1, 2. (a) Kuqakatheke ngani ‘ukuphaphamela ukuthandaza’? (b) Ngimiphi imibuzo yokuzihlola esingenza kuhle ngokuzibuza yona?

“OKUKUPHELA kwesikhathi okubudisi ngaso ukuhlala uqalile, kungamathathakusa,” kutjho ogade asisebenzi sebusuku. Abakwaziko lokho bangajama naye iveke namalangana. AmaKrestu wanamhlanjesi aqalene nesitjhijilo esinjengaleso—ubusuku obuliphasi lakaSathana elimbeli, esingalifanisa namathathakusa emlandweni wokuphila. (Rom. 13:12) Qala bona kungaba yingozi kangangani-ke ukulala sekulada kangaka! Kuqakathekile bona ‘sivuthwe’ bese sisebenzisa isikhuthazo esingokomTlolo ‘sokuphaphamela ukuthandaza.’—1 Pit. 4:7, NW.

² Esikhathini esiphila kiswesi, kuhle sizibuze: ‘Ngikuphaphamele kangangani ukuthandaza? Inga-kghani ngithandaza ngazo zoke iindlela, begodu ngithandaza qobe? Sekusisiga na ukuthi ngithandazele nabanye, namkha ngithandazela lokho okutlhogwa ngimi kwaphela? Nokuthi uqakatheke kangangani umthandazo malungana nokusinda kwami?’

3. Ngiziphi ezinye iindlela zokuthandaza?

³ Encwadinakhe ayitlolela be-Efesu, umpostoli uPowula waqalisela kiyo “yoke imihlobohlobo yemithandazo.” (Efe. 6:18) Emithandazwenethu, sivame ukubawa uJehova bona asisize ngesikutlhogako nangokulwisana nokusiqabileko. ‘UMuzwi wemithandazo’ uyilalela ngokuzithandela imithandazwethu. (Rhu. 65:3 [65:2, NW]) Kodwana kufuze sizitjheje nezinye iindlela zokuthandaza—okumithandazo yokudumisa, yokuthokoza, neyokuncenga.

4. Kubayini kufuze sihlale sidumisa uJehova ngemithandazo?

⁴ Manengi amabanga enza bona nasithandaza kuJehova sibandakanye namezwi wokudumisa. Ngokwesibonelo, sihlohlozeleka ukumdumisa nesicabanga “ngezenzo zamandlakhe, ‘nangobukhulu bakhe obudluleleko.’” (Funda iRhubo 150:1-6.) Amavesi asithandathu la, weRhubo 150 asikhuthaza bona sidumise uJehova ngeendlela ezili-13 ezihlukahlukeneko! Ahlonipha uZimu, omunye umtloli wamarhubo wabhina: “Ngikudumisa kalikhomba ngelanga ngebanga lemithethwakho elungileko.” (Rhu. 119:164) UJehova ukutlhoga kwamambala ukudunyiswa. Yeke, kwalaphi ukuthi nathi simdumise “kalikhomba ngelanga” nasikghonako?

5. Kusivikelo ngayiphi indlela ukuba nomoya wokuthokoza emthandazweni?

⁵ Ukuthokoza nakho ngenye yeendlela eziqakathekileko zokuthandaza. UPowula wakhuthaza amaKrestu wedorobheni leFilipi wathi: “Ningakhathazeki ngalitho kodwana kikho koke, iimbawo zenu azaziwe nguZimu ngomthandazo nangokuncenga okunokuthokoza.” (Flp. 4:6) Kunobubhadekelo ukumthokoza ngokusuka ehliziyweni ngomthandazo uJehova. Kunjalo khulukhulu njengombana siphila emihleni yokuphela nabantu “abangathokoziko.” (2 Thim. 3:1, 2) Iphaseli loke nje selibuswa mumoya wokungathokozi. Nasingakatjheji, umoya loyo ungasingena lula. Ukuthokoza uZimu ngomthandazo kuyasanelisa, kusivikele ‘ekukhalaleni’ nekubalabaleni ngezinto ezinengi epilweni. (Jud. 16) Ngaphezu kwalokho, iinhloko zemindeni navane zibandakanya nokuthokoza emthandazweni, zisuke zikhuthaza umoya wokuthokoza ebafazini nebantwaneni babo.

