USARA welula iqolo wakhangela khonale phetsheya. Izisebenzi zakhe zazikhuthele njalo zisebenza zichelesile. Wayengagoqi izandla aphongubukela abanye besebenza. Akumbone ezihlikihlikihla izandla ingqondo ikhatshana. Mhlawumbe ubegambela ithente eliyilo indlu yabo. Ithente leli elalenziwe ngesigogo sembuzi laselijujukile ngenxa yokuxatshwa lilanga kanye lokunethwa lizulu. Engxenye lokhu kwakumkhumbuza ukuthi sebeleminyaka behlala emathenteni. Lithe selibantu bahle uSara wakhangela indlela u-Abhrahama * ayetsholobele ngayo ekuseni. Izihlathi zaxotshana lendlebe ebona umkakhe ethutsha emaqaqeni.

Kwasekudlule iminyaka eminengi u-Abhrahama lemuli yakhe kanye lezinceku zakhe bechaphe uMfula uYufrathe besiya eKhenani. Kulo lonke uhambo lolu uSara wayehlala emsekela umkakhe ngoba wayekwazi ukuthi injongo kaJehova yokuthi kube lenzalo lesizwe yayizagcwaliseka ngomkakhe. Kodwa kuyini uSara ayezakwenza? Phela yena wayeseleminyaka engu-75 njalo eyinyumba. Mhlawumbe wayezibuza ukuthi, ‘Isithembiso sikaJehova sizagcwaliseka njani mina ngingumka-Abhrahama?’ Kuyazwisiseka nxa wayekhathazekile njalo esephelelwa yikubekezela.

Lathi kwezinye izikhathi siyake sizibuze ukuthi kambe izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu zizagcwaliseka yini. Kuba nzima ukubekezela ikakhulu nxa sikulindele ngabomvu ukugcwaliseka kwesithembiso esithile. Ukholo lukaSara lusifundisani?

Imuli ka-Abhrahama yayisanda kuphenduka ivela eGibhithe. (UGenesisi 13:1-4) Bafika bafaka amathente abo emaqaqeni ayesempumalanga yeBhetheli. AbaseKhenani babeyibiza ngokuthi yiLuzi iBhetheli. Esesiqongweni lesi uSara wayebona ezinye izindawo zeLizwe Lesithembiso. Wayebona imizi yeKhenani lemigwaqo eyayihanjwa ngabantu besiya ezindaweni ezikhatshana. Kodwa konke lokhu kwakusala phansi nxa kuqathaniswa le-Uri lapho akhulela khona, eyayiqhelelane ngamakhilomitha angu-1 900 lalapho ababekhona. Wayetshiye izihlobo zakhe ezinengi khonale, idolobho elalizimele kuhle elalilamamakethe lomuzi wakhe owawulophahla lemiduli eqinileyo. Engxenye lamanzi wayephonguvula empompini. Kodwa siyabe silahleke kakhulu nxa sicabanga ukuthi owesifazana lo othanda uJehova wayelokhu efisa ukuthi babuyele bayekhomba ngophakathi e-Uri.

Eminyakeni engabangu-2 000 eyalandelayo, umphostoli uPhawuli waphefumulelwa ukuthi abhale ngokholo luka-Abhrahama loSara. Wathi: “Aluba babecabanga ngelizwe abasuka kulo, babezakuba lethuba lokubuyela.” (KumaHebheru 11:8, 11, 15) USara lo-Abhrahama abazange babelokhu becabanga nge-Uri ngoba lokhu kwakungenza bacine bebuyela emuva. Aluba babuyela babengasoze basithole isibusiso uJehova ayebagcinele sona njalo babengeke babe yizibonelo ezinhle zabantu abatshengisa ukholo.

USara wayengakhangelanga izinto ayezitshiye  emuva kodwa wayewathe nhlo phambili. Waqhubeka encedisana lomkakhe kulolohambo, emncedisa nxa bepakitsha amathente, beqhuba imihlambi yabo loba begxumeka kutsha amathente. Wabekezelela bonke ubunzima ababehlangana labo. UJehova wakhuluma lo-Abhrahama watsho okunye ngesithembiso sakhe kodwa kazange atsho lutho ngoSara.​—UGenesisi 13:14-17; 15:5-7.

