1, 2. (a) Kungani kubalulekile ‘kuphaphamela kuthantaza’? (b) Ngumiphi imibuto yekutihlola lemayelana nemthantazo lesingatibuta yona?

LENYE indvodza lebeyikadze isebenta ebusuku itsi: “Sikhatsi lesimatima kakhulu sekuhlala uphapheme, kulapho sekutakusa.” Kungenteka kutsi nalabanye lokufanele bangalali busuku bonkhe bangavumelana naloku. EmaKhristu lamuhla abhekana nesimo lesifanako ngobe aphila ekupheleni kwalelive lelibuswa nguSathane. Kufana nangalesikhatsi sekumnyama khwishi ebusuku. Ngako-ke emaKhristu kufanele alwele kuhlale aphapheme. (Rom. 13:12) Kungaba yingoti kakhulu kitsi kulala kulesikhatsi sekuphela. Kubalulekile kutsi ‘siphile engcondvweni’ futsi silalele lokushiwo yimiBhalo kute ‘sikuphaphamele kuthantaza.’—1 Phet. 4:7.

² Njengobe kuphela sekusedvute, kukuhlakanipha kutsi sitibute lemibuto: ‘Ngiyatinika yini sikhatsi sekuthantaza? Ngitisebentisa tonkhe yini tindlela tekuthantaza futsi ngithantaza njalo yini? Kungumkhuba wami yini kuthantazela labanye nobe imithantazo yami igcila kuloko mine lengikudzingako nalengikufunako? Umthantazo ubaluleke ngani ekusindzisweni kwami?’

3. Ngutiphi letinye tinhlobo temthantazo?

³ Encwadzini layibhalela base-Efesu, umphostoli Pawula wakhuluma “ngato tonkhe tinhlobo temthantazo.” (Ef. 6:18) Emithantazweni yetfu, singahle sicele Jehova ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi kutsi enetise tidzingo tetfu futsi asisite ekuncobeni tinsayeya. Loyo ‘lova imithantazo’ uyakujabulela kusilalela nasicela lusito. (Hla. 65:2) Nome kunjalo, kufanele setame kugcila nakuleletinye tinhlobo tekuthantaza. Letinhlobo tihlanganisa kudvumisa, kubonga kanye nekuncusa.

4. Kungani kufanele sidvumise Jehova ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi emithantazweni yetfu?

 ⁴ Kunetizatfu letinyenti tekutsi imithantazo yetfu leya kuJehova ifake ekhatsi emavi ekudvumisa. Sibonelo saloko kutsi, nasicabanga “ngemisebenti yakhe yemandla” kanye ‘nebukhulu bakhe lobumangalisako,’ loko kusenta simdvumise. (Fundza Tihlabelelo 150:1-6.) Cabanga ngaloko lokukuTihlabelelo 150, emavesi lasitfupha kulesehluko akhuluma ngekudvumisa Jehova tikhatsi letingu-13. Lomunye umbhali wetihlabelelo ukhombisa lutsandvo lwakhe lolujulile ngaNkulunkulu nakahlabela atsi: “Ngiyakudvumisa kasikhombisa ngelilanga ngenca yetehlulelo takho tekulunga.” (Hla. 119:164) Jehova kuyamfanela kudvunyiswa. Ngako-ke, singete samdvumisa yini natsi emithantazweni yetfu “kasikhombisa ngelilanga” lokusho kutsi ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi?

5. Kusivikela njani kubonga nasithantaza?

⁵ Lolunye luhlobo lolubalulekile lekuthantaza, kubonga. Naku Pawula lakusho kumaKhristu aseFiliphi, watsi: “Ningakhatsateki ngalutfo, kodvwa kuko konkhe ticelo tenu atatiwe nguNkulunkulu ngekuthantaza, ngekuncusa nangekubonga.” (Fil. 4:6) Kuyasivikela kumbonga ngalokusuka enhlitiyweni Jehova nasithantaza njengobe siphila emalangeni ekugcina nebantfu ‘labangabongi.’ (2 Thim. 3:1, 2) Lelive lesiphila kulo ligcwele umoya wekungabongi. Nangabe singakanaki, natsi singaba nalomoya wekungabongi. Kubonga Nkulunkulu emithantazweni yetfu kusenta senetiseke futsi sibalekele ‘kukhonona nekububula ngekuphila kwetfu.’ (Juda 16) Ngetulu kwaloko, nangabe tinhloko temindeni tifaka nekubonga natithantaza nemindeni yato, tikhutsata umoya wekubonga kubafati bato nakubantfwana bato.

