USARA uphakamisa amehlo akhe ajonge phesheya phayaa. Ukuwaphatha kwakhe kakuhle amakhoboka kwawenza asebenza onwabile. Naye uSara kwelakhe icala wayexakekile. Khawumbone emane ephulula ezo ndawo zibuhlungu ezandleni zakhe. Mhlawumbi wasebenza kakhulu ethunga intente ekrazukileyo ababehlala kuyo. Uboya bebhokhwe eyayenziwe ngabo le ntente babusiya bukhuthuka ngenxa yokuba minyaka le yayitshiswa lilanga inethwa naziimvula. Kumel’ ukuba wayesithi xa eyijonga akhumbule iminyaka abebehlala befuduka ngayo. Ngoku ilanga lalisiya litshona. Ngaloo ntsasa wayebukele uAbraham * esimka, ngoku wayejonge kulaa ndawo ebetshonele kuyo enethemba lokuba uza kuthi gqi. Wathi akubona ingathi nguye lo uthi gqi phaya, waqala wancuma.

Kwakusele kudlule iminyaka elishumi ngoku uAbraham nentsapho yakhe enkulu bewele uMlambo UmEfrate besiya eKanan. USara wamxhasa ngokuzithandela umyeni wakhe kuhambo olude oluya apho angaziyo naye. Wayesazi ukuba injongo kaYehova kukuba imbewu exabisekileyo nohlanga zivele ngoAbraham. Yayiyintoni bethu awayenokuyenza yena uSara? Wayengakwazi ukuba namntwana ibe ngoku wayeneminyaka eyi-75. Mhlawumbi wayezibuza: ‘Ingenzeka njani le nto ithenjiswa nguYehova ekubeni indim umfazi ka-Abraham?’ Le nto yayimenzela ixhala, mhlawumbi engxamele nokubona ukuba iza kwenzeka njani.

Nathi ngamany’ maxesha sisenokuzibuza, inoba bethu uThixo uza kuzenza nini ezi zinto azithembisileyo. Kuba nzima ukulinda, ingakumbi xa silinde into esiyibawela kakhulu. Kodwa yintoni esinokuyifunda kukholo lweli bhinqa?

Le ntsapho yayisandul’ ukufika ivela eYiputa. (Genesis 13:1-4) Yayimise iintente kwiintaba zempuma yeBheteli, indawo amaKanan ayeyibiza ngokuba yiLuzi. Kwezi ntaba ziphakamileyo, uSara wayekwazi ukulibona iLizwe Lesithembiso. Wayebona izixeko zaseKanan neendlela ababehamba kuzo abakhenkethi besiya kwiindawo ezikude. Kodwa yonke nje loo nto, yayingeyonto xa ithelekiswa nalapho wayekhulele khona. Wakhulela eUre, idolophu eseMesopotami, eyayikude ngeekhilomitha eziyi-1 900 kule ndawo wayekuyo. Wayeshiye abantu bakowabo, idolophu eyayineemarike neevenkile, ikhaya elitofotofo elalineendonga nophahla, mhlawumbi namanzi awayefumaneka lula. Kodwa ukuba sinombono walo mfazi ekhathazekile, ejong’ emva ekhaya, ekhumbula izinto zangexesha wayesakhula, kucacile asikamazi kakuhle.

Khawuve ukuba umpostile uPawulos waphefumlelwa ukuba abhale ntoni emva kweminyaka eyi-2 000. Ethetha ngokholo lukaSara noAbraham, wathi: “Ukuba eneneni babehleli beyikhumbula loo ndawo babesuka kuyo, ngebaba nethuba lokubuyela kuyo.” (Hebhere 11:8, 11, 15) Bobabini uAbraham noSara zange babe berhalela izinto ababezishiye emva. Ukuba babezirhalele, ngebabuyel’ ekhaya eUre. Kodwa ukuba babebuyele apho, ngebaphoswa lilungelo  elikhethekileyo ababelinikwe nguYehova. Endaweni yokuba babe ngumzekelo okhuthazayo wokholo ochukumisa iintliziyo zabantu abaninzi, mhlawumbi ngekungekho kwanto ithethwayo ngabo ngoku.

