Healing and hope

Haiku for desperate people

On the other side

of the lake, a crowd gathered;,

eager for his word.

A desperate dad,

synagogue leader Jairus,

fell at Jesus’ feet.

Begs for his daughter,

She’s dying, come and touch her

with your healing hands.

A woman is there,

bleeding, unclean for twelve years;

doctors have not helped.

She comes quietly,

feeling shame at her illness;

touches his clothing.

Immediately

her flow of blood ends. What joy!

she knows she is healed.

He somehow feels it,

asks who it was who touched him

as the crowd presses.

In fear and trembling

she falls before him. Daughter,

be healed, go in peace.

He has been delayed;

reports are brought of the girl.

No point in coming.

She’s not dead, he says,

just sleeping. They scoff and laugh.

He goes to the house.

He takes the girls hand,

(She was all of twelve years old),

Little girl, get up!

What wonder is this?

He speaks and his words bring life;

this is the gospel!

© Ken Rookes 2018

Even the wind and the sea

Haiku for the storm-tossed.

When evening came

they took the boat, crossed over

to the other side.

Left the crowd behind,

looking for a brief respite.

Other boats came too.

In the stern, weary,

on a cushion, tired eyes;

Jesus falls asleep.

The wind is rising,

grows into a roaring gale;

waves are crashing in.

Fearful, they wake him.

Teacher, are you not concerned?

We could all be drowned!

Rebuking the wind

and commanding wild sea

he speaks: Peace! Be Still!

The wind dies away

and the waves cease their crashing;

Why are you afraid?

Why are you afraid​?

We’ve travelled far together;

have you still no faith?

Who, they ask, is this;

the wind is at his command,

the sea obeys him.

Words for the faithful

when all seems out of control:

Be at peace! Be still!

© Ken Rookes 2018

The kingdom

Haiku of emerging abundance.

The kingdom of God!

A diff’rent reality,

strange, unexpected.

The seeds are scattered.

The sower gets on with life;

the seeds sprout and grow.

First the stalk, the head,

then the grain swells full and ripe,

and the harvest comes!

Take a mustard seed,

the tiniest of them all;

grows big for the birds.

The kingdom of God;

growing fruitful love, justice;

though we may not see.

Many parables,

riddles to confuse and hide;

his friends understand.

The kingdom of God;

when God rules in hearts and minds,

grace and love abound.

© Ken Rookes 2018

He has a demon

Haiku for the family

Too busy to eat!

The crowd insist, make demands;

they press upon him.

His foes malign him.

They say he has a demon,

gone out of his mind.

His family, too,

are worried. They come to him,

try to take him home.

He gathers his friends,

laughs: a kingdom divided

surely cannot stand!

Take care what you say,

lest you blaspheme the Spirit

with your objections.

His mother arrives

with his brothers, calls him out.

He doesn’t respond.

Looking at the crowd

he asks, Who is my mother,

who are my brothers?

You are my mother

and my brothers, when you do

what God is asking!

© Ken Rookes. 2018