Ko e ngaahi fakamatala naʻe fai ʻe Sāmiuela, Telesa mo Makitaliné ʻoku hā mei ai ʻoku lotu ʻa e kakaí ʻi he ngaahi ʻuhinga kehekehe, ʻo fakangeingeia ange ʻa e lotu ʻe niʻihi ʻi ha niʻihi. Ko e kakai ʻe niʻihi ʻoku loto-moʻoni ʻenau lotú; ko e lotu ʻa e niʻihi ʻoku meimei ko e leaʻaki pē ʻo ʻikai ha ongoʻi ʻe taha. Kae kehe, pe ko ʻenau lotu ke lava ʻi he sivi he akó pe lotu ke mālohi ʻa e timi sipoti ʻoku nau saiʻia taha aí, tataki ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻenau moʻui fakafāmilí pe ko ha ngaahi ʻuhinga kehe, ʻoku ongoʻi ʻe he laui teau miliona ʻoku fiemaʻu ʻa e lotú. Ko hono moʻoní, ʻoku hā mei he ngaahi saveá naʻa mo e niʻihi ʻoku ʻikai haʻanau kaunga ki ha lotu ʻoku nau lotu maʻu pē.

ʻOkú ke lotu? Kapau ko ia, ko e hā ʻokú ke lotu fekauʻaki mo iá? Tatau ai pē pe ʻokú ke tōʻongaʻaki ʻa e lotú pe ʻikai, te ke fifili nai: ‘ʻOku ʻaonga moʻoni ʻa e lotú? ʻOku fanongo mai ha taha?’ Naʻe fakamatalaʻi ʻe ha tokotaha hiki-tohi ʻa e anga ʻo e vakai ki he lotú ko ha “founga fakanonga ia.” ʻOku maʻu ʻe he kau maʻu mafai fakafaitoʻo ʻe niʻihi ha vakai meimei tatau, ʻo ui ʻa e lotú ko ha founga “fakafaitoʻo tokoni.” ʻOku lotu nai ʻa e kakai ʻe niʻihi koeʻuhí pē ko ha fai fakafatongia, pe ko e lelei tahá ke maʻu ha ʻaonga fakaivifoʻou mei hono fakahoko iá?

ʻI hono kehé, ʻoku hā ʻi he Tohi Tapú ko e lotú ʻoku ʻikai ko ha foʻi fakanonga pē ia. ʻOku tala mai ai ʻoku ʻi ai moʻoni ʻa e tokotaha ʻoku fanongo mai ki he ngaahi lotu ʻoku fai ʻi he founga totonu pea ki he meʻa totonu. ʻOku moʻoni eni? Tau vakai angé ki ha fakamoʻoni.

ʻOku ongoʻi ʻe he kakai ʻe niʻihi ko e lotú ko ha fakamole taimi pē, ʻoku ʻikai fanongo mai ha taha ia. Kuo feinga ʻa e niʻihi ke lotu ka ʻoku nau ongoʻi ʻoku ʻikai ke tali ia. Ko e tokotaha fakaʻikaiʻi-ʻOtua ʻe taha naʻá ne sioloto atu ki he tuʻunga ʻo e ʻOtuá peá ne lotu: “Kiʻi fanafana mai pē.” Ka naʻá ne pehē ko e ʻOtuá “ʻoku fuʻu māʻolunga ia ke fanongo mai.”

Ka, ʻoku fakapapauʻi mai ʻe he Tohi Tapú ʻoku ʻi ai ʻa e ʻOtua ʻokú ne fanongo mai ki heʻetau lotú. ʻOku hiki ʻi he Tohi Tapú ʻa e fakamatala ko ení ki he kakai ʻi he kuohilí: “Kuo pau te ne [ʻOtua] ʻofa kiate koe, ʻi he ongo mai hoʻo tautapa: Ko ʻene ongoʻi leva te ne tali koe.” (ʻAisea 30:19) ʻOku pehē ʻi he veesi Tohi Tapu ʻe taha: “Ko e lotu ʻani faitotonu ko hono mamana ia.”—Palōveepi 15:8.

ʻOku toe lave ʻa e Tohi Tapú ki he fakatātā ʻo e faʻahinga naʻe ongona ʻenau lotú. ʻOku pehē ʻi ha veesi ʻe taha ko Sīsū naʻá ne “kōlenga . . . ki he Tokotaha ʻa ia naʻe malava ke ne fakahaofi ia” pea “naʻe ongona ia ʻi he tuʻunga fakahōifua.” (Hepelū 5:7) ʻE toe lava ke maʻu ha fakatātā ʻi he Taniela 9:21 mo e 2 Kalonikali 7:1.