Endaweni yokuba ajong’ emva, uSara wajonga phambili. Waqhubeka exhasa umyeni wakhe kwezi ndawo babehamba behlala kuzo, emncedisa ekuchitheni iintente, ekuqhubeni imfuyo, nasekumiseni iintente kwenye indawo. Waqhubeka enyamezela ezinye iingxaki nezinto ezaye zatshintsha ekuhambeni kwexesha. UYehova waphinda wamthembisa uAbraham, kodwa nangoku akathethi kwanto ngoSara!​—Genesis 13:14-17; 15:5-7.

USara wagqiba kwelokuba akhe athethe noAbraham ngecebo awayenalo. Yiba nombono wakhe ebudideka aze athi: “Khawuncede kaloku! UYehova undivalile ukuba ndingazali bantwana.” Emva koko, ucela umyeni wakhe ukuba abe nomntwana kwisicakakazi sakhe uHagare. Uyayicinga indlela ekumel’ ukuba kwakubuhlungu ngayo kuSara xa wayesenza esi sicelo kumyeni wakhe? Mhlawumbi thina besinokuthi sisimanga esi, kodwa ke ngela xesha yayiyinto eqhelekileyo ukuba indoda ibe nabafazi abaninzi ukuze ibe nabantwana. * Kusenokwenzeka bethu ukuba uSara wayecinga ukuba ngokwenza le nto uThixo wayeza kutsho aphumeze isithembiso sakhe sokuvelisa uhlanga ngoAbraham? USara wayekulungele ukwenza nantoni na, noba yayinzima kangakanani kuye. Wathini yena uAbraham? Sifunda ukuba “waliphulaphula ilizwi [likaSara].”​—Genesis 16:1-3.

Ngaba iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba nguYehova owabangela uSara wenza esi sicelo? Hayi. Endaweni yoko, isicelo sakhe sibonisa indlela umntu azijonga ngayo izinto. Wayecinga ukuba nguThixo obangele wanezi ngxaki, zange ayicinge into yokuba uThixo unendlela yakhe aza kuyilungisa ngayo yonke le nto. Eli cebo likaSara laliza kumphathel’ iingxaki nentlungu. Kodwa ke, esi sicelo sakhe sibonisa ukuba wayengacingel’ isiqu sakhe kuphela. Kwihlabathi eligcwele abantu abafuna kwenzeke izinto ezifunwa ngabo, uSara yena wayengacingeli isiqu sakhe ibe iyancomeka loo nto. Ukuba nathi sibeka kuqala injongo kaThixo kunezinto ezifunwa sithi, sakube sixelisa ukholo lukaSara.

Zange kube kudala uHagare wamitha umntwana ka-Abraham. Waqalisa ukumdelela uSara, mhlawumbi wayecinga ukuba ukumitha kwakhe kumenza abaluleke kunoSara. Inoba wadana nyhani uSara! Wafumana imvume kuAbraham yokuba amohlwaye uHagare ngendlela engachazwanga ibe noThixo wayixhasa loo nto. UHagare wazala unyana  onguIshmayeli, emva koko yaqengqeleka iminyaka. (Genesis 16:4-9, 16) Xa siphinda sisiva ngomyalezo ovela kuYehova, uSara uneminyaka eyi-89 umyeni wakhe yena una-99. Ibe ngoku bafumana umyalezo ovuyisa nyhani!

UYehova waphinda wathembisa uAbraham umhlobo wakhe ukuba uza kuyandisa inzala yakhe. UThixo watshintsha negama lale ndoda. Yayisaziwa ngokuba nguAbram. Kodwa uYehova wayinika igama elinguAbraham, elithetha ‘uYise weentlanga ezininzi.’ Watsho wachaza nendlela uSara angena ngayo kwesi sithembiso. Walitshintsha igama lakhe elithi Sarayi, ekusenokwenzeka ukuba lalithetha “uchuku,” laba nguSara, igama esiliqhelileyo. Lithetha ntoni igama elithi Sara? “Inkosazana”! Wathi uYehova xa echaza isizathu sokuba anike eli bhinqa lithandekayo eli gama: “Ndiza kumsikelela ndize ndikunike unyana ngaye, yaye ndiza kumsikelela abe ziintlanga; kuya kuphuma ookumkani bezizwana kuye.”​—Genesis 17:5, 15, 16.

