USARA wazelula wase ebuka le kude. Izisebenzi zakhe zazikujabulela ukusebenza naye. USara wayekhuthele. Mcabange njengoba ehlikihla izandla zakhe ezibuhlungu ngemva kokusebenza kanzima. Kungenzeka lokhu kwakubangelwa ukuthi wayekade ephesha izimbobo etendeni ababehlala kulo. Itende labo lase liphuphile, lokhu kwakhumbuza uSara ukuthi kwase kunesikhathi behamba behlala. Lase liyozilahla kunina futhi selikhanya umbala osagolide. Ekuseni, wayekade ebuke u-Abrahama * ehamba futhi wayeqhubeka eqalaza njalo kuleyo ndlela ayehambe ngayo. Injabulo yabhalwa ebusweni lapho embona ebuya.

Kwase kudlule iminyaka eyishumi kusukela u-Abrahama nomndeni wakhe bawela uMfula i-Ewufrathe baya ezweni laseKhanani. USara wayelokhu emsekela umyeni wakhe kulolu hambo ngoba wayazi ukuthi ngo-Abrahama, uNkulunkulu wayezofeza injongo yaKhe yokuba kube nesizwe nenzalo ekhethekile. Yini uSara ayengayenza ukuze leyo njongo ifezeke? Wayeyinyumba futhi eseneminyaka engu-75. Kungenzeka wayezibuza, ‘Kungenzeka kanjani ukuthi lesi sithembiso sikaNkulunkulu sifezeke ngoba angibatholi abantwana?’ Kungaqondakala ukuthi kungani ayekhathazekile futhi engahlaliseki.

Nathi ngezinye izikhathi singase sizibuze ukuthi kanti injongo kaNkulunkulu iyogcwaliseka nini. Singase sihluleke ukubekezela ikakhulukazi uma silindele into esifuna ngempela yenzeke. Yini esingayifunda okholweni lwalo wesifazane?

Umndeni wawusanda kubuya eGibhithe. (Genesise 13:1-4) Amatende abo babewabeke empumalanga yeBhethele, noma yeLuze njengoba amaKhanani ayeyibiza kanjalo. Kule ndawo ababehleli kuyo, uSara wayekwazi ukubona ingxenye enkulu yezwe ababethenjiswe lona. Kwakunemizi yamaKhanani nemigwaqo eya ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene. Kuyo yonke leyo ndawo akukho nokuncane okwakufana ne-Uri laseMesophothamiya, lapho uSara azalelwa khona. Wayekhulele edolobheni elikhulu, elaliqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-1 900 ukusuka lapho ababe khona. Kulo wayeshiye izihlobo zakhe, idolobha eliphithizelayo elinezimakethe nendlu yakhe kanokusho eyayinophahla oluqinile nezindonga, okungenzeka nokuthi yayinamapayipi aletha amanzi endlini! Uma sicabanga ukuthi uSara njengoba ayebuka empumalanga wayezisola futhi ekhumbula e-Uri, siyobe asimazi kahle lona wesifazane owesaba uNkulunkulu.

Qaphela lokho umphostoli uPawulu akubhala eminyakeni engu-2 000 kamuva. Ekhuluma ngokholo lukaSara no-Abrahama, wathi: “Ukuba ngempela baqhubeka bekhumbula leyo ndawo ababephume kuyo, babeyoba nalo ithuba lokubuyela.” (Hebheru 11:8, 11, 15) Abazange babheke emuva. Ukube baqhubeka becabanga nge-Uri, kwakuyoba lula ukuba babuyele khona. Babeyolahlekelwa ilungelo  elimangalisayo uJehova ayebathembise lona. Sasingeke sibazi nokubazi futhi babengeke babe yizibonelo zokholo esezithinte izinhliziyo zabaningi.

USara wabheka phambili. Njengoba babehamba behlala, wayeqhubeka esiza umyeni wakhe ekuqhubeni imfuyo yabo nasekudilizeni itende aphinde amsize uma sebeligxumeka futhi. Akugcinanga lapho, ziningi nezinye izinkinga abhekana nazo. UJehova waphinde wakhumbuza u-Abrahama ngayemthembise khona kodwa akukhulunywa lutho ngoSara!—Genesise 13:14-17; 15:5-7.