Ko e hā leva ʻoku ongoʻi ai ʻe he kakai ʻe niʻihi ʻoku ʻikai tali ʻenau lotú? Ke ongona ʻetau lotú, kuo pau ke tau lotu pē ki he ʻOtua ʻo e Tohi Tapú, ʻa Sihova,a ʻo ʻikai ki ha toe ʻotua kehe pe ki he fanga kuí. ʻOku toe fiemaʻu ʻe he ʻOtuá ke tau “kole ʻo fakatatau ki hono finangaló”—ki he ngaahi meʻa ʻokú ne hōifua ki aí. ʻOku fakapapauʻi mai ʻe he ʻOtuá kapau te tau lotu ʻi he founga ko ení, “ʻokú ne fanongo mai kiate kitautolu.” (1 Sione 5:14) Ko ia ke ongona ʻetau lotú, ʻoku fiemaʻu ke tau hoko ʻo ʻiloʻi ʻa e ʻOtua ʻo e Tohi Tapú pea ako ki hono finangaló.

ʻOku tui ʻa e kakai tokolahi ko e lotú ʻoku ʻikai ko ha tōʻonga fakalotu pē ka ʻoku fanongo mai ʻa e ʻOtuá ki heʻenau lotú pea tali. Ko Isaac, mei Keniā, ʻokú ne pehē: “Naʻá ku lotu ki ha tokoni ke u mahinoʻi ʻa e Tohi Tapú. ʻIkai fuoloa mei ai, naʻe ʻaʻahi mai ha tokotaha ʻo ʻomai ʻa e tokoni naʻá ku fiemaʻú.” ʻI he ʻOtu Motu Filipainí, naʻe loto ʻa Hilda ke tuku ʻene ifi tapaká. Hili ʻa e ʻikai lavameʻa ʻene toutou feingá, naʻe fokotuʻu ange ʻe hono husepānití, “Ko e hā ʻoku ʻikai ai ke ke lotu ki he ʻOtuá ki ha tokoní?” Naʻá ne ngāueʻaki ʻa e faleʻí peá ne pehē: “Naʻá ku ofo ʻi he founga ʻEne tokoniʻi aú. Naʻe kamata ke mole atu ʻeku uʻa fie ifi tapaká. Naʻe malava ke u tuku ia.”

ʻOku mahuʻingaʻia nai ʻa e ʻOtuá ke tokoniʻi hoʻo ngaahi hohaʻa fakafoʻituitui ʻoku fehoanaki mo hono finangaló?

Fakaaʻu mai ʻe he ʻOtuá hono toʻukupu anga-fakakaumeʻá.

ʻOku fetuʻutaki ʻa e ngaahi kaungāmeʻá ke fakatupulekina ha vahaʻangatae lelei. ʻOku pehē pē, ʻoku fakaafeʻi mai ʻe he ʻOtuá ke tau talanoa ange kiate ia, ʻo fakaʻatā ai e hala ki ha kaumeʻa māfana. ʻOkú ne pehē: “Te mou tautapa kiate au, pea te mou ʻalu ʻo hu kiate au, pea te u ongoʻi kimoutolu.” (Selemaia 29:12) ʻI hoʻo talanoa ki he ʻOtuá, te ke “ʻunuʻunu ofi [kiate ia], pea te ne ʻunuʻunu ofi mai kiate kimoutolu.” (Sēmisi 4:8) ʻOku fakapapauʻi mai ʻe he Tohi Tapú: “ʻOku ofi leva ʻa Sihova ki he kakai kotoa ʻoku tautapa kiate ia.” (Saame 145:18) Ko e lahi ange ʻetau lotu ki he ʻOtuá, ko e tupulaki ange ia ʻetau kaumeʻa mo iá.

Finangalo ʻa e ʻOtuá ke tokoniʻi koe.