USara wabona sesifikile isikhathi sokuthi aphose elakhe. Akumbone ekhanya ekhathazekile ngesikhathi esithi: “UJehova ungincitshile abantwana.” Ngemva kwalokho ucela umkakhe ukuthi alale lencekukazi yakhe uHagari ukuze imtholele abantwana. Kufanele ukuthi uSara wayesizwa ubuhlungu ngesikhathi esethula isicelo sakhe. Lamuhla isicelo leso singakhanya singelangqondo kodwa ngalezonsuku kwakujayelekile ukuthi indoda ibe lesithembo ukuze ithole indlalifa. * Kungenzakala ukuthi uSara wayecabanga ukuthi lokhu kwakuzakwenza inhloso kaNkulunkulu yokuthi u-Abhrahama abe lesizukulwane esikhulu igcwaliseke. Okuhle yikuthi wayezimisele ukulahlekelwa ngokuthile. Wenzani u-Abhrahama esezwe isicelo lesi? IBhayibhili lithi “wavuma kulokho okwakutshiwo [nguSara].”​—UGenesisi 16:1-3.

Icebo likaSara lalivela kuJehova yini? Hatshi. Icebo lakhe litshengisa ukuthi wayecabanga njengomuntu wonke. Phela wayezitshela ukuthi inhlupho zakhe zibangelwa nguNkulunkulu njalo wayengaboni ukuthi kukhona uNkulunkulu ayengakwenza ngohlupho lolo. Icebo likaSara lalizamfaka enkathazweni. Lanxa kunjalo isicelo sakhe sitshengisa ukuthi wayengafuni izinto zilungele yena yedwa kuphela. Okwenziwa nguSara kuyamangalisa sibili ngoba abantu emhlabeni bagijimisa okufunwa yibo kuphela. Nxa sisenza intando kaNkulunkulu ize kuqala kulezinto esizifunayo siyabe silingisela ukholo lukaSara.

UHagari wazithwala ngemva kokulala lo-Abhrahama. Engxenye ukuzithwala lokho yikho okwamenza waqalisa ukukhangelela uSara emanzini. Ayesekwenza kwabangela ukuthi uSara azwe ubuhlungu. IBhayibhili lithi uSara waqalisa ukumphatha kubi uHagari njalo u-Abhrahama loJehova bakuvumela lokhu. UHagari wazibula ngendodana, yabizwa ngokuthi ngu-Ishmayeli. (UGenesisi 16:4-9, 16) Iminyaka yaqhubeka ihamba, uNkulunkulu waphinda wakhuluma lo-Abhrahama ngesikhathi eseleminyaka engu-99 njalo uSara eselengu-89. UNkulunkulu wabatshela izindaba ezinhle.

UNkulunkulu waphinda wathembisa umngane  wakhe u-Abhrahama ukuthi wayezakwandisa inzalo yakhe. Waphinda wantshintsha ibizo lakhe elithi Abhrama wamnika elithi Abhrahama elitsho ukuthi “Uyise Wezizwe Ezinengi.” UJehova waveza lokuthi uSara ungena njani esithembisweni leso. Walintshintsha ibizo lakhe elithi Sarayi elalingabe lisitsho ukuthi “Othanda Ingxabano,” wamnika elithi Sara eliyilo esilijayeleyo. Ibizo elithi Sara litsho ukuthi “iNdlovukazi.” UJehova wacacisa ukuthi yindaba wamnika ibizo leli wathi: “Ngizambusisa, njalo ngizakunika indodana ngaye. Ngizambusisa ukuze abe ngunina wezizwe; amakhosi ezizwe azavela kuye.”​—UGenesisi 17:5, 15, 16.

