1, 2. Kungani kufanele sibheke imithandazo njengelilungelo lelikhulu, futsi kungani kudzingeka sati loko liBhayibheli lelikufundzisako ngawo?

UMHLABA mncane kakhulu nawucatsaniswa nendzawo yonkhe. Jehova, “lowenta lizulu nemhlaba,” tive tonkhe tebantfu tifanana nelitfonsi lemanti ebhakedeni. (Tihlabelelo 115:15; Isaya 40:15) LiBhayibheli litsi: “Simakadze [Jehova] usedvute nabo bonkhe labambitako, bonkhe labambita ngeliciniso. Wesutsisa kufisa kwabo bonkhe labamesabako, uyabeva nabakhalako, abasindzise.” (Tihlabelelo 145:18, 19) Ase ucabange kutsi kusho kutsini loku. UMdali longuSomandla usedvute natsi futsi utasiva ‘nasimbita ngeliciniso.’ Kulilungelo kusondzela kuNkulunkulu ngemthandazo.

² Nangabe sifuna Jehova eve imithandazo yetfu, kudzingeka sithandaze kuye ngendlela layemukelako. Singakwenta njani loku nangabe singati kutsi yini liBhayibheli leliyifundzisako ngemthandazo? Kubalulekile ngatsi kutsi sati loko imiBhalo lekufundzisako ngalendzaba, ngobe imithandazo isisita sisondzele kuJehova.

3. Ngusiphi sizatfu sekucala lesibalulekile lesenta sithandaze kuJehova?

³ Sizatfu sekucala lesibalulekile lesenta sithandaze kuJehova  sikutsi yena usimema kutsi sente njalo. LiVi lakhe liyasikhutsata: “Ningakhatsateki ngalutfo. Kepha kuko konkhe ticelo tenu atatiwe nguNkulunkulu, ngekukhuleka nekuncusa kanye nekubonga. Kuthula kwaNkulunkulu lokwendlula konkhe kwati kutawulondvolota tinhlitiyo tenu nemicabango yenu kuKhristu Jesu.” (Filiphi 4:6, 7) Yintfo lecinisekile kutsi kufanele silatise lelilungiselelo lesilentelwe nguMbusi loPhakeme wemhlaba wonkhe.

4. Kuthandaza kwetfu njalo kuJehova kubucinisa njani buhlobo betfu naye?

⁴ Lesinye sizatfu lesenta sithandaze njalo kuJehova kungobe sifuna kubucinisa bungani betfu naye. Bantfu lababangani ngeliciniso abakhulumisani nje kuphela nangabe bafuna lokutsite kulomunye. Kunaloko, bangani sibili bayakhatsalelana, bungani babo buyacina njengobe bavetelana loko labakucabangako, lokubakhatsatako, nemiva yabo. Lesimo sifanana nebungani betfu naNkulunkulu Jehova. Ngelusito lwalencwadzi, ufundze lokunyenti ngaloko liBhayibheli lelikufundzisako macondzana naJehova, buntfu bakhe, kanye netinjongo takhe. Sewumati njengemuntfu. Umthandazo usiniketa litfuba lekutjela Babe wetfu  wasezulwini imicabango yetfu kanye nemiva yetfu lejulile. Nangabe wenta njalo, usondzela nakakhulu kuJehova.—Jakobe 4:8.

5. Yini lekhombisa kutsi Jehova akayilaleli yonkhe imithandazo?

⁵ Jehova uyilalela yonkhe yini imithandazo? Ase ucabange ngaloko lakutjela ema-Israyeli lahlubuka emalangeni emphrofethi Isaya: “Nome senenta imithandazo leminyenti kangakanani, ngingeke ngiyilalele. Tandla tenu tigcwele ingati.” (Isaya 1:15) Ngako letinye tintfo lesitentako tingabangela Nkulunkulu angayilaleli imithandazo yetfu. Ngako-ke, kute imithandazo yetfu ilalelwe nguNkulunkulu, kunetimfuneko lokufanele sihlangabetane nato.

6. Kute Nkulunkulu alalele imithandazo yetfu, nguyiphi imfuneko leyinhloko, futsi singahlangabetana njani nayo?

⁶ Imfuneko leyinhloko kutsi sibe nekukholwa. (Makho 11:24) Umphostoli Pawula watsi: “Umuntfu lote kukholwa angeke akhone kujabulisa Nkulunkulu; ngobe lota kuNkulunkulu kufanele akholwe kutsi Nkulunkulu uyaphila nekutsi uyabavuza labo labamfunako.” (Hebheru 11:6) Kuba nekukholwa akusho kuphela kwati kutsi Nkulunkulu ukhona nekutsi uyayilalela futsi ayiphendvule imithandazo. Kukholwa kufakazelwa yimisebenti. Kufanele sinikete bufakazi lobucacile bekutsi sinekukholwa ngendlela lesiphila ngayo onkhe malanga.—Jakobe 2:26.