6, 7. Khuyini ukuncenga, begodu singamncenga nakwenze njani uJehova?

⁶ Ukuncenga, kuthandaza ngokuqiniseka okukhambisana namazizo adephileko. Singamncenga nakwenze njani-ke uJehova? Singamncenga nesitlhoriswako namkha nesiqalene nobulwelwe obusongela ipilo. Ebujamweni obunjalo, isizo esilibawa kuZimu ngomthandazo lisuke likuncenga. Kodwana kungeenkhathezi kwaphela na, lapho singancenga khona uJehova?

⁷ Cabanga ngomthandazo kaJesu osibonelo, utjheje nalokho akutjho ngebizo lakaZimu, umBuso wakhe, nentando yakhe. (Funda uMatewu 6:9, 10.) Iphaseli selingene latjhinga ezintweni ezimbi, aborhulumende babantu babhalelwa ngitjho nakuqalelela iintlhogo ezisisekelo zezakhamuzi zabo. Kuyatjho-ke ukuthi kufuze sithandazele bona ibizo lakaBabethu wezulwini licwengiswe nomBuswakhe ufike uzokurhayila iphaseli elibuswa nguSathana. Lesi sikhathi sokubawa uJehova, simncenge bona intando yakhe yenzeke ephasini njenganyana kunjalo nezulwini. Yeke, asihlaleni silindile, sithandaze ngazo zoke iindlela.

8, 9.Kubayini kufuze siyelele bona singamsoli uPitrosi nabanye abapostoli ngokuzunywa buthongo esimini yeGetsemani?

⁸ Nanyana umpostoli uPitrosi akhuthaza amaKrestu bona ‘aphaphamele ukuthandaza’ nje, ngesinye isikhathi naye wakhe wabhalelwa kukwenza njalo. Ungomunye wabafundi abazunywa buthongo ngesikhathi uJesu athandaza esimini yeGetsemani. Abafundabo babhalelwa ngijtho nalapho uJesu sekabatjela ukuthi “Yelelani nithandaze.”—Funda uMatewu 26:40-45.

⁹ Nokho, kunokuthi sisole uPitrosi nabanye abapostoli ngokubhalelwa kuhlala baphapheme, sizabe senza kuhle ngokukhumbula ukuthi mhlokho bebaphasi phezulu, yeke ukudinwa besekuziphe amandla. Phela ngobusuku bamhlokho balungiselela bebagidinga nePhasika. UJesu wasungula nesiDlo seKosi saNtambama, esaba yikambiso yamlibe yesiKhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe. (1 Kor. 11:23-25) “Kwathi sele bavumile ingoma yokudumisa, baphuma baya entabeni ye-Oliva” bakhamba ibanganyana eendleleni ezivulekileko zeJerusalema. (Mat. 26:30, 36) Ngesikhatheso kungenzeka nobusuku obukhulu besebubethe badlula. Khibe nathi besisesimini yeGetsemani ngobusukobo, kungenzeka besizabe silele. Kunokukhwela azehlele phezu kwabafundi bakhe, uJesu wakuvuma ngethando ukuthi “Ummoya . . . uyavuma, kodwana inyama ibuthakathaka.”

10, 11. (a) Ngisiphi isifundo esafundwa nguPitrosi kokwamehlakalela esimini yeGetsemani? (b) Kukuthinta njani-ke wena lokho okwehlakalela uPitrosi?

¹⁰ UPitrosi akhenge akweqisele amehlo okwamehlakalela esimini yeGetsemani. Wafunda isifundo esibuhlungu sokubhalelwa kuphaphama. Ngaphambidlana uJesu bekathe: “Khona namhlanjesi ebusuku noke nizokukhubeka ngami.” Kilokho uPitrosi wathi: “Ngitjho nanyana bangakhubeka boke laba ngebanga lakho, mina angisoze!” UJesu waphendula ngokuthi uPitrosi uzomphika kathathu. Kodwana uPitrosi waqinisa wathi: “Ngitjho nanyana ngingafa kanye nawe, angeze bengithome ngikulandule.” (Mat. 26:31-35) Nanyana sekatjho koke lokho, uPitrosi wahluleka njengokutjho kwakaJesu. Ngemva kwehlandla lesithathu lokuphika kwakhe uJesu, “walila kabuhlungu.”—Luk. 22:60-62.