Naʻe pehē ʻe Sīsū: “Ko hai ia ha tangata ʻiate kimoutolu, kapau ʻoku kole ki ai ʻe hono fohá ha foʻi mā, te ne ʻoange ki ai ha foʻi maka? Pe, kapau ʻokú ne kole ki ai ha mataʻiika, te ne ʻoange koā ha ngata? Ko ia ai, kapau . . . ʻoku mou ʻilo ʻa e anga ʻo hono foaki ʻa e ngaahi meʻaʻofa lelei ki hoʻomou fānaú, huanoa hake ai hoʻomou Tamai ʻoku ʻi hēvaní ʻa ʻene foaki ʻa e ngaahi meʻa lelei ki he faʻahinga ʻoku kole kiate iá!” (Mātiu 7:9-11) ʻIo, ʻoku fakaafeʻi mai koe ʻe he ʻOtuá ke lotu koeʻuhí “ʻokú ne tokanga mai” pea finangalo ke tokoniʻi koe. (1 Pita 5:7) ʻOku aʻu ʻo ne fakaafeʻi koe ke ʻoange kiate ia hoʻo ngaahi palopalemá. ʻOku tala mai ʻe he Tohi Tapú: “ʻOua ʻe hoko ʻo loto-moʻua ʻi ha faʻahinga meʻa, ka ʻi he meʻa kotoa pē fakafou ʻi he lotu mo e hū tōtōaki fakataha mo e fakafetaʻi, mou ʻai ke ʻilo ai hoʻomou ngaahi kolé ʻe he ʻOtuá.”—Filipai 4:6.

ʻI ai ʻa e fiemaʻu fakalaumālie ʻa e tangatá.

Kuo ʻiloʻi ʻe he kau mataotao ki he natula ʻo e tangatá ko e kakai ʻe laui teau miliona ʻoku nau ongoʻi ʻoku fiemaʻu ke lotu. Naʻa mo e kau fakaʻikaiʻi-ʻOtua mo e kau ʻakinositika ʻe niʻihi ʻoku nau kau ʻi he tokolahi ko ení.a ʻOku fakamoʻoniʻi heni naʻe ngaohi ʻa e tangatá mo ha fiemaʻu fakalaumālie. Naʻe pehē ʻe Sīsū: “Fiefia ē ka ko kinautolu ʻoku nau lāuʻilo ʻoku ʻi ai ʻenau fiemaʻu fakalaumālié.” (Mātiu 5:3) Ko e founga ʻe taha ʻe lava ke tau fakalato ai ʻa e fiemaʻu ko iá ko e fetuʻutaki maʻu pē mo e ʻOtuá.

Kapau te tau tali ʻa e fakaafe ʻa e ʻOtuá ke lotu ange kiate iá, ko e hā nai e ʻaonga te tau maʻú?

Ki muʻa ke ke fai ha ngāue, ʻoku fakanatula nai ke ke fifili, ‘Ko e hā ʻene ʻaonga kiate aú?’ Neongo ia, ko ha siokita ia ke tau ʻeke eni fekauʻaki mo e lotú? ʻOku ʻikai ke pehē ia. ʻOku fakanatula pē ʻetau loto ke ʻilo pe ʻoku ʻi ai hano ʻaonga.

ʻI he kupu ki muʻá, kuo tau fakamoʻoniʻi ai ko e lotú ʻoku ʻikai ko ha founga tuʻumaʻu fakalotu pē pe ko ha faʻahinga fakanonga fakaefakakaukau. ʻOku fanongo moʻoni mai ʻa e ʻOtua moʻoní ki he lotú. Kapau te tau lotu ʻi he founga totonú pea ki he meʻa totonú, te ne tokanga mai. Ko hono moʻoní, ʻokú ne kōlenga mai ke tau ʻunuʻunu ofi ange kiate ia. (Sēmisi 4:8) Ko ia, ko e hā ʻoku tau ʻamanekina kapau ʻoku tau ʻai ʻa e lotú ko ha konga ʻetau moʻuí? Tau vakai angé ki ha niʻihi ʻo e ngaahi ʻaongá.

Nonga ʻa e ʻatamaí.

ʻI he hoko ʻa e ngaahi palopalema mo e pole ʻi hoʻo moʻuí, ʻokú ke ongoʻi ʻoku lōmekina koe ʻe he loto-moʻuá? ʻOku fakalototoʻaʻi kitautolu ʻe he Tohi Tapú ke “lotu maʻu pē” ʻi he ngaahi taimi pehení pea ‘ʻai ke ʻilo ʻetau ngaahi kolé ʻe he ʻOtuá.’ (1 Tesalonaika 5:17; Filipai 4:6) ʻOku fakapapauʻi mai ʻe he Tohi Tapú kapau te tau hanga ki he ʻOtuá ʻi he lotu, “ko e nonga ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻa ia ʻoku fakalaka atu ʻi he mahino kotoa pē te ne maluʻi [hotau] lotó pea mo [ʻetau] ngaahi mafai fakaefakakaukaú.” (Filipai 4:7) ʻE lava ke tau maʻu ʻa e nonga lahi ʻi hono huaʻi atu ʻetau ngaahi hohaʻá ki heʻetau Tamai fakahēvaní. Ko hono moʻoní, ʻokú ne fakalototoʻaʻi kitautolu ke fai pehē. “Li hoʻo kavenga kia Sihova, he te ne poupou koe ʻe ia,” ko e lau ia ʻa e Saame 55:22.

