1-3. Kuthetha ntoni ukukhonza uYehova “ngentliziyo epheleleyo”? Zekelisa.

NGENXA yokuba singafezekanga siyazenza iimpazamo. Kodwa ke okuvuyisayo kukuba, uYehova akenzi kuthi “ngokwezono zethu,” ukuba siye siguquke size ngokholo sizithobe kuye sithembele ngedini lentlawulelo likaYesu. (INdu. 103:10) Sekunjalo, njengoko uDavide waxelela uSolomon, ukuze uYehova ayamkele indlela esimnqula ngayo mihla le, sifanele simkhonze “ngentliziyo epheleleyo.” (1 Kron. 28:9) Ekubeni singafezekanga, singayenza njani loo nto?

² Ukuze sibone ukuba singayenza njani, makhe sithelekise ubomi bukaKumkani uAsa nobukaKumkani uAmatsiya. Bobabini aba kumkani bakwaYuda benza okulungileyo phambi kwamehlo kaYehova, kodwa yena uAsa wayenza loo nto ngentliziyo epheleleyo. (2 Kron. 15:16, 17; 25:1, 2; IMize. 17:3) Bobabini babengafezekanga ibe bazenza iimpazamo. Kodwa uAsa yena zange azishiye iindlela zikaThixo, kuba wayezinikele kuye “ngentliziyo epheleleyo.” (1 Kron. 28:9) Kwelinye icala, yena uAmatsiya wayengazinikelanga ngokupheleleyo kuYehova. Emva kokuba ezoyisile iintshaba zikaThixo, wabuya noothixo  bazo waza wabanqula.—2 Kron. 25:11-16.

³ Ukukhonza uThixo “ngentliziyo epheleleyo” kuthetha ukuba asisayi kuze siyeke ukuzinikela kuye ngokupheleleyo. Ngokuqhelekileyo, igama elithi “intliziyo,” eBhayibhileni lichaza eyona nto ayiyo umntu ngaphakathi. Liquka iminqweno anayo, indlela acinga nazijonga ngayo izinto, ubuntu bakhe, izakhono anazo, izinto ezimqhubayo nezinto afuna ukuzenza. Ngoko umntu okhonza uYehova ngentliziyo epheleleyo akankwalambisi xa emkhonza. Akenzi nje uphela-sonwabe xa ekhonza uYehova. Kuthekani ngathi? Kaloku, nangona singafezekanga, ukuba sizinikela ngokupheleleyo kuThixo, singankwalambisi, sakube simkhonza ngentliziyo epheleleyo.—2 Kron. 19:9.

4. Siza kufunda ngantoni?

⁴ Ukuze sikuqonde ukuba kuthetha ukuthini ukukhonza uThixo ngentliziyo epheleleyo, makhe sifunde ngobomi buka-Asa nobabanye ookumkani bakwaYuda abazinikela ngentliziyo yonke ekumkhonzeni—uYehoshafati, uHezekiya noYosiya. Nangona bobane bazenzayo iimpazamo, uYehova wakholiswa ngabo. Kutheni uThixo wabajonga njengabantu abamkhonza ngentliziyo epheleleyo, ibe sinokufana njani nabo?

5. Wenza ntoni uAsa?

⁵ UAsa wayengukumkani wesithathu wakwaYuda emva kokuba kubekho ubukumkani basemntla bezizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli. Washenxisa zonke izithixo elizweni waza wawasusa onke amahenyu asetempileni. KwanoMahaka uninakhulu, wamshenxisa ekubeni “linenekazi, ngenxa yokuba wenza isithixo esilisikizi.” (1 Kum. 15:11-13) Ngaphezu koko, wakhuthaza abantu bakhe ukuba ‘bafune uYehova baze benze umthetho nomyalelo.’ Wanceda nabanye abantu ukuba bafune unqulo lwenene.—2 Kron. 14:4.