Inzalo uJehova ayethembise u-Abhrahama ukuthi izaletha izibusiso ezizweni yayizadabuka endodaneni kaSara. UNkulunkulu wathi umntwana lo uzathiwa ngu-Isaka okutsho ukuthi “Ukuhleka.” U-Abhrahama wathi esizwa uNkulunkulu esithi uSara uzakuba lomntwana “wawa wathi mbo ngobuso phansi; wahleka.” (UGenesisi 17:17) Wayethabile njalo emangele. (KwabaseRoma 4:19, 20) USara yena wenzani?

Kwelinye ilanga kwathutsha amadoda amathathu ethenteni lika-Abhrahama emini. Lanxa basebeluphele u-Abhrahama lomkakhe baphangisa bemukela izivakatshi lezo. U-Abhrahama wathi kuSara: “Phangisa, thatha izilinganiso ezintathu zefulawa ecolekileyo, ucube inhlama wenze isinkwa.” Ngalezonsuku ukwamukela izivakatshi kwakungasimsebenzi wokudlala. U-Abhrahama kazange atshiyele umsebenzi wonke kuSara, laye waphangisa wayahlaba iguqana elihle walungisela izivakatshi lezi ukudla kanye lokunathwayo. (UGenesisi 18:1-8) Amadoda la ayezingilosi zikaNkulunkulu. Kufanele ukuthi umphostoli uPhawuli wayecabanga ngendaba le ngesikhathi ebhala ukuthi, “Lingakhohlwa ukwamukela izihambi, ngoba ngokwenza njalo abanye abantu bamukela izingilosi bengazi.” (KumaHebheru 13:2) Zama lawe ukulingisela u-Abhrahama loSara ngokwamukela izihambi.

USara wayesethenteni lakhe elalele ngesikhathi enye ingilosi iphinda isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu sokuthi uzakuba lomntwana. Kuye kwakuzwakala kuyinganekwane ukuthi angaba lomntwana ngoba wayeseluphele yikho kwamehlula ukuzibamba wahleka yedwa wathi: “Kambe sengiluphele kanje lenkosi yami isindala, ngingayikhona ngizuza intokozo le?” Ingilosi yasimqondisa ngombuzo othi, “Kambe kulolutho yini olwehlula uJehova na?” Into eyenziwa nguSara yayingenziwa yiloba ngubani. Wazivikela egcwele ukwesaba wathi: “Kangizange ngihleke mina.” Ingilosi yathi: “Ye, uhlekile.”​—UGenesisi 18:9-15.

Kambe ukuhleka kukaSara kwakutshengisa ukuthi kalakholo yini? Ngitsho lakancane. IBhayibhili lithi: ‘Ngokukholwa, uSara wanikwa amandla okuba lomntwana ngoba wambona njengothembekileyo lowo owayenze isithembiso.’ (KumaHebheru 11:11) USara wayemazi kuhle uJehova njalo eqiniseka ukuthi uyazigcwalisa zonke izithembiso azenzayo. Sonke siyaludinga ukholo olunjalo. Ukuze sibe lalo kumele sifunde iBhayibhili ngoba yilo elizasenza sibe mazi kuhle uNkulunkulu. Singenza njalo sizabona ukuthi uSara wayelezizatho sibili zokukholwa kuJehova. UJehova uthembekile njalo uyazigcwalisa zonke izithembiso zakhe futhi kwezinye izikhathi angazigcwalisa ngendlela engasimangalisa kakhulu.

USara wathi eseleminyaka engu-90 wayithola intokozo ayeyifisa impilo yakhe yonke. Wabeletha indodana, umkakhe eseleminyaka engu-100. U-Abhrahama wenza khona kanye uNkulunkulu ayethe kwenziwe ngokunika indodana yakhe ibizo elithi Isaka elitsho “Ukuhleka.” Kufanele ukuthi uSara wayebobotheka ngesikhathi esithi: “UNkulunkulu usengilethele ukuthi ngihleke, njalo bonke abazakuzwa lokhu bazahleka lami.” (UGenesisi 21:6) Isipho lesi asithola kuJehova samenza wathokoza  okwempilo yakhe yonke. Saphinda samenza waba lomsebenzi omkhulu.

