo njengalabo ‘asebevusiwe bahlaliswa ebukhosini basezulwini kuKhristu uJesu.’ (Efe. 2:6) Baphiwe isikhundla lesi esiqakathekileyo ngoba ‘sebebekwe uphawu ngomoya ongcwele owathenjiswayo, oyisibambiso esiqinisela ilifa labo,’ okutsho ‘ithemba eligcinelwe bona ezulwini.’—Efe. 1:13, 14, nwt; Kol. 1:5, 16.

¹⁵ Inengi labantu abalokholo emhlatshelweni wenhlawulo baphiwe ithuba lokuba ngabangane bakaJehova, belethemba lokuthi labo bazakwamukelwa babe ngabantwana bakaNkulunkulu njalo baphile phakade emhlabeni oyiPharadayisi. Ngakho-ke uJehova utshengise ukuthi uyabathanda abantu emhlabeni wonke ngokubanika inhlawulo. (Joh. 3:16) Nxa silethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni njalo sizimisele ukuhlala sithembekile kuJehova, singaba leqiniso lokuthi uzakwenza ukuthi impilo yethu ibemnandi kakhulu emhlabeni omutsha. Ngakho kuhle kakhulu ukuthi sibone inhlawulo iyibufakazi obedlula bonke bokuthi uNkulunkulu ulothando olungapheliyo.

16. Kusinceda ngani ukucabangisisa ngezinto ezinengi uJehova azenzileyo ezitshengisa ukuthi uyasithanda?

¹⁶ Kasingeke sizibale siziqede izinto eziyibufakazi bokuthi uJehova uyasithanda kakhulu. Umhubi uDavida wathi: “Iligugu elinganani kimi imicabango yakho, O Nkulunkulu! Bukhulu kanganani ubunengi bayo! Aluba ngingayibala ingedlula ubunengi bezinhlamvu zetshebetshebe.” (Hubo. 139:17, 18) Kumele sivumele imicabango le isenze sibe lesifiso esikhulu sokuthi lathi simthande ngenhliziyo yonke uJehova ngoba laye uyasithanda njalo uyasikhathalela. Yikho-ke kasenzeni ubungcono bethu kukho konke esimenzela khona.

17, 18. Yiziphi izinto esingazenza ukuze sitshengise ukuthi siyamthanda uNkulunkulu?

¹⁷ Kunengi esingakwenza ukuze sitshengise ukuthi siyamthanda uJehova. Ngokwesibonelo singatshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda uNkulunkulu kanye lomakhelwana ngokukhuthala emsebenzini wokutshumayela ngoMbuso. (Mat. 24:14; 28:19, 20) Singatshengisa lokuthi siyamthanda ngeqiniso uJehova ngokuhlala siqotho lapho sisehlelwa yizilingo ezingaxegisa ukholo lwethu. (Bala iHubo 84:11; uJakhobe 1:2-5.) Nxa izilingo sezisiba ngaphezu kwamandla ethu akumelanga sithandabuze ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhangele lokuthi uzasinceda ngenxa yokuthi siligugu kuye.—Hubo. 56:8.

¹⁸ Ukuthanda uJehova kusenza sicabangisise ngezinto azidalileyo kanye lezinye izinto ezimangalisayo azenzileyo. Sitshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda uNkulunkulu lokuthi siyaliqakathekisa iLizwi lakhe ngokufunda iBhayibhili nsuku zonke. Ukuthanda uJehova kusenza sisondele kuye ngomthandazo. Kanti njalo indlela esimthanda ngayo uNkulunkulu iyajula kakhulu nxa sicabangisisa ngomhlatshelo wenhlawulo asinike wona ukuze sithethelelwe izono. (1 Joh. 2:1, 2) Lezi ngezinye izizatho ezenza lathi simthande uJehova ngenxa yothando lwakhe olungapheliyo asitshengisa lona.