6. Wenza ntoni uAsa xa kwafika amaTiyopiya eze kuhlasela ilizwe lakhe?

⁶ Kwiminyaka elishumi yokuqala yokulawula kuka-Asa, uYehova wamsikelela uYuda ngoxolo. Emva koko, kweza uZera umTiyopiya eze kulwa noYuda enamadoda asisigidi neenqwelo zokulwa eziyi-300. (2 Kron. 14:1, 6, 9, 10) Wathini uAsa akubona loo nto? Wabonisa ukuba umthembe ngokupheleleyo uYehova. (Funda eyesi-2 yeziKronike 14:11.) UYehova wawuphendula umthandazo ka-Asa owawusuka entliziyweni ngokuthi amenze awoyise aze awutshabalalise loo mkhosi wamaTiyopiya. (2 Kron. 14:12, 13) Naxa ookumkani bengathembekanga, uYehova wayebenza bazoyise iintshaba zabo ngenxa yegama lakhe. (1 Kum. 20:13, 26-30) Kodwa yena uAsa wathembela ngoYehova, ibe wawuphendula umthandazo wakhe. Ewe kona, kamva uAsa wenza ubudenge. Ngokomzekelo, wacela ukuncedwa yiSiriya endaweni yokucela ukuncedwa nguYehova. (1 Kum. 15:16-22) Sekunjalo, xa uThixo wajonga zonke izenzo zika-Asa, wagqiba kwelokuba intliziyo yakhe “yayiphelele kuYehova yonke imihla yakhe.” Thina, sinokukwenza njani okulungileyo njengoAsa?—1 Kum. 15:14.

7, 8. Unokumkhonza njani uYehova njengoAsa?

⁷ Ngamnye kuthi ufanele ahlole intliziyo yakhe ukuba iphelele na kuThixo. Khawuzibuze, ‘Ngaba ndizimisele ukumenza avuye uYehova, ukuthethelela unqulo lwenene, nokukhusela abantu bakhe kwifuthe elibi elonakalisayo?’ Khawucinge  ngendlela ekwafuneka uAsa abe nesibindi ngayo ukuze aphendulise uMahaka ‘owayelinenekazi’ elizweni! Mhlawumbi akakho umntu omaziyo owenza izinto njengoMahaka, kodwa zikhona iimeko ezinokufuna ube njengoAsa. Ngokomzekelo, uza kuthini xa ilungu lentsapho yakho okanye umhlobo wakho esona kwaye engaguquki, aze asuswe kubudlelane? Ngaba uza kucezela kude kuye? Intliziyo yakho ibiya kukuqhubela entwenini?

⁸ NjengoAsa, unokubonisa ukuba uthembele kuThixo ngentliziyo yakho yonke xa uchaswa ngabantu, kuquka naxa kubonakala ngathi uza koyisakala. Mhlawumbi kuhlekiswa ngawe esikolweni kuba uliNgqina LikaYehova elizimiseleyo. Okanye emsebenzini kuhlekiswa ngawe kuba uye uthathe iintsuku zakho zekhefu ukuze uye kwizinto zonqulo okanye ungasebenzi ixesha elongezelelekileyo. Xa zisenzeka ezo zinto, njengoAsa, thandaza kuThixo. Yiba nesibindi uze uthembele ngoYehova, ube nomqolo xa ubona ukuba into ilungile kwaye inengqondo. Khumbula ukuba uThixo wamomeleza waza wamnceda uAsa, ngoko uza kukomeleza nawe.

9. Xa sishumayela, sinokubonisa njani ukuba sinentliziyo epheleleyo?

⁹ Abakhonzi bakaThixo abacingi ngeziqu zabo kuphela. UAsa wanceda nabanye abantu ukuba bafune unqulo lwenene. Nathi sinceda abantu ‘bafune uYehova.’ UYehova umele ukuba uvuya nyhani xa esibona sithetha nabamelwane nabanye abantu ngaye, siyenza loo nto kuba simthanda nyhani kwaye sinomdla wokwenene wokuba abantu baphile kamnandi ngonaphakade!

10, 11. Unokumxelisa njani uYehoshafati?

¹⁰ UYehoshafati, unyana ka-Asa, “waqhubeka ehamba endleleni kayise uAsa.” (2 Kron. 20:31, 32) Njani? Njengoyise, uYehoshafati wakhuthaza abantu ukuba bamfune uYehova. Wayenza loo nto ngokuthi alungiselele iphulo lokufundisa abantu esebenzisa ‘incwadi yomthetho kaYehova.’ (2 Kron. 17:7-10) Wada waya nakummandla wobukumkani bakwaSirayeli basemntla, kwimimandla yeentaba yakwaEfrayim, ukuze ‘ababuyisele kuYehova.’ (2 Kron. 19:4) UYehoshafati wayengukumkani “owayemfuna uYehova ngentliziyo yakhe yonke.”—2 Kron. 22:9.

¹¹ Nathi sinokuba nenxaxheba kwiphulo lokufundisa uYehova alenze lakho kule mihla. Ngaba uzimisele ukufundisa abantu iLizwi LikaThixo inyanga nenyanga, uzama ukufikelela iintliziyo zabo ukuze bakhonze uThixo? Xa uzinikela ngolo hlobo yaye uThixo ekusikelela, ungaba nesifundo seBhayibhile. Ngaba uyayithandazela loo nto? Ngaba uzimisele ukuyenza le nto, kangangokuba ungancama nexesha lokuphumla? UYehoshafati waya kummandla wakwaEfrayim ukuze ancede abantu babuyele kunqulo lwenene, ibe njengaye nathi sinokunceda abo bapholileyo. Nabadala baya kwabo basusiweyo kubudlelane ekusenokwenzeka ukuba baziyekile izono zabo zangaphambili abakwintsimi yebandla labo ukuze babancede.