¹¹ Kuyatjho ukuthi uPitrosi wafunda isifundo esibuhlungu kokwamehlakalela, wayilahla indaba yokuzithemba khulu. Endabeni le, uPitrosi wasizwa mthandazo. Eqinisweni, sekuyabonakala ukuthi isiluleko ‘sokuphaphamela ukuthandaza’ sivela kuPitrosi. Siyasilalela na isinqophiswesi? Ngaphezu kwalokho, siyakuphaphamela na ukuthandaza, sitjengise ukuthi siyamthemba uJehova? (Rhu. 85:9 [85:8, NW]) Asikhumbuleni nesiluleko sompostoli uPowula esithi: “Nje-ke nawudlumbana bona ujame udzimelele, yelela bona ungawi.”—1 Kor. 10:12.

12. UNerhemiya usibonelo esihle ngayiphi indlela kithi?

¹² Khesicabange ngoNerhemiya ebekamphathikapho weKosi yePheresiya u-Aritarhitjhasta, ngekhulu lesihlanu leminyaka B.C.E. UNerhemiya sibonelo esihle somuntu owaphikelela emthandazweni. ‘Wazila ukudla amalangana, athandaza phambi kwakaZimu’ ngobudisi ebebuphezu kwamaJuda eJerusalema. (Nerh. 1:4) Ngesikhathi u-Aritarhitjhasta ambuza ukuthi waqaleka adane kangaka, uNerhemiya ‘walila kuZimu wezulwini.’ (Nerh. 2:2-4) Kwaba namuphi umphumela? UJehova wayiphendula imithandazwakhe kangangobana kwazuza nabantu bakhe. (Nerh. 2:5, 6) Kuyatjho bona lokho kwamqinisa kwamambala ekholweni uNerhemiya!

13, 14. Kufuze senzeni nesizakuhlala siqinile ekholweni sihlule nemizamo kaSathana yokusidanisa?

¹³ Ukuthandazela butjhilweni njenganyana kwenza uNerhemiya, kusenza sihlale sinekholo eliqinileko. USathana akanasirhawu, usithanda khulu nasibogabogako. Ngokwesibonelo, nasigula namkha sigandelelekile, singathoma ukuzizwa kwanga sekukuncani esikwenzela uZimu esimini. Abanye bethu bangagandeleleka emkhumbulweni ngebanga lokwabehlakalela esikhathini esidlulileko epilweni. USathana ufuna sizizwe singanabubhadekelo. Usisahlela ngobuthakgha, adlale ngamazizo wethu, asibogabogise nekholweni. Nokho, ‘ngokuphaphamela ukuthandaza,’ sizokuhlala siqinile ekholweni. Kwamambala, ngesihlangu esikhulu sekholo ‘sizokukghona ukucima yoke imisubela evuthako yokhohlakeleko.’—Efe. 6:16.

¹⁴ ‘Nesikuphaphamela ukuthandaza’ angekhe sibhajwe bese silahle itewu nasehlakalelwa zizinto esingakazilindeli. Nesiqalene neenlingo nevivinyo, kufuze sikhumbule isibonelo sakaNerhemiya bese sithandaze kuZimu. Okukuphela kwendlela esingaphumelela ngayo eenlingweni ezizingela ikholo lethu, kungesizo lakaJehova.