Kuo hokosia ʻe he kakai taʻefaʻalaua ʻi he māmaní ʻa e nonga ko ení. Ko Hee Ran, mei Kōlea Tonga, ʻokú ne pehē: “Neongo ʻa e mafatukituki ʻeku ngaahi palopalemá, ʻi heʻeku lotu pē fekauʻaki mo iá, naʻá ku ongoʻi kuo matafi atu ʻa e fuʻu kavengá peá u ongoʻi ʻoku ou maʻu ʻa e mālohi ke kātekina ia.” Ko Cecilia, ʻi he ʻOtu Motu Filipainí, ʻokú ne fakamatala: “ʻI he hoko ko ha faʻē, ʻoku ou hohaʻa lahi fekauʻaki mo hoku ongo ʻofefiné pea mo ʻeku faʻē, ʻa ia ʻoku ʻikai lava ke ne ʻiloʻi au. Ka koeʻuhi ko e lotú, ʻoku malava ai ke u fekuki mo ʻeku moʻui fakaʻahó ʻo ʻikai fuʻu hohaʻa. ʻOku ou ʻiloʻi ʻe tokoniʻi au ʻe Sihova ʻi hono tokangaʻi kinautolú.”

Fakafiemālie mo e mālohi ʻi he fehangahangai mo e ʻahiʻahí.

ʻOkú ke fehangahangai mo ha loto-mafasia tōtuʻa, mahalo ko ha tuʻunga ʻokú ne fakamanamanaʻi hoʻo moʻuí pe fakatamaki? Ko e lotu ki he “ʻOtua ʻo e fakafiemālie kotoa pē” ʻe lava ke ne ʻoatu ʻa e nonga lahi. ʻOku pehē ʻi he Tohi Tapú ʻokú ne “fakafiemālieʻi kitautolu ʻi he kotoa ʻo ʻetau mamahí.” (2 Kolinitō 1:3, 4) Ko e fakatātaá, ʻi he taimi ʻe taha naʻe hohaʻa lahi ʻa Sīsū, “peá ne tūʻulutui ʻo ne kamata ke lotu.” Ko e hā hono olá? “Naʻe hā ha ʻāngelo mei he langí kiate ia ʻo ne fakaivimālohiʻi ia.” (Luke 22:41, 43) Ko e tangata faitōnunga ʻe taha ko Nehemaia, naʻá ne tofanga ʻi he fakamanamana mei ha kakai kovi naʻa nau feinga ke taʻofi ia mei hono fai ʻa e ngāue ʻa e ʻOtuá. Naʻá ne lotu: “Ke ke fakamalohi hoku nima.” Ko e meʻa naʻe hoko ki mui aí ʻoku fakahaaʻi ai naʻe tokoniʻi moʻoni ia ʻe he ʻOtuá ke ikuʻi ʻene manavaheé pea lavameʻa ʻi heʻene ngāué. (Nehemaia 6:9-16, PM) Ko Reginald, ʻi Kana, ʻokú ne fakamatala ki heʻene hokosia ʻi hono fai ʻa e lotú: “ʻI he taimi ʻoku ou lotu aí, tautefito ʻi he taimi faingataʻa fakatupu lōmekiná, ʻoku ou ongoʻi ke tala ʻeku ngaahi palopalemá ki ha taha te ne lava ʻo tokoniʻi au pea fakapapauʻi mai ʻoku ʻikai ha ʻuhinga ke hohaʻa.” ʻIo, ʻe lava ke fakafiemālieʻi kitautolu ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻi he taimi ʻoku tau lotu ai kiate iá.

Poto mei he ʻOtuá.