12, 13. (a) Wenza ntoni uYehoshafati xa kwakukho into eyayimoyikisa? (b) Kutheni sifanele sifane noYehoshafati size singabi nazintloni zokuchaza xa singakwazi ukuzinceda?

¹² Njengoyise uAsa, uYehoshafati waqhubeka ezinikele kuThixo naxa wayesoyikiswa ngumkhosi omkhulu wotshaba. (Funda eyesi-2 yeziKronike 20:2-4.) UYehoshafati wayetyhwatyhwa! Kodwa, “wazimisela ukuba afune uYehova.” Wathandaza, evuma ukuba abantu bakhe ‘abanamandla phambi kweso sihlwele sikhulu’ nokuba abazi ukuba mabathini.  Wayethembele ngoYehova ngokupheleleyo. Wathi: “Amehlo ethu akhangele kuwe.”—2 Kron. 20:12.

¹³ NjengoYehoshafati nathi ngamanye amaxesha sisenokungazi ukuba masithini, ibe soyike. (2 Kor. 4:8, 9) Kodwa ke, khumbula ukuba uYehoshafati wathandaza wavuma phambi kwabantu abaninzi ukuba yena nabantu bakhe babengakwazi kuzinceda. (2 Kron. 20:5) Iintloko-ntsapho zinokumxelisa uYehoshafati ngokuthi zifune ukukhokelwa nokomelezwa nguYehova xa kuvela iingxaki. Sanukuba neentloni zokuviwa ziintsapho zenu nibongoza uThixo ngolo hlobo. Iintsapho zenu ziya kubona ukuba nithembele ngoYehova. UThixo wamnceda uYehoshafati, ibe uya kuninceda nani.

14, 15. UHezekiya wabonisa njani ukuba uthembele ngoYehova ngokupheleleyo?

¹⁴ Ngokungafaniyo noYehoshafati, ukuze uHezekiya aziwe njengokumkani ‘owaqhubeka enamathele kuYehova,’ kwafuneka alwe nefuthe elibi likayise owayenqula izithixo. UHezekiya “washenxisa iindawo eziphakamileyo waza wazaphula zaziingceba iintsika ezingcwele, wagawula isibonda esingcwele wayityumza yaziingceba inyoka yobhedu eyenziwa nguMoses,” eyayisisithixo ngexesha lakhe. Wayezinikele ngokupheleleyo kuYehova, kuba “waqhubeka eyigcina imiyalelo uYehova awayeyiyalele uMoses.”—2 Kum. 18:1-6.

¹⁵ Kwanaxa iAsiriya, eyayiligunya lehlabathi, yaya kwaYuda yaza yoyikisa ngokutshabalalisa iYerusalem, uHezekiya wathembela kuYehova ngentliziyo yakhe yonke. UKumkani wama-Asiriya uSenaribhe wahlekisa ngoYehova waza wazama ukoyikisa uHezekiya ukuze anikezele. Kodwa, uHezekiya wathandaza ebonisa ukuba uwathembe ngokupheleleyo amandla kaYehova okusindisa. (Funda uIsaya 37:15-20.) UThixo wawuphendula umthandazo wakhe, wathumela ingelosi yaza yabulala ama-Asiriya ayi-185 000.—Isa. 37:36, 37.

16, 17. Unokumxelisa njani uHezekiya njengoko ukhonza uThixo?

¹⁶ Kamva uHezekiya wagulela oogqirha nezicaka. Wamcenga uYehova ukuba akhumbule indlela aye wahamba ngayo phambi kwakhe. (Funda eyesi-2 yooKumkani 20:1-3.) IZibhalo zisibonisa ukuba namhlanje asinakulindela ukuba uYehova enze ummangaliso wokusiphilisa okanye asongezele iminyaka. Nakuba kunjalo, njengoHezekiya nathi sinokuthandaza kuYehova sithi: “Ndahamba ngenyaniso phambi kwakho nangentliziyo epheleleyo.” Ngaba uyayikholelwa into yokuba uYehova unako ibe uyafuna ukukuxhasa emandlalweni wakho wokugula?—INdu. 41:3.