7. (a) Kungani kufanele sibe nenhlonipho nasithandaza kuJehova? (b) Nasithandaza kuNkulunkulu, singabonisa njani kutsi siyatitfoba futsi sicotfo?

⁷ Jehova ufuna kutsi labo labasondzela kuye ngemthandazo bente njalo ngekutitfoba nangebucotfo. Sinesizatfu lesibalulekile sekutitfoba lapho sikhuluma naJehova. Nangabe bantfu baba nelitfuba lekukhuluma nenkhosi nobe nemengameli, bavamise kukhuluma nabo ngenhlonipho, bakhumbula sikhundla lesikhulu lebanaso. Kufanele simhloniphe  nakakhulu Jehova nasisondzela kuye ngemthandazo. (Tihlabelelo 138:6) Ngobe ‘unguNkulunkulu Somandla.’ (Genesisi 17:1) Nasithandaza kuNkulunkulu, indlela lesikhuluma naye ngayo ibonisa kutsi siyatitfoba futsi siyabona kutsi yena mkhulu kunatsi. Kutitfoba lokunjalo kutasenta sithandaze ngalokusuka etinhlitiyweni tetfu, secwaye imithandazo leyimilolotelo nobe kuphindzaphindza emagama.—Matewu 6:7, 8.

8. Singasebentela njani kuloko lesikuthandazelako?

⁸ Lenye incabekelwane lengenta Nkulunkulu asilalele, kutsi sente ngekuvumelana nemithandazo yetfu. Jehova ulindzele kutsi sente konkhe lokusemandleni etfu kusebentela kuloko lesikuthandazelako. Nasi sibonelo: Nangabe sithandaza, sitsi “Siphe lamuhla kudla kwetfu,” kufanele sisebente matima kunobe ngabe ngumuphi umsebenti lesingakhona kuwenta. (Matewu 6:11; 2 Thesalonika 3:10) Nangabe sithandazela kutsi sikwati kubhekana nebutsakatsa benyama, kufanele sikhweshe etimeni letingasiholela esilingweni. (Kholose 3:5) Ngetulu kwaletimfuneko letibalulekile, kunemibuto lemayelana nemthandazo lokudzingeka kutsi siyiphendvule.

9. Ngubani lokufanele sithandaze kuye, futsi egameni labani?

⁹ Kufanele uthandaze kubani? Jesu wafundzisa balandzeli bakhe kutsi bathandaze ‘kuBabe wetfu losezulwini.’ (Matewu 6:9) Imithandazo yetfu kufanele siyicondzise kuNkulunkulu Jehova. Nobe kunjalo, Jehova ufuna kutsi sicaphele sikhundla seNdvodzana yakhe letelwe yodvwa, Jesu Khristu. Njengobe sifundzile eSehlukweni 5, Jesu watfunyelwa emhlabeni kute abe sihlengo sekusikhulula esonweni nasekufeni. (Johane 3:16; Roma 5:12) UnguMphristi loMkhulu neMahluleli lokhetsiwe. (Johane 5:22; Hebheru 6:20) Ngako-ke, imiBhalo isicondzisa kutsi sithandaze egameni laJesu. Jesu watsi: “Mine ngiyindlela, neliciniso, nekuphila.  Kute longeta kuBabe nakangeti ngami.” (Johane 14:6) Kute imithandazo yetfu ivakale, kufanele sithandaze kuJehova kuphela egameni leNdvodzana yakhe.

10. Kungani kungadzingeki sime ngendlela letsite lekhetsekile nasithandaza?

¹⁰ Kunesimo semtimba lesikhetsekile yini lokufanele sibe kuso nasithandaza? Cha. Jehova akafuni indlela letsite lekhetsekile, kungaba kuma kwetandla nobe umtimba wonkhe. LiBhayibheli lifundzisa kutsi kuyavumeleka kuthandaza umtimba usetimeni letehlukahlukene. Loku kufaka ekhatsi kuhlala phasi, kukhotsama, kuguca kanye nekuma. (1 Tikhronike 17:16; Nehemiya 8:6; Danyela 6:10; Makho 11:25) Lokubaluleke kakhulu simo lesihle senhlitiyo, hhayi indlela yekuma lekhetsekile letawubonwa bantfu. Ecinisweni, nasenta imisebenti yetfu yamalanga onkhe nobe sibhekene nesimo lesiphutfumako, singathandaza ngenhlitiyo. Jehova uyayilalela imithandazo lenjalo nanobe labo labaseceleni kwetfu bangeke bayive.—Nehemiya 2:1-6.