Ekugcineni, uSara watshela u-Abrahama lokho okwakusengqondweni yakhe. Mcabange uSara enobuso obudangele njengoba ethi: “Siza manje! UJehova ungivalile ukuba ngingabatholi abantwana.” Wacela umyeni wakhe ukuba athathe uHagari, isisebenzi sabo, ukuze amzalele abantwana. Uyacabanga ukuthi kwakunzima kanjani ngoSara ukucela umyeni wakhe ukuba enze lokho? Kungase kuzwakale kuyisicelo esingavamile leso uSara asicela kumyeni wakhe, kodwa ngesikhathi sabo kwakujwayelekile ukuthi indoda ibe nesithembu ukuze kuvele indlalifa. * Kungenzeka yini ukuthi uSara wacabanga ukuthi lelo cebo laliyokwenza ukuba u-Abrahama akwazi ukuveza inzalo ayeyithenjiswe uNkulunkulu? Kunoma yikuphi, uSara wayezimisele ukwenza leso sinqumo esinzima. Wenzenjani u-Abrahama? Sifunda ukuthi “walilalela izwi [likaSara].”—Genesise 16:1-3.

Ingabe lokho uSara akusho wayekuthunywe uJehova? Cha. Lokho uSara akusho kwakungaveli kuNkulunkulu. Kungenzeka wayecabanga ukuthi nguNkulunkulu owayemenze waba yinyumba, ngakho wayengacabangi ukuthi wayezoveza elinye isu. Isinqumo sikaSara, sasizomlethela ubuhlungu nezinkinga. Noma kunjalo, sabonisa ukuthi wayengazicabangeli yena yedwa. Isibonelo sikaSara sokucabangela abanye asimangalisi yini njengoba siphila ezweni elinabantu abazicabangela bona bodwa? Uma sizimisela ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu kuqala kunezinto esizithandayo, sizobe silingisa ukholo lukaSara.

Ngokushesha, uHagari wakhulelwa ingane ka-Abrahama. Ecabanga ukuthi ukukhulelwa ingane ka-Abrahama kumenza abe ngcono kunoSara, waqala ukumdelela. USara wayezalelwe yinja endlini! Ngosizo lukaJehova nangemvume ka-Abrahama, uSara wamqondisa izigwegwe uHagari kodwa iBhayibheli alisho ukuthi kanjani. UHagari wazala indodana, u-Ishmayeli, kwabe sekudlula iminyaka ethile. (Genesise 16:4-9, 16) Sibe sesifunda ngomyalezo ovela kuJehova, ngaleso sikhathi uSara  wayeseneminyaka engu-89 umyeni wakhe enengu-99. Kwakuwumyalezo omnandi!

UJehova waphinde wathembisa umngane wakhe u-Abrahama ukuthi wayezoyandisa inzalo yakhe, washintsha negama lakhe. Wayelokhu aziwa ngokuthi u-Abrama. Kodwa uJehova wamqamba kabusha ngokuthi u-Abrahama, okusho ukuthi “Uyise Wesixuku Sezizwe.” Kulokhu, uJehova wayiveza indima kaSara ekugcwalisekeni kwalesi siprofetho. Walishintsha negama lakhe elithi Sarayi, elisho into efana nokuthi “Othanda Impikiswano,” wamqamba igama elisha elithi Sara, esesimazi ngalo manje. Lisho ukuthini igama elithi Sara? Lisho ukuthi “iNkosazane”! UJehova wachaza ukuthi kungani akhetha ukumqamba leli gama lona wesifazane othandekayo: “Ngiyombusisa futhi ngikunike indodana evela kuye; ngiyombusisa futhi uyoba yizizwe; amakhosi ezizwe ayovela kuye.”—Genesise 17:5, 15, 16.