U-Isaka wathi eseleminyaka emihlanu kwenziwa idili lokukhitshwa kwakhe ebeleni. USara wananzelela ukuthi kukhona okutshaya amanzi. IBhayibhili lithi uSara “wabona” ukuthi kulokunye okungahambi kuhle. Indodana kaHagari u-Ishmayeli eyayisileminyaka engu-19 yayihlala iseyisa u-Isaka. Lokhu yayingakwenzi idlala. Umphostoli uPhawuli waphefumulelwa ukuthi abhale esithi u-Ishmayeli wayehlukuluza u-Isaka. USara wabona ukuthi okwakusenziwa indodana yakhe kwakungaqondanga. Wayekwazi mhlophe ukuthi u-Isaka wayelomsebenzi omkhulu ekugcwaliseni inhloso kaJehova. Yikho waqunga isibindi, wakhuluma lo-Abhrahama engagudli iguma. Wamcela ukuthi axotshe uHagari lo-Ishmayeli.​—UGenesisi 21:8-10; KwabaseGalathiya 4:22, 23, 29.

Wenzani u-Abhrahama? IBhayibhili lithi: “Indaba le yamhlupha kakhulu u-Abhrahama.” Wayeyithanda indodana yakhe yikho kwakunzima ukuthi ayilahlele iganga. UJehova wayekhangele yikho wangenela. IBhayibhili lithi: “Kodwa uNkulunkulu wathi kuye, ‘Ungakhathazeki kakhulu ngomfana kanye lesigqilikazi sakho. Lalela konke uSara akutshela khona ngoba isizukulwane sakho sizabalwa ngo-Isaka.’” UJehova wathembisa u-Abhrahama ukuthi wayezamnakekela uHagari lomntanakhe. Inceku ethembekileyo u-Abhrahama yenza njengoba yayitsheliwe.​—UGenesisi 21:11-14.

U-Abhrahama wayethethe inkosikazi uqobo. Phela uSara wayengatsheli umkakhe izinto ayefuna ukuzizwa kuphela. Nxa wayebona uhlupho olungaphambanisa imuli yabo wayengatshoni ekhekheleza kodwa wayemtshela konke okusesifubeni. Ayekwenza akutsho ukuthi wayedelela. Umphostoli uPhetro owayethethe wabhala etshengisa ukuthi uSara uyisibonelo esihle kakhulu somuntu owayehlonipha umkakhe. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 9:5; 1 UPhetro 3:5, 6) Aluba uSara wafela ngaphakathi kwakuzaba nzima ukuthi ahloniphe umkakhe ngoba imuli yonke yayizacwila enkathazweni. USara wakhuluma okwakumele akutsho ngenhlonipho.

Amakhosikazi amanengi ayakubuka okwenziwa nguSara. Isibonelo sakhe siwafundisa ukuthi akhulume ngehlonipho konke okusezifubeni zawo. Kwesinye isikhathi amanye amakhosikazi angafisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu angenele endabeni zawo njengoba wenza kuSara. Lanxa kunjalo angalingisela isibonelo sikaSara ngokuba lokholo, ukubekezela kanye lothando.

Lanxa uJehova wayemnike ibizo elitsho ukuthi “iNdlovukazi,” uSara kazange afune ukuphathwa njengowasesikhosini. Akumangalisi ukuthi wathi esifa eleminyaka engu-127, u-Abhrahama “wamlilela uSara wamkhalela.” * (UGenesisi 23:1, 2, The Holy Bible in Ndebele.) Walahlekelwa kakhulu ngokufelwa “yiNdlovukazi” yakhe. Asithandabuzi ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu uyamkhumbula owesifazana lo owayethembekile njalo uzimisele ukumvusa ukuze aphile ePharadayisi ngesikhathi esizayo. USara kanye labanye abalingisela ukholo lwakhe bazathola ukuphila okungapheliyo ngesikhathi esizayo.​—UJohane 5:28, 29.