11. Ngutiphi letinye tintfo letisikhatsatako lokufanele sitithandazele?

¹¹ Yini lesingayithandazela? LiBhayibheli liyachaza: “Sinesibindzi kutsi nasicela lutfo kuNkulunkulu [Jehova] ngekwentsandvo yakhe, uyasiva.” (1 Johane 5:14) Ngako singathandazela nobe yini levumelana nentsandvo yaNkulunkulu. Kuyintsandvo yakhe yini kutsi sithandazele tintfo letisikhatsatako? Yebo! Kuthandaza kuJehova kufanana nekukhuluma nemngani lenimatse nelulwimi naye. Singakhuluma sikhululekile ‘sitfululele tinhlitiyo tetfu’ kuNkulunkulu. (Tihlabelelo 62:8) Kufanele sicele umoya longcwele, ngobe utasisita kutsi sente lokulungile. (Lukha 11:13) Singaphindze sicele sicondziso ekwenteni tincumo letihlakaniphile kanye nekusicinisa lapho sinetinkinga. (Jakobe 1:5) Nalapho sonile, kufanele sicele intsetselelo ngemhlatjelo waKhristu. (Efesu 1:3, 7) Noko-ke, akukafanele sithandazele tinkinga tetfu kuphela. Kufanele sithandazele nalabanye —emalunga emndeni kanye nalobo lesikhonta nabo.—Imisebenti 12:5; Kholose 4:12.

12. Singatibeka njani tintfo letibalulekile letimayelana naBabe wetfu wasezulwini kucala emithandazweni yetfu?

¹² Kufanele sithandazele kucala tindzaba letiphatselene naNkulunkulu Jehova. Sinetizatfu leticinile tekwenta imithandazo lesuka enhlitiyweni yekudvumisa nekubonga ngako konkhe kulunga kwakhe. (1 Tikhronike 29:10-13) Jesu wafundzisa bantfu umthandazo losibonelo, lobhalwe kuMatewu 6:9-13, lapho asifundzisa khona kutsi kufanele libito laNkulunkulu lingcweliswe, lokusho kutsi liphatfwe njengalelingcwele. Kwesibili watsi sithandazele uMbuso waNkulunkulu nekutsi intsandvo yakhe yenteke emhlabeni njengobe yenteka ezulwini. Ngemuva kwekusho letintfo letibalulekile letimayelana naJehova, Jesu wabese ukhulumela tindzaba letitsintsa umuntfu nemuntfu. Nasibeka Nkulunkulu kucala emithandazweni yetfu, sisuke sikhombisa kutsi asicabangeli inhlalakahle yetfu kuphela.

13. ImiBhalo itsi kufanele ibe midze kangakanani imithandazo leyemukelekako?

¹³ Kufanele umthandazo wetfu ube mudze kangakanani? LiBhayibheli alisho kutsi imithandazo lesiyenta sisodvwa nobe embikwebantfu kufanele ibe midze kangakanani. Kungase kube yimithandazo lemifisha lesiyenta nasitawudla nobe kube ngulemidze lesiyithandaza nasisodvwa, sitfululela tinhlitiyo tetfu kuJehova. (1 Samuweli 1:12, 15) Nobe kunjalo, Jesu watsi akukafaneli sente imithandazo lemidze, leyentelwa kubukisa. (Lukha 20:46, 47) Imithandazo lenjalo ayimjabulisi Jehova. Lokubaluleke kakhulu kutsi imithandazo yetfu isuke enhlitiyweni. Ngako-ke, budze bemithandazo yetfu buyoncunywa tidzingo netimo tetfu.

14. Lisho kutsini liBhayibheli nalisikhutsata kutsi ‘sithandaze njalo,’ futsi yini lesijabulisako ngaloku?

¹⁴ Kufanele sithandaze kangakhi? LiBhayibheli lisikhutsata kutsi ‘sithandaze njalo,’ ‘sicinisele njalo emthandazweni’  futsi ‘sithandaze singayekeli.’ (Matewu 26:41; Roma 12:12; 1 Thesalonika 5:17) Loku akusho kutsi kufanele sithandaze kuJehova umzuzu nemzuzu. Kunaloko, liBhayibheli lisincenga kutsi sithandaze njalo, simbonge Jehova ngetintfo letinhle lasentele tona futsi setsembele kuye kute asinikete sicondziso, indvudvuto kanye nemandla. Akusijabulisi yini kwati kutsi Jehova akasincumeli budze bemithandazo nekutsi singathandaza kangakhi kuye? Nasilatisa lilungelo lekuthandaza, sitatikhandza sinematfuba lamanyenti ekuthandaza kuBabe wetfu wasezulwini.