UYehova wayeza kusebenzisa unyana kaSara ukuze avelise imbewu ezaziza kusikelelwa ngayo zonke iintlanga, njengoko wayenze isivumelwano noAbraham. UThixo wamthiya igama elinguIsake lo nyana, elithetha “Ukuhleka.” UAbraham wathi akuva ukuba uYehova uza kusikelela uSara ngomntwana, “wawa ngobuso wahleka.” (Genesis 17:17) Wayemangaliseke nyhani, enemincili. (Roma 4:19, 20) USara yena?

Zange kube kudala, kwafika amadoda amathathu angaziwayo ententeni ka-Abraham. Kwakusemini emaqanda, ibe nakubeni bebadala uAbraham noSara zange balibazise, bazamkela ezi ndwendwe. Wathi uAbraham kuSara: “Khawulezisa! Thabatha imilinganiselo yeeseha ezintathu zomgubo ocolekileyo, uxovule intlama, wenze amaqebengwana abusazinge.” Kwakusetyenzwa kakhulu ngela xesha xa kusamkelwa iindwendwe. UAbraham zange ayekel’ uSara ibe nguye owenza yonk’ into; wabaleka wayokuxhela ithole lenkunzi yenkomo waza wenza ukutya nento eselwayo. (Genesis 18:1-8) Kwathi kanti loo ‘madoda’ ziingelosi zikaYehova! Kusenokwenzeka ukuba umpostile uPawulos wayecinga ngale nto xa wathi: “Musani ukulibala ukubuk’ iindwendwe, kuba ngako bambi, bengazi bona, baye bamkela iingelosi.” (Hebhere 13:2) Ngaba ungawuxelisa lo mzekelo mhle kangaka ka-Abraham noSara wokubuk’ iindwendwe?

Xa enye yezi ngelosi yaphinda yaxelela uAbraham ngesithembiso sikaThixo sokuba uSara uza kuzala unyana, uSara wayemamele nakuba wayesithele kula madoda. Yamothusa le nto wayeyiva, kangangokuba zange akwazi nokuzibamba—wahlekela ngaphakathi esithi: “Njengokuba sendiphelile nje, ndingaba saba nalo ngenene uyolo kusini na, nenkosi yam yaluphele nje?” Ingelosi yamlungisa uSara ngokumbuza ukuba, “Ikho na into emnqabeleyo uYehova?” USara woyika, wazama ukuzithethelela, into ebinokwenzeka nakubani na. Wathi: “Andikhange ndihleke!” Yathi ingelosi: “Hayi! uhlekile.”​—Genesis 18:9-15.

Ngaba ukuhleka kukaSara kwakubonisa ukuba akanalukholo? Akunjalo. IBhayibhile ithi: “Ngokholo noSara ngokwakhe wafumana amandla okukhawula imbewu, nakuba wayesele edlule kumda wobudala, ekubeni wambalela ekuthini uthembekile lowo wayethembisile.” (Hebhere 11:11) USara wayemazi kakuhle uYehova; wayesazi ukuba angenza nantoni na ayithembisileyo. Sonke siyakubawela ukuba nokholo olunjalo. Sakube senza kakuhle xa sifunda ngoThixo owabhala iBhayibhile. Xa sisenza njalo, siza kutsho sibone ukuba uSara wayefanele ukuba nokholo awayenalo. UYehova uthembeke nyhani ibe uyazenza zonke izinto azithembisileyo, ngamanye amaxesha unokude azenze ngeendlela esingakhange sizilindele okanye zide zisihlekise!

Xa uSara wayeneminyaka eyi-90, kwenzeka into ekudala eyifuna. Wazala unyana, ngelo xesha umyeni wakhe wayeneminyaka eyi-100! UAbraham wamthiya igama elinguIsake lo nyana, elithetha “Ukuhleka,” kanye njengokuba uThixo wayetshilo. Sinokuba  nombono kaSara engakwazi nokulubamb’ uncumo esithi: “UThixo undilungiselele into yokuhleka; wonke ubani okuvayo oku uya kundihleka.” (Genesis 21:6) Esi sipho simangalisayo wayesinikwe nguYehova simel’ ukuba samvuyisa ubomi bakhe bonke. Kodwa ke, samphathela nomsebenzi omninzi.