¹⁷ Xa sicingisisa ngomzekelo kaHezekiya, siya kusibona isizathu sokuba kufuneke sisuse kwanto enokusibangela singakwazi ukuba ngabahlobo bakaThixo okanye esiphazamisayo kunqulo lwenene. Siyabona ke ngoko ukuba asifuni kufana nabantu behlabathi abasebenzisa i-intanethi (social media) ukuze banqule abanye abantu. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba amanye amaKristu ayayisebenzisa ukuze ancokole namalungu entsapho okanye nabahlobo. Kodwa abantu phandle apha bayayibaxa indlela abayisebenzisa ngayo i-intanethi, bancokola okanye bafunde ngabantu (following) abangabaziyo. Kungenjalo bachitha ixesha elininzi bebuka iifoto okanye befunda ngabo bantu. Kuyingozi ukuthi phithi bobu buvuvu. UmKristu unokude aziphakamise kuba bebaninzi abantu abamthandayo (likes),  aze akhubeke xa beyeka. Ngaba unombono kaPawulos okanye ka-Akwila noPrisila umhla nezolo bexakeke kukufaka iifoto zabo nakukufunda ngomntu ongenguye umzalwana? IBhayibhile ithi, uPawulos ‘wayexineka lilizwi.’ Yena uAkwila noPrisila babechitha ixesha labo becacisela abanye abantu ‘ngokuchane ngakumbi indlela kaThixo.’ (IZe. 18:4, 5, 26) Zibuze, ‘Ngaba ndenza konke endinako ukuze ndinganquli mntu okanye ndingachithi ixesha elininzi kwizinto ezingenamsebenzi?’—Funda amaEfese 5:15, 16.

18, 19. Ufuna ukwenza ntoni ukuze uxelise uYosiya?

¹⁸ UKumkani uYosiya, umzukulwana kaHezekiya, naye wayezimisele ukugcina imiyalelo kaYehova “ngentliziyo yakhe yonke.” (2 Kron. 34:31) “Waqalisa ukufuna uThixo kaDavide” engekabi nayo neminyaka eyi-20 le, wathi esiba nayo wabe sele eqalile ukuhlambulula uYuda kunqulo-zithixo. (Funda eyesi-2 yeziKronike 34:1-3.) UYosiya wayezimisele kakhulu ukwenza izinto ezikholisa uYehova ukugqitha ookumkani abaninzi bakwaYuda. Nakuba kunjalo, kwathi kwakufunyanwa uMthetho KaMoses, uYosiya waqonda ukuba kusafuneka enyuse iikawusi ekwenzeni ukuthanda kukaThixo. Wacenga nabanye abantu ukuba bakhonze uYehova. Ngenxa yaloo nto, abantu “abaphambukanga ekulandeleni uYehova” ngalo lonke ixesha lokuphila kwakhe.—2 Kron. 34:27, 33.

¹⁹ NjengoYosiya, abantu abaselula bafanele bamfune uYehova besebancinci. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uKumkani uManase, emva kokuba eguqukile, wafundisa uYosiya ukuba uThixo uyaxolela. Nina lutsha, yithini nca kubantu abadala abathembekileyo abakwiintsapho zenu nabasebandleni ukuze nive indlela uYehova aye wabanceda ngayo. Nikhumbule nokuba into eyaqhubela uYosiya esenzweni yayikukufunda iZibhalo. Ukufunda iLizwi LikaThixo kunokukuqhubela esenzweni nawe, wonwabe ngakumbi buze nobuhlobo bakho noThixo buqine, loo nto ikwenze ufune ukunceda nabanye abantu ukuba bafune uThixo. (Funda eyesi-2 yeziKronike 34:18, 19.) Xa ufunda iBhayibhile, loo nto inokukunceda ubone indlela onokuphucula ngayo ekukhonzeni uThixo. Xa uyifunda, zimisele njengoYosiya.

20, 21. (a) Bafana ngantoni aba kumkani bane sifunde ngabo? (b) Siza kufunda ngantoni kwinqaku elilandelayo?

²⁰ Ngaba ubonile ukuba kusinceda ngantoni ukufunda ngaba kumkani bane bakwaYuda abakhonza uYehova ngentliziyo epheleleyo? Babekukhuthalele ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo, ibe babezimisele kakhulu ukuba kwenziwe. Baqhubeka besenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. Bayenza loo nto naxa babeneentshaba ezoyikekayo. Okubaluleke nangakumbi kukuba babengakhonzi uYehova kuba bencwase ukufumana okuthile.

²¹ Kwinqaku elilandelayo siza kubona ukuba aba kumkani bane sithethe ngabo bazenza iimpazamo. Sekunjalo, xa uYehova wahlola iintliziyo zabo wafumanisa ukuba zikuye ngokupheleleyo. Nathi siyazenza iimpazamo. Xa uYehova esihlola, ngaba ufikelela kwisigqibo sokuba simkhonza ngentliziyo epheleleyo? Makhe sithethe ngaloo nto kwinqaku elilandelayo.