15. Kufuze sizibuze miphi imibuzo malungana nokuthandazela abanye?

¹⁵ UJesu wathandazela uPitrosi ukwenzela bona umpostoli lo angaphelelwa likholo. (Luk. 22:32) UmKrestu othembekileko wangekhulu lokuthoma u-Ephafrasi walingisa uJesu endabeni le, wazinikela ekuthandazeleni abazalwana beKolose. UPowula wabatlolela wathi: “Njalo emthandazwenakhe uhlala anilwela ukuze niqine nidzimelele begodu niqinisekisiwe kikho koke okusentandweni kaZimu.” (Kol. 4:12) Senza kuhle-ke ngokuzibuza: ‘Ngiyabathandazela na abanakwethu ephasini loke? Kukayingakhi imithandazwami ibandakanya nabazalwana abaqalene nobujamo obumaphorodlha beenhlekelele zemvelo? Ngagcina nini ukuthandazela nalabo abanemithwalo ebudisi ehlanganweni kaJehova? Khengabathandazela na enginabo ebandleni abaqalene nobudisi?

16. Kuqakatheke kangangani ukuthandazela abanye? Hlathulula.

¹⁶ Ukuthandazela abanye kuJehova uZimu kungabasiza kwamambala. (Funda 2 Korinte 1:11.) Nanyana uJehova angakabopheki nje bona aphendule iwomakazi lemithandazo ebuyelelweko ethandazwa ziinceku zakhe ngebanga labanye, uyayitjheja ikareko yamambala ezinayo ngabanakwabo bese ayiphendule. Yeke kufuze silisikimele ilungelo esinalweli nomthwalo wokuthandazela abanye. Njengo-Ephafrasi, kufanele sibe nethando lamambala ngabazalwana nabodade esikhonza nabo ngokubathandazela. Ukwenza njalo kuzokungezelela ethabweni esinalo ngombana “kubusiseke khulu ukupha kunokwamukela.”—IzE. 20:35.

17, 18. Kuzosisiza ngani ‘ukuphaphamela ukuthandaza’?

¹⁷ Ngaphambi kobana athi, “ubusuku sebuyadlula, ukukhanya sekutjhidele,” uPowula watlola: “Yenzani lokhu ngokuzwisisa isikhathi sanje. Isikhathi sesifikile sokobana nivuke ebuthongweni benu ngombana isindiswethu sele iseduze khulu kunangesikhathi esathoma ukukholwa ngaso.” (Rom. 13:11, 12) Iphasi elitjha esilithenjiswe nguZimu libandamele, begodu isindiso yethu iseduze kunalokho thina esikucabangako. Akukafaneli silale ngokomoya, begodu akukafaneli sivumele iphasi nezinto zalo kusebele isikhathi sokuthululela uJehova isifuba ngomthandazo. Kunalokho, ‘asiphaphameleni ukuthandaza.’ Ukwenza njalo kuzosisiza sibandakanyeke “epilweni yokucwenga nekumesabeni uZimu” njengombana silindele ilanga lakaJehova. (2 Pit. 3:11, 12) Indlela esiphila ngayo ngiyo ezokutjho ukuthi siphapheme kangangani ngokomoya nokuthi siyakholelwa na bona isiphelo sephasi elimbeli sesitjhidele. Kwanga ‘singathandaza njalo singalisi.’ (1 Thes. 5:17) Asilingiseni nesibonelo sakaJesu sokufuna indawo ethulileko esingathandazela kiyo. Nesihlala sithandaza kuJehova, sizokutjhidelana naye khudlwana. (Jak. 4:7, 8) Lokho kungaba nesibusiso esihle kwamambala!

¹⁸ ImiTlolo ithi: “Ngesikhathi uJesu asesephasinapha bephele enze imithandazo nokubawela abanye ngesililo esikhulu nangeenyembezi kiloyo ogade anamandla wokumsindisa ekufeni. Begodu bekalalelwa ngombana bekazinikela ngokuzithoba.” (Heb. 5:7) UJesu wabawa ngokuncenga, wathembeka nakuZimu bekwaba semaphethelweni wekambo yakhe yephasini. Ngebangelo, uJehova wayisindisa iNdodanakhe ekufeni bewayipha nokuphila okungapheliko ezulwini. Nathi singathembeka kuBabethu wezulwini, kungakhathaliseki bona siqalana naziphi iinlingo nobudisi ekambweni yethu yokuphila. Kuyatjho-ke ukuthi nathi singamthumba unongorwana wokuphila okungapheliko—kwaphela nje ‘nesiphaphamela ukuthandaza.’