Ko e ngaahi fili ʻe niʻihi ʻoku tau fai ʻe lava ke ne uesia tuʻuloa kitautolu mo hotau ngaahi ʻofaʻangá. ʻE lava fēfē ke tau fai ʻa e ngaahi fili fakapotopotó? ʻOku pehē ʻe he Tohi Tapú: “Kapau ʻoku ʻi ai ha taha ʻo kimoutolu ʻoku masiva ʻi he potó [tautefito ʻi he fekuki mo e ʻahiʻahí], tuku ke ne hanganaki kole ki he ʻOtuá, he ʻokú ne foaki nima-homo ki he faʻahinga kotoa ʻo ʻikai te ne ʻoatu mo e lau; pea ʻe foaki ia kiate ia.” (Sēmisi 1:5) Kapau te tau lotu ki ha poto, ʻe lava ke ngāueʻaki ʻe he ʻOtuá hono laumālie māʻoniʻoní ke tataki kitautolu ke fai ʻa e ngaahi fili fakapotopotó. Ko hono moʻoní, ʻe lava ke tau kole tonu hono laumālie māʻoniʻoní koeʻuhí ʻoku fakapapauʻi mai ʻe Sīsū ko e “Tamai ʻi hēvaní [te ne] foaki ʻa e laumālie māʻoniʻoní ki he faʻahinga ʻoku kole kiate iá!”—Luke 11:13.

Naʻa mo Sīsū naʻá ne ʻiloʻi ʻa e fiemaʻu ke kole ki heʻene Tamaí ha tokoni ki hono fai ʻa e ngaahi fili mahuʻingá. ʻOku tala mai ʻe he Tohi Tapú ʻi he taimi naʻá ne loto ai ke fili ʻa e kau tangata ʻe toko 12 ke hoko ko ʻene kau ʻapositoló, “naʻá ne hokohoko atu ʻi he pō kakato ʻene lotu ki he ʻOtuá.”—Luke 6:12.

Hangē ko Sīsuú, ko e tokolahi ʻi he ʻahó ni kuo nau fakamoʻoniʻi eni ʻi heʻenau sio ki he anga hono tali ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻenau kole ki ha tokoni ʻi hono fai ʻa e ngaahi fili fakapotopotó. Ko Regina, ʻi he ʻOtu Motu Filipainí, ʻokú ne fakamatala ki he palopalema kehekehe kuó ne fehangahangai mo iá, hangē ko ʻene tauhi hono fāmilí hili e mate hono husepānití, mole ʻene ngāué pea hokosia ʻa e faingataʻa hono ʻohake ʻa e fānaú. Ko e hā kuó ne tokoniʻi ia ke fai ʻa e ngaahi fili fakapotopotó? ʻOkú ne pehē, “ʻOku ou falala ki he tokoni ʻa Sihova fakafou ʻi he lotú.” ʻOku fakamatala ʻa Kwabena mei Kana ki he ʻuhinga ʻene kole tokoni ki he ʻOtuá, “Naʻe mole ʻeku ngāue totongi lelei ʻi he langá.” ʻI he fakakaukau ki heʻene filí, ʻokú ne pehē, “Naʻá ku toutou lotu ki he tataki ʻa Sihová ki hono fai ʻa e fili totonú.” ʻOkú ne toe pehē, “Kuó u ongoʻi moʻoni hono tokoniʻi au ʻe Sihova ke fili ha ngāue ʻoku malava ai ke u tokanga ki heʻeku fiemaʻu fakalaumālié mo fakaesinó.” ʻE lava foki mo koe ke ke hokosia ʻa e tataki ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻaki hoʻo lotu fekauʻaki mo e ngaahi meʻa ʻe lava ke ne uesia ho vahaʻangatae mo iá.

Kuo tau lave ki he ngaahi ʻaonga pē ʻe niʻihi ʻo e lotú. (Ki ha fakatātā lahi ange, sio ki he puha “ʻAonga ʻo e Lotú.”) Ka, ke ke maʻu ʻa e ngaahi ʻaonga ko ení, ʻoku fiemaʻu ke ke ʻuluaki ʻiloʻi ʻa e ʻOtuá mo hono finangaló. Kapau ko e meʻa ia ʻokú ke fiemaʻú, ʻoku mau fakalototoʻaʻi atu koe ke kole ki he Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová ke nau tokoniʻi koe ʻi hono ako ʻa e Tohi Tapú.a Ko e ʻuluaki sitepu eni ʻe lava ke ke ʻunuʻunu ofi ange ai ki he Tokotaha “tali lotu.”—Saame 65:2.