Injongo kaJehova yokuveza inzalo eyayiyobusisa zonke izizwe zomhlaba, yayiyogcwaliseka ngendodana kaSara! UNkulunkulu waqamba leyo ndodana ngokuthi u-Isaka, okusho ukuthi “Uhleko.” Lapho u-Abrahama ezwa ukuthi uSara wayezothola umntwana, “wawa ngobuso wahleka.” (Genesise 17:17) Wamangala futhi wajabula kakhulu. (Roma 4:19, 20) Wenzenjani uSara?

Ngemva kwesikhashana, kwafika amadoda amathathu ababengawazi etendeni labo. Kwakusemini futhi nakuba u-Abrahama noSara babegugile, basukumela phezulu bazamukela lezi zivakashi. U-Abrahama wathi kuSara: “Shesha! Thatha amaseya amathathu kafulawa ocolekileyo, uxove inhlama wenze amaqebelengwane ayizindilinga.” Ukwamukela izivakashi kwakuwumsebenzi omkhulu ngesikhathi sabo. U-Abrahama wamsiza uSara, wahlaba ithole futhi walungisa nokunye ukudla neziphuzo. (Genesise 18:1-8) Lawo madoda kwakuyizingelosi! Kungenzeka umphostoli uPawulu wayecabanga ngale ndaba lapho ebhala la mazwi: “Ningakukhohlwa ukungenisa izihambi, ngoba ngakho abanye, bengazi, babungaza izingelosi.” (Hebheru 13:2) Ungasilingisa yini isibonelo esihle sikaSara no-Abrahama ngokwamukela izivakashi?

USara wayesetendeni lakhe elalele enye yezingelosi itshela u-Abrahama isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu sokuthi uzozala indodana. Kwavele kwamhlekisa uSara lokho ayekuzwa, ukuthi esemdala kangaka wayengathola ingane, wathi: “Ngemva kokuba sengigugile, ingabe ngempela ngizoba nenjabulo, ngaphandle kwalokho nenkosi yami isindala?” Ingelosi yalungisa ukucabanga kukaSara ngokumbuza lo mbuzo, “Ingabe kukhona okungaphezu kwamandla kaJehova?” USara wesaba kakhulu, waphika, njengoba nomunye umuntu ebengenza. Wathi: “Angihlekanga!” Ingelosi yamphendula yathi: “Cha! Impela uhlekile.”—Genesise 18:9-15.

Ingabe ukuhleka kukaSara kwakusho ukuthi wayengenalo ukholo? Akunjalo. IBhayibheli lithi: “Ngokholo noSara ngokwakhe wathola amandla okukhulelwa inzalo, ngisho nakuba ayesedlulile ebudaleni obumisiwe, njengoba ambheka njengothembekile lowo owayethembisile.” (Hebheru 11:11) USara wayemazi uJehova, azi ukuthi angafeza noma yini ayithembisile. Ubani kithi ongaludingi ukholo olunjalo? Senza kahle ngokufunda ngoNkulunkulu, uMlobi weBhayibheli. Njengoba sifunda ngaye, sizobona ukuthi yini eyenza uSara waba nokholo kangaka. UJehova ukufeza konke akuthembisile, ngezinye izikhathi wenza izinto ngendlela esimangazayo.

Ekugcineni, uSara eseneminyaka engu-90, kwenzeka into okwase kuyisikhathi eside eyifisa. Wazalela u-Abrahama owayeseneminyaka eyikhulu indodana. U-Abrahama waqamba indodana yakhe ngokuthi u-Isaka, noma “Uhleko” njengoba uJehova ayeshilo. Singamcabanga uSara ekhathele kodwa emomotheka njengoba echaza: “UNkulunkulu ungilethele uhleko; wonke umuntu ozwa ngakho uzohleka kanye nami.” (Genesise 21:6) Lesi sipho esiyisimangaliso uJehova amupha sona, samjabulisa  ukuphila kwakhe konke. Noma kunjalo, kwase kunezinto eziningi okwakumelwe azenze.