6, 7. Kusho kutsini kuncusa, futsi yini lesingase siyincusele kuJehova?

⁶ Kuncusa kusho kuthantaza ngekutitfoba lokukhulu ukhiphe lokusenhlitiyweni. Ngutiphi tintfo lesingahle sitincusele kuJehova? Loko singakwenta nasihlushwa nome nasigula kakhulu. Ngetikhatsi letinjalo, imithantazo yetfu yekucela lusito kuNkulunkulu isuke iyekuncusa. Nguleti kuphela yini tikhatsi lesingamncusa ngato Jehova?

⁷ Ase ucabange ngemthantazo waJesu losibonelo futsi unake loko lakusho ngelibito laNkulunkulu, uMbuso waKhe kanye nentsandvo yaKhe. (Fundza Matewu 6:9, 10.) Lelive ligcwele bubi futsi bohulumende bebantfu bayehluleka kunakekela ngisho netidzingo letisisekelo tebantfu lababaphetse. Ngako-ke, kufanele sithantazele kungcweliswa kwelibito laBabe wetfu losezulwini kanye neMbuso wakhe kute ucedze kubusa kwaSathane emhlabeni. Lesi sikhatsi sekutsi sincuse Jehova kutsi intsandvo yakhe yenteke emhlabeni njengasezulwini. Shengatsi singahlale siphapheme, futsi sihlale sikulungele kuthantaza tonkhe tinhlobo temthantazo.

8, 9. Kungani kungakafaneli sehlulele Phetro nalalabanye baphostoli ngenca yekulala ensimini yaseGetsemane?

⁸ Nanobe umphostoli Phetro acela emaKhristu kutsi ‘akuphaphamele kuthantaza,’ ngalesinye sikhatsi wehluleka kuhlale aphapheme. Bekangulomunye webafundzi labatunywa butfongo ngesikhatsi Jesu athantaza ensimini yaseGetsemane. Nanobe Jesu besekabatjelile kutsi “hlalani nilindzile futsi nichubeke nithantaza,” behlulekeka kukwenta loko.—Fundza Matewu 26:40-45.

⁹ Esikhundleni sekutsi simehlulele Phetro nalalabanye bafundzi ngekwehluleka kuhlale baphapheme, kufanele sikhumbule kutsi bebasebente kamatima ngalelolanga futsi badzinwe kakhulu. Bebalungiselele umkhosi weliPhasika futsi bawugubha kuloko kuhlwa. Ngemuva kwaloko, Jesu wacalisa Sidlo SeNkhosi Sakusihlwa, abeka sibonelo sendlela yekugubha Sikhumbuto  sekufa kwakhe. (1 Khor. 11:23-25) “Ngemuva kwekuhlabela tingoma, bahamba baya eNtsabeni Yemincuma.” Bahamba umgamu lotsite emigwacweni lemincane yaseJerusalema. (Mat. 26:30, 36) Kungenteka kutsi ngaleso sikhatsi kwakusentsatsakusa. Kube natsi besikhona ensimini yaseGetsemane ngalobo busuku, mhlawumbe ngabe salala. Kunekutsi abakhahlamete labaphostoli labebadzinwe kakhulu, ngelutsandvo Jesu wavuma kutsi “umoya . . . uyalangatelela, kodvwa inyama ibutsakatsaka.”

10, 11. (a) Ngusiphi sifundvo Phetro lasifundza kuloko lokwenteka ensimini yaseGetsemane? (b) Kukufundzisani lokwenteka kuPhetro?

¹⁰ Lokwenteka ensimini yaseGetsemane kwafundzisa Phetro sifundvo lesibalulekile. Wafundza kabuhlungu ngenca yekwehluleka kuhlale aphapheme. Ngaphambi kwaloko, Jesu bekashito kutsi: “Kulobusuku balamuhla, nonkhe nitangishiya.” Phetro wavele watsi: “Ngisho nobe bonkhe laba labanye bangakushiya, mine ngeke ngize ngikushiye!” Jesu waphendvula Phetro ngekutsi atsi utamphika katsatfu. Phetro watsi: “Ngisho nobe kungadzingeka ngife nawe, ngeke ngize ngikuphike.” (Mat. 26:31-35) Nome asho njalo, Phetro wamphika Jesu njengobe abeshilo. Eva buhlungu lobukhulu ngenca yekuphika Jesu, Phetro “wadzindza sililo.”—Luk. 22:60-62.

