MUVA nje umcwaningi othile uye waxoxa nentsha engaphezu kuka-800 esonta emaqenjini ezinkolo ezihlukahlukene, eyibuza ukuthi ingabe ikholelwa ukuthi uJesu ophendula imithandazo. Intsha engamaphesenti angaphezu kuka-60 yathi ikholelwa ngokuqinile ukuthi nguye oyiphendulayo. Kodwa omunye osemusha wesula igama elithi Jesu ohlwini lwamagama ayekhona wayesebhala elithi “Nkulunkulu” esikhundleni salo.

Wena ucabangani? Ingabe kufanele sithandaze kuJesu noma kuNkulunkulu? * Ukuze sithole impendulo, ake siqale ngokuhlola indlela uJesu afundisa ngayo abafundi bakhe ukuthandaza.

UJesu wasifundisa futhi wasibonisa ukuthi kufanele sithandaze kubani.

IMFUNDISO YAKHE: Lapho omunye wabafundi bakaJesu emcela ethi, “Nkosi, sifundise ukuthandaza,” uJesu waphendula: “Noma nini lapho nithandaza, anothi, ‘Baba.’” (Luka 11:1, 2) Ngaphezu kwalokho, eNtshumayelweni yakhe edumile yaseNtabeni, uJesu wanxusa izilaleli zakhe ukuba zithandaze. Wathi: ‘Thandazani kuYihlo.’ Waphinde waziqinisekisa ngokuthi: “UYihlo uyazazi izinto enizidingayo ningakaceli nakucela kuye.” (Mathewu 6:6, 8) Ngobusuku bakhe bokugcina ephila njengomuntu, uJesu watshela abafundi bakhe: “Uma nicela noma yini kuBaba uyoninika yona egameni lami.” (Johane 16:23) Ngakho uJesu wasifundisa ukuthandaza kulowo onguBaba wakhe nonguBaba wethu, uJehova uNkulunkulu.—Johane 20:17.

ISIBONELO SAKHE: Ngokuvumelana nendlela afundisa ngayo abanye ukuthandaza, uJesu naye wathandaza: “Ngikudumisa obala, Baba, Nkosi yezulu nomhlaba.” (Luka 10:21) Ngesinye isikhathi, “uJesu waphakamisela amehlo akhe ezulwini wathi: ‘Baba, ngiyakubonga ngoba ungizwile.’” (Johane 11:41) Lapho uJesu esezokufa, wathandaza: “Baba, ngiyawubeka umoya wami ezandleni zakho.” (Luka 23:46) Ngokuthandaza kuYise osezulwini—‘iNkosi yezulu nomhlaba’—uJesu wabeka isibonelo esicacile okufanele wonke umuntu asilandele. (Mathewu 11:25; 26:41, 42; 1 Johane 2:6) Ingabe yileyo ndlela abafundi bakaJesu bokuqala abayiqonda ngayo indlela yokuthandaza abafundisa yona?

Emasontweni ambalwa uJesu ebuyele ezulwini, abafundi bakhe babehlushwa futhi besongelwa abaphikisi. (IzEnzo 4:18) Njengoba kulindelekile, baluthandazela usizo—kodwa bathandaza kubani? “Baphakamisela amazwi abo kuNkulunkulu nganhliziyonye,” bethandazela ukuba aqhubeke ebasiza “egameni lenceku [yakhe] engcwele uJesu.” (IzEnzo 4:24, 30) Ngakho abafundi balandela iziqondiso zikaJesu zokuthandaza. Bathandaza kuNkulunkulu hhayi kuJesu.

Eminyakeni ethile kamuva, umphostoli uPawulu wachaza indlela yena nabangane bakhe ababethandaza ngayo. Ebhalela amaKristu akanye naye, wathi: “Siyambonga uNkulunkulu uYise weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu ngaso sonke isikhathi uma sinithandazela.” (Kolose 1:3) Wabhalela namakholwa ayekanye naye wathi: “Egameni leNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu ngaso sonke isikhathi nibonga uNkulunkulu noBaba wethu  ngenxa yezinto zonke.” (Efesu 5:20) Kula mazwi siyabona ukuthi uPawulu wayekhuthaza abanye ukuba bathandaze ‘kuNkulunkulu noBaba wethu ngenxa yezinto zonke’—bethandaza ngegama likaJesu.—Kolose 3:17.

NjengamaKristu okuqala, singabonisa uthando lwethu ngoJesu ngokulalela iseluleko sakhe esiphathelene nomthandazo. (Johane 14:15) Lapho sithandaza kuBaba wethu osezulwini—futhi sithandaza kuye yedwa—amazwi eHubo 116:1, 2 ayosenza siqiniseke ukuthi uJehova uyayizwa imithandazo yethu, futhi siyozizwa njengomhubi lapho ethi: “Ngiyathanda, ngoba uJehova uyalizwa izwi lami . . . Zonke izinsuku zami ngizobiza.” *