Lapho u-Isaka eseneminyaka emihlanu, eseyekile ukuncela, umndeni wamenzela idili. Kodwa kwakukhona ababengajabule. Sifunda ukuthi uSara “wayelokhu eqaphela” ukuthi kukhona okwakungahambi kahle. U-Ishmayeli, owayeneminyaka engu-19, wayelokhu ehlupha u-Isaka. Lokhu kwakungekona nje ukumdlalisa. Umphostoli uPawulu waphefumulelwa ukuba athi u-Ishmayeli wayeshushisa u-Isaka. USara wabona ukuthi isenzo sika-Ishmayeli sasiyingozi kumntwana wakhe. USara wayazi ukuthi u-Isaka wayengeyona ingane yakhe nje kuphela, kodwa wayenendima ebalulekile enjongweni kaJehova. Ngakho, waqunga isibindi, wakhuluma no-Abrahama ngalolu daba. Wamcela ukuba axoshe uHagari no-Ishmayeli.—Genesise 21:8-10; Galathiya 4:22, 23, 29.

Wathini u-Abrahama? IBhayibheli lithi le nto uSara ayisho ngendodana yakhe “ayizange neze ithandeke ku-Abrahama.” Kwaba nzima ukuba avumelane noSara ngoba u-Ishmayeli wayeyindodana yakhe futhi emthanda. UJehova wayibona le nkinga, wangenela kulolu daba. Siyafunda: “Khona-ke uNkulunkulu wathi ku-Abrahama: ‘Ungavumeli lutho uSara alushoyo kuwe ngomfana nesigqilakazi sakho ukuba lube olungathandeki kuwe. Lalela izwi lakhe, ngoba lokho okuyobizwa ngokuthi yinzalo yakho kuyoba khona ngo-Isaka.’” UJehova waqinisekisa u-Abrahama ukuthi wayezomnakekela uHagari no-Ishmayeli. U-Abrahama oqotho, wamlalela uNkulunkulu.—Genesise 21:11-14.

USara wayeyinkosikazi eqotho ku-Abrahama, ewenza kahle umsebenzi wakhe wokuba umphelelisi. Wayengagcini ngokutshela u-Abrahama izinto ayengathanda ukuzizwa kodwa wayemtshela namaqiniso. Uma ebona inkinga emndenini wakhe, wayekhuluma ngayo kumyeni wakhe. Ukungagunci kwakhe akufanele kuhlotshaniswe nokungahloniphi. Kamuva umphostoli uPetru, naye owayeshadile, wathi uSara kufanele alingiswe ngoba wamhlonipha ngokujulile umyeni wakhe. (1 Korinte 9:5; 1 Petru 3:5, 6) Ukube uSara akazange akhulume ngalolu daba, wayeyobonisa ukuthi akamhloniphi u-Abrahama ngoba lokhu kwakuyofaka umndeni wakhe wonke enkingeni. Ngothando, uSara wakusho okwakufanele akusho.

Amakhosikazi amaningi ayakuthanda ukulingisa uSara. Isibonelo sakhe siwafundisa ukukhuluma ngenhlonipho nangokwethembeka nabayeni bawo. Ngezinye izikhathi amakhosikazi angafisa sengathi uJehova angangenela ezindabeni zemindeni yawo njengoba enza nakuSara. Noma kunjalo, afunda ukuba nokholo, uthando nokubekezela njengoSara.

Nakuba uJehova abiza uSara ngeNkosazane, uSara wayengalindele ukuba aphathwe njengesitatanyiswa. Yingakho u-Abrahama ‘angena ukuzolilela uSara nokuzomkhalela,’ lapho uSara efa eneminyaka engu-127. * (Genesise 23:1, 2) Wayeyikhumbula kakhulu iNkosazane yakhe. Asingabazi ukuthi noJehova uyamkhumbula lo wesifazane othembekile futhi uzomvusa, aphile epharadesi emhlabeni. USara nabo bonke abalingisa ukholo lwakhe balindele ikusasa laphakade elinezibusiso.—Johane 5:28, 29.