¹¹ Asingabati kutsi Phetro wafundza sifundvo kuloku futsi wancoba umkhuba wakhe wekutetsemba. Kuyabonakala kutsi Phetro wasitwa ngumthantazo kulendzaba. Kuyaphawuleka kutsi seluleko ‘sekuphaphamela kuthantaza’ sivela kuPhetro. Siyasilalela yini leseluleko lesiphefumulelwe? Ngetulu kwaloko, ‘siyachubeka yini sithantaza’ sikhombise kutsi setsembele kuJehova? (Hla. 85:8) Kufanele sihlale sikukhumbula loko umphostoli Pawula lasecwayisa ngako nakatsi: “Loyo locabanga kutsi umile akacaphele angawi.”—1 Khor. 10:12.

12. Kungani Nehemiya asibonelo setfu lesihle?

¹² Ase ucabange ngaNehemiya lobekangumphatsi wesitja seNkhosi Athazeksesi yasePheresiya ngelikhulu lesihlanu leminyaka B.C.E. Nehemiya usibekela sibonelo lesihle sekuthantaza ngalokusuka enhlitiyweni. ‘Kwaphela emalanga alila azila nekudla athantaza kuNkulunkulu,’ athantazela simo lebesimatima emaJuda lebekabhekene naso eJerusalema. (Neh. 1:4) Ngalesikhatsi Athazeksesi ambuta kutsi kwentiwa yini kutsi buso bakhe bubonakale bukhatsatekile, ‘Nehemiya wavele wathandaza kuNkulunkulu welizulu.’  (Neh. 2:2-4) Waba yini umphumela? Jehova wayiphendvula imithantazo yakhe futsi wacondzisa tintfo ngendlela yekutsi kuzuze bantfu baKhe. (Neh. 2:5, 6) Loko kwakucinisa kukholwa kwaNehemiya.

13, 14. Yini lokufanele siyente kute sihlale sinekukholwa lokucinile futsi simelane nemetamo yaSathane yekusicedza emandla?

¹³ Kuchubeka sithantaza njengaNehemiya, kusisita kutsi sihlale sinekukholwa lokucinile. Sathane akanaluvelo futsi uvame kusihlasela nasibutsakatsaka. Nasi sibonelo: Nasigula kakhulu nobe sicindzetelekile, kungenteka sibone shengatsi sikhatsi lesisicitsa ensimini inyanga ngayinye sibonakala silite kuNkulunkulu. Labanye betfu bangase bacindzeteleke ngenca yekucabanga ngetintfo letimbi letenteka ekuphileni kwabo esikhatsini lesendlulile. Sathane ufuna sikholelwe kutsi asikabaluleki. Kuhlasela kwakhe ngalokuvamile ukwentela kusicedza emandla lokubangela kutsi kukholwa kwetfu kube butsakatsaka. Nome kunjalo, ‘ngekuphaphamela kuthantaza,’ singahlale sinekukholwa lokucinile. Siyaciniseka kutsi ‘sihlangu lesikhulu sekukholwa, sitawucima ngaso tonkhe tikhali letivutsako talomubi.’—Ef. 6:16.

¹⁴ ‘Nasikuphaphamele kuthantaza,’ ngeke setfuke nakuvivinywa kukholwa kwetfu singakalindzeli bese siyayekela kwetsembeka kuJehova. Shengatsi singakhumbula sibonelo saNehemiya nasilingwa ngekutsi sivele sithantaze kuNkulunkulu. Singaphumelela kuphela ngelusito lwaJehova ekumelaneni netilingo nasekubeketeleleni kuvivinywa kwekukholwa kwetfu.

15. Ngumiphi imibuto lokufanele sitibute yona lemayelana nekuthantazela labanye?

¹⁵ Jesu wancusela umphostoli Phetro  kute kukholwa kwakhe kungapheli. (Luk. 22:32) Ephafrasi, umKhristu lobeketsembekile wangelikhulu lekucala leminyaka, walingisa Jesu ngekuthantazela bazalwane baseKholose. Pawula wababhalela watsi: “Uhlale anithantazela ngekutimisela kuze nime nicine futsi niciniseke ngalokuphelele kuyo yonkhe intsandvo yaNkulunkulu.” (Khol. 4:12) Kuhle kutibuta kutsi: ‘Ngiyayenta yini imetamo yekuthantazela bazalwane bami emhlabeni wonkhe? Ngibathantazela kangakanani bazalwane labahlupheka ngenca yekuhlaselwa tinhlekelele temvelo? Ngigcine nini kuthantazela labo labaniketwe umsebenti lomkhulu enhlanganweni yaJehova? Ngike ngabathantazela yini labatsite ebandleni lababhekene nebumatima?’