15. Kungani kufanele sitsi “Amen” ekugcineni kwemthandazo lesitentela wona nalowentelwa linyenti?

¹⁵ Kungani kufanele sitsi “Amen” ekugcineni kwemthandazo? Ligama lelitsi “amen” lisho kutsi “ngalokucinisekile” nobe “akube njalo.” Tibonelo letisemiBhalweni tikhombisa kutsi kubalulekile kutsi “Amen” ekugcineni kwemthandazo lotentela wona nalesiwuthandaza ebantfwini labanyenti. (1 Tikhronike 16:36; Tihlabelelo 41:13) Nawutsi “Amen” ekugcineni kwemthandazo lotentela wona, usuke ukhombisa kutsi loko lobewukusho ucotfo kuko. Nasitsi “Amen”—etinhlitiyweni nobe ngalokuvakalako—ekugcineni kwemthandazo lowentiwa ngulotsite lothandazela linyenti, sisuke sibonisa kutsi siyavumelana naloyo mthandazo.—1 Khorinte 14:16.

16. Yini lesingaciniseka ngayo mayelana nemthandazo?

¹⁶ Jehova uyayiphendvula yini vele imithandazo? Yebo, kunjalo! Sinesizatfu lesicinile sekwetsemba kutsi ‘Umuvi wemithandazo’ utayiphendvula imithandazo lecotfo yetigidzi tebantfu. (Tihlabelelo 65:2) Jehova imithandazo yetfu angayiphendvula ngetindlela letinyenti.

17. Kungani singatsi Nkulunkulu usebentisa tingilosi netinceku takhe letisemhlabeni kute aphendvule imithandazo yetfu?

¹⁷ Jehova usebentisa tingilosi netinceku takhe letisemhlabeni  kute aphendvule imithandazo. (Hebheru 1:13, 14) Kunetibonelo letinyenti tebantfu labathandaza kuNkulunkulu bacela lusito lekucondza liBhayibheli kwatsi ngemuva nje kwekuba sebathandazile inceku yaJehova yefika yabasita. Leto tibonelo ticinisekisa bufakazi bekutsi tingilosi tiyawucondzisa umsebenti wekushumayela ngeMbuso. (Sembulo 14:6) Jehova angaphendvula imithandazo yetfu yekweswela, ente lomunye umKhristu kutsi asisite.—Taga 12:25; Jakobe 2:16.

18. Jehova uwusebentisa njani umoya longcwele neliVi lakhe kute aphendvule imithandazo yetikhonti takhe?

 ¹⁸ Nkulunkulu Jehova uphindze asebentise umoya longcwele neliVi lakhe, liBhayibheli, kute aphendvule imithandazo yetikhonti takhe. Angaphendvula imithandazo yetfu yekubeketelela tilingo ngekusiniketa sicondziso nemandla ngemoya wakhe longwele. (2 Khorinte 4:7) Imvamisa imphendvulo yemithandazo yetfu yekucela sicondziso ivela eBhayibhelini, lapho Jehova asiniketa khona lusito lwekwenta tincumo letihlakaniphile. Imibhalo lelusito singayitfola nasifundza liBhayibheli nalapho sifundza tincwadzi tebuKhristu, letifanana nalena loyifundzako. Emaphuzu emiBhalo lesidzinga kucabanga ngawo singawatfola emihlanganweni yebuKhristu nobe kulomdzala locabangelako ebandleni.—Galathiya 6:1.

19. Yini lokufanele siyikhumbule nangabe sibona shengatsi ngalesinye sikhatsi imithandazo yetfu ayiphendvulwa?

¹⁹ Nangabe Jehova ephuta kuphendvula imithandazo yetfu, loku akusho kutsi akakhoni kuyiphendvula. Kunaloko, kufanele sikhumbule kutsi Jehova uphendvula imithandazo ngendlela latsandza ngayo nangesikhatsi sakhe. Uyatati tidzingo tetfu nendlela yekutinakekela ncono kunatsi. Kuvamile kutsi asiyekele ‘sichubeke sicela, sifuna, futsi sinconcotsa.’ (Lukha 11:5-10) Kucinisela lokunjalo kukhombisa  Nkulunkulu kutsi sifiso setfu sijule kakhulu nekutsi kukholwa kwetfu kucotfo. Ngetulu kwaloko, Jehova angaphendvula imithandazo yetfu ngendlela lesingayiboni tsine. Sibonelo saloku kutsi imithandazo yetfu lemayelana neluvivinyo angase ayiphendvule ngekutsi asinikete emandla ekulubeketelela, hhayi ngekulususa.—Isaya 40:29.

20. Kungani kufanele sitimisele kusebentisa lilungelo lekuthandaza?

²⁰ Siyabonga ngekutsi uMdali wendzawo yonkhe usedvute nabo bonkhe labambita ngendlela lefanele ngemthandazo. (Tihlabelelo 145:18) Shengatsi singathandaza ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi kuJehova ngobe umthandazo ulilungelo leliligugu. Nasenta njalo, sitawuba nelitsemba lelijabulisako lekusondzela nakakhulu kuJehova, uMuvi wemithandazo.