Xa uIsake wayeneminyaka emihlanu, kowabo kwaye kwenziwa itheko, kubhiyozelwa ukulunyulwa kwakhe. Kodwa kwabakho ingxaki. Sifunda ukuba uSara ‘waphawula’ into eyayisenzeka. UIshmayeli, unyana kaHagare owayeneminyaka eyi-19 wayeqhubeka ehlekisa ngoIsake. Lo yayingengomdlalo njee. Emva kweminyaka, umpostile uPawulos waphefumlelwa ukuba athi yintshutshiso le nto yayisenziwa nguIshmayeli. USara zange avele nje angayihoyi le ntlonti, wayeqonda ukuba ingamenza angonwabi unyana wakhe. USara wayesazi ukuba uIsake akangonyana nje, kodwa wayenomsebenzi obaluleke kakhulu ukuze kwenzeke injongo kaYehova. Ngoko waqweba isibindi waza wayokuthetha noAbraham. Wamcela ukuba agxothe uHagare noIshmayeli.​—Genesis 21:8-10; Galati 4:22, 23, 29.

Wathini uAbraham? IBhayibhile ithi: ‘Le nto zange imkholise kwaphela uAbraham, ngokubhekisele kunyana wakhe.’ Wayemthanda uIshmayeli unyana wakhe kangangokuba wayengayivisisi ncam le nto icelwa nguSara. Kodwa ke, uYehova yena wayeyibona le nto ibe wangenelela. Sifunda oku: “UThixo wathi kuAbraham: ‘Musa ukungakholiswa yiyo nantoni na uSara ayitshoyo kuwe ngenkwenkwe le nekhobokazana lakho. Liphulaphule ilizwi lakhe, kuba iya kubizwa ngoIsake imbewu yakho.’” UYehova wamqinisekisa uAbraham ukuba wayeza kumhoya uHagare nonyana wakhe. UAbraham wavuma.​—Genesis 21:11-14.

USara wayengumfazi wokwenene kuAbraham, wayengumphelelisi wakhe. Wayemxelela yonk’ into noba ingangangeni kamnandi kuAbraham. Xa wabona ingxaki eyayichaphazela intsapho yakhe nekamva labo, wathetha phandle nomyeni wakhe. Asifanele sicinge ukuba wayengamhloniphi uAbraham ngokungqala xa ethetha naye. Nompostile uPetros, owayetshatile wathi uSara ungumzekelo omhle womfazi owayemhlonipha kakhulu umyeni wakhe. (1 Korinte 9:5; 1 Petros 3:5, 6) Enyanisweni, ukuba uSara wayevele wathi cwaka, wayeza kuba akamhloniphi uAbraham, intsapho yakhe yonke yayinokuphoswa lilungelo elikhulu. Ngothando, uSara wathetha le nto kwakufuneka eyithethile.

Abafazi abaninzi bayawuthanda umzekelo kaSara. Kuwo bafunda ukuthetha ngokunyanisekileyo nabayeni babo futhi babahloniphe. Ngamany’ amaxesha, abanye abafazi bakhe babawele ukuba uYehova angenelele kanye njengokuba wenzayo kwimeko kaSara. Sekunjalo, bayafunda kukholo, uthando nomonde awayenawo uSara.

Nangona uSara wanikwa nguYehova igama elithi “Inkosazana,” akazange alindele ukuphathwa okweqanda. Yiloo nto wathi akusweleka eneminyaka eyi-127, uAbraham ‘wamenzela isijwili uSara, wamlilela.’ * (Genesis 23:1, 2) Wayeyikhumbula nyhani “inkosazana” yakhe. Siqinisekile ukuba noYehova uThixo uyayikhumbula le nkosazana ithembekileyo ibe unenjongo yokuyivusela eparadesi eza kube ilapha emhlabeni. USara nabo bonke abo baxelisa ukholo lwakhe balindelwe bubomi obungunaphakade nekamva eliqaqambileyo.​—Yohane 5:28, 29.