I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
- St. John 10.10]

Many of us have missed out on many things and suffered as a result, by not taking heed, and further despising what God has sent to us as blessings, but we acted otherwise. The older I become and as I reminiscence on my early school days and the many reading books filled with stories, these stories, although folklore were really lessons for life.

One such story was about The Hobyahs, who really were goblins. Deep in the forest lived an old man and woman in a house made of helm stalks. They had no children -- only a faithful dog, named Turpie.

One late night, when the man and his wife were asleep, The Hobyahs decided to wreak havoc on them. So creep, creep, creep from the deep dark forest came the Hobyahs. "Tear down the helm stalks, tie up the old man and carry off the old woman. But little Turpie barked so loudly he scared them away.

The old man was annoyed by Turpie's barking and he promised that as soon as morning dawned he would cut off one of the little dog's ears. But he would soon learn that he was in for more barking as Turpie would bark louder and louder every night that The Hobyahs came. Alas for Turpie, not only would he loose both his ears, his limbs, but his head.

Now that Turpie was no longer alive to scare off The Hobyahs, one night they did come and pulled down the helm stalks, tied up the old man and carried off the old woman in a bag. Realizing what a big mistake he made, he managed to free himself and got busy in putting dog Turpie back together again. Since Hobyahs sleep all day, he went to where they lived and freed his wife but tied up the bag with Turpie on the inside. When they awoke late in the night they went to the bag to tantalize the old woman, but what a surprise when they untied the bag and Turpie jumped out and ate them all up thus leaving any more Hobyahs.

Far from the heavens above God sent his only begotten son Jesus, The Christ to die for our sins. We were doomed for hell and destruction, but by giving his life on Calvary's cross and accepting him as Lord and Savior of our lives, we would inherit eternal life. This is in stark contrast to false leaders whose results are disastrous. They brought death, but the life that Jesus brought to all those who believed in him was an abundant, full, meaningful kind of life.

How many times we take for granted persons whom God has placed in this world to be of support and help to others -- those who would give godly advice, constructive criticisms and powerful ideas for his kingdom here on earth and the good of the brotherhood. But they take words given and spoken to be loud barks much to their annoyance, and they kill them by ignoring, and banishment comes by means of the process of elimination. It is not until crisis and chaos come that a void is terribly felt and God has the rejected stone to become the head cornerstone.

Jesus is saying in our text today that the purpose for his coming here on earth is for us to live life to the fullest, enjoy the finer things of life, discard want and negate waste. He has come for us as a nation to have the very best that life has to offer.

He has come for us to have pristine environments, with lovely gardens and bearing fruit trees, copious showers and fruitful harvests. He has come that family life would be upheld and children be brought up in loving homes rather than be left to fend life for themselves at early ages and stages. Indeed He has come that we might have knowledge wisdom and understanding. He has come for life and not death to be abundant.

Indeed, he has come for us to be more kind and gentle rather than so very spiteful and full of vengeance. He has come so that abundant life would be all over rather than in sparse, selected pockets of familiarity.

Yes Lord, although at times we may feel adverse winds of separatism and rejection, we glory in your name that your words spoken then still has its ancient power for the times in which we live: "I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly." Praise The Lord!

o E-mail rubyanndarling@yahoo.com, write to P.O. Box 19725 SS Nassau, Bahamas with your prayer requests, concerns and comments. God's Blessings.

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