16. Kubalulekile yini vele kuthantazela labanye? Chaza.

¹⁶ Nasifaka labanye emithantazweni yetfu lesiyiyisa kuNkulunkulu Jehova, ingabasita mbamba. (Fundza 2 Khorinte 1:11.) Nanobe Jehova angakaphoceleleki kutsi aphendvule lemithantazo ngenca yetikhonti takhe letinyenti letiphikelelako natithantaza, uyayibona indlela letimetsemba ngayo nekukhatsateka kwato futsi aphendvule ngekuvumelana naloko letikucelile. Ngenca yaloko, kufanele kube ngulokubalulekile kitsi futsi kube ngumtfwalo wetfu kuthantazela labanye. Kufanele sikhombise indlela lesibatsandza ngayo nalesibakhatsalela ngayo bazalwane nabodzadzewetfu labangemaKhristu ngekubathantazela, silingise Ephafrasi. Nangabe senta njalo, sitawujabula kakhulu ngobe “kunenjabulo lenyenti ekupheni kunasekwemukeleni.”—Imis. 20:35.

17, 18. Kungasisita njani kuhlale ‘siphaphamele kuthantaza’?

¹⁷ Ngaphambi kwekutsi atsi: “Busuku sebuyaphela; imini seyisondzele,” Pawula wabhala watsi: “Niyasati sikhatsi, kutsi sevele ngilo li-awa lekutsi niphaphame ebutfongweni, ngobe nyalo kusindziswa kwetfu sekusedvute kunangesikhatsi siba ngemakholwa.” (Rom. 13:11, 12) Nkulunkulu usetsembise kutsi umhlaba lomusha sewusedvute futsi kusindziswa kwetfu sekusedvute kakhulu kunendlela lesingase sicabange ngayo. Kufanele sihlale siphapheme futsi singavumeli tiphatamiso talelive tisicedzele sikhatsi sekutsi sitithantazele kuJehova. Kufanele ‘sikuphaphamele kuthantaza.’ Loko kutasisita kutsi ‘tento tetfu tekutinikela kuNkulunkulu kanye nekutiphatsa kwetfu kube ngcwele’ njengobe silindzele lilanga laJehova. (2 Phet. 3:11, 12) Indlela lesiphila ngayo itawukhombisa kutsi siphapheme futsi siyakholelwa kutsi kuphela kwalelive lelibuswa nguSathane kutawenteka masinyane. Ngako-ke, shengatsi ‘singahlale sithantaza.’ (1 Thes. 5:17) Kufanele silingise Jesu ngekutsi sitfole indzawo lethulile lapho singaba sodvwa khona bese sikhuluma naJehova ngemthantazo. Nangabe sitinika sikhatsi nasitithantazela kuJehova, sitawusondzelana naye kakhulu. (Jak. 4:7, 8) Loko kutawuba sibusiso lesikhulu kitsi.

¹⁸ ImiBhalo itsi: “Ngesikhatsi asemhlabeni, Khristu wancusa waphindze wacela kuLoyo labengamsindzisa ekufeni, loku wakwenta ngekukhala lokukhulu nangetinyembeti, futsi weviwa ngemusa ngenca yekwesaba kwakhe Nkulunkulu.” (Heb. 5:7) Jesu wancusa futsi wabonga Nkulunkulu wahlale etsembekile kwate kwaba sekugcineni kwekuphila kwakhe emhlabeni. Loko kwabangela kutsi Jehova amvuse ekufeni futsi amnike kuphila lokuphakadze ezulwini njengobe ayiNdvodzana yakhe letsandzekako. Natsi singetsembeka kuBabe wetfu wasezulwini ngisho singase silingwe futsi sivivinywe nganome nguyiphi indlela esikhatsini lesitako. Ngako-ke, singakutfola kuphila lokuphakadze yingci nje ‘nasikuphaphamele kuthantaza.’