A renewed people

 Haiku of promise

Prophet Isaiah

brings words of consolation,

hope for his people.

The days of sorrow

and suffering, they will pass;

rejoicing follows.

God is generous:

gives garments of salvation

robes of righteousness.

They spring up like shoots

in God’s abundant garden:

righeousness and praise.

The prophet cries out,

unable to keep silent

at God’s salvation.

Before the nations

Zion stands vindicated,

shining like the dawn.

There for the nations

to witness; God’s salvation,

like a burning torch!

A renewed people

warrant a new name; The Lord

will spread it abroad.

God’s faithful people,

a lovely crown, a royal

diadem for God.

© Ken Rookes 2023

Announcement

 

Haiku of surprise

Angel Gabriel

finds himself in Nazareth

talking to a girl.

Her name was Mary,

engaged to marry Joseph

of King David’s line.

Greetings, favoured one,

said the messenger from God.

The Lord is with you.

Do not be afraid.

You will conceive, bear a son,

and call him Jesus.

Destined for greatness,

he’ll sit upon David’s throne,

he’ll reign forever

This cannot happen;

I’ve never been with a man.

The Lord will do it.

What say you, Mary?

It’s a most daunting prospect;

are you up for it?

I’m here, said Mary,

God’s servant. Let it happen

to me as you say.

© Ken Rookes 2023

Building a house

 

Haiku for a dwelling

David the monarch,

living in peace, thinks to build

a house for the Lord..

Nathan, the prophet,

agrees; goes home, has a dream

causing a rethink.

Nathan tells David,

since I set my poeople free,

I’ve not had a house.

Have I ever asked

Israel’s leaders to build me

a house of cedar?

You were a shepherd;

I took you from the pasture

to rule my people.

I have been with you.

Your ememies are beaten;

I’ll make your name great.

They will dwell in peace,

planted in the place that I

have appointed them.

God makes you a house!

Your kingdom lasts for ever;

your throne is secured.

© Ken Rookes 2023

Hope for the oppressed

Haiku of restoration

The spirit of God

rests on me, says the prophet;

I must speak good news.

Hope for the oppressed;

God will bind up the broken,

and set captives free.

The year of favour

God will show to those who mourn;

they’ll be comforted.

They will sing and dance

with gladness, praising the Lord.

I will raise them up.

The ancient ruins

are rebuilt, generations

of damage restored.

God hates robbery,

wrong-doing. God loves justice,

reclaims his people.

A new covenant

will be made between the Lord

and the ones he loves.

So much is promised.

God declares that righteousness

 

should cover the earth.

 

 

 

© Ken Rookes 2023

A voice cries, Comfort!

Haiku for a coming.

Comfort my people.

Yes, we could use some comfort.

We feel lost, afraid.

Tell Jerusalem,

in words of tenderness, her

punishment is past.

A voice is crying:

In the wilderness prepare

the way; the Lord comes.

Mountains are levelled,

uneven ground is made smooth,

as are the rough roads.

The Lord is coming,

the day of glory draws near;

we all will see it.

A voice says Cry out!

People are withering grass

and fading flowers.

When God breathes on them

the grass withers, flowers fade;

only God’s word lasts.

Shout out loud, boldly,

Jerusalem. Do not fear.

Say, Here is your God!

The tidings are good.

Tell Judah, God comes in love;

he is our reward.

He will feed his flock

like a shepherd, gathering

the lambs in his arms.

© Ken Rookes 2023

Don't remain angry

 

Don’t remain angry

Haiku of realisation and repentance

You’re elusive, God,

time you made your presence felt,

made the mountains quake!

Make a big display,

cause the nations to tremble;

make them take notice.

No God except you

has ever been seen or heard

throughout the ages.

Those who wait for God

find themselves in God’s presence;

they do what is right.

We made you angry

when we sinned. We were unclean;

and you hid yourself.

Our righteous deeds, they

are nothing, they cling to us

like a filthy cloth.

We fade, like a leaf.

Cut off from you, the wind blows

us away. We die.

You are our Father,

the potter who shapes our lives;

your hand has made us.

Don’t remain angry,

Lord, or remember our sins;

we are your people.

© Ken Rookes 2023

I will seek them out

Haiku for the scattered

The sheep are scattered.

God’s people, dispersed, exiled

among the nations.

I will search for them,

says God. They are my own sheep,

I will seek them out.

I will rescue them

from all their scattered places;

I’ll be their shepherd.

I will bring them home

to Israel’s mountains, give

them food and water.

They’ll have rich pasture,

lie down in good grazing land.

I’ll be their shepherd.

I will seek the lost,

bind the injured, and strengthen

the weak They are mine.

The fat and the strong

I will destroy. They’ll receive

the justice that’s due.

Between sheep and sheep

I will judge; those who ravage,

and the scattered ones.

A true shepherd comes,

my servant David, a prince;

he shall tend my flock.

© Ken Rookes 2023

Deborah takes control

Haiku for a woman judge

Israel’s children

happily ensconced out there,

in their promised land.

They were not faithful;

so, the ancient tale tells us,

God abandoned them.

Canaan’s King Jabin

with Commander Sisera

oppress the people.

They suffered cruelly.

Oppressed by their enemies

They cried out to God.

Prophet Deborah

was Judging Israel, then.

That’s right; a woman!

She sent for Barak,

instructing him: God commands,

go to Mount Tabor.

Take ten thousand men;

an army from Napthali

and from Zebulun.

Sisera will come

to meet you with his army,

You will defeat him.

 

History written

by the winners. Black and white;

God is on our side

© Ken Rookes 2023

Covenant Renewed

Haiku for choosing

The tribes are gathered,

Joshua summons elders

and other leaders.

Before Abraham

your forebears served other gods;

I, your God, blessed him.

I made his offspring

many, led him through Caanan,

I gave him a son.

Therefore you must serve

the Lord; you must be faithful,

serve no foreign gods.

Choose whom you shall serve,

this day. I, and all my house,

we shall serve the Lord.

The people answered:

God has done great things for us,

we, too, will serve God.

Then put them away,

the foreign gods. If you don’t

God will consume you.

The people agree;

choosing to obey the Lord.

Covenant renewed.

© Ken Rookes 2023

Let the wars begin

 Haiku to challenge the narrative

Story of wonder;

defying physics. Who knows

what really happened?

Joshua is told

that God will be with him, as

God was with Moses.

He is in command;

Joshua instruct the priests

at Jordan’s waters.

Selected leaders,

twelve, bear the Covenant’s Ark

across the Jordan.

Symbolic presence;

God will drive the foreigners

from their own country

Colonising God,

a most disturbing image;

should we accept it?

As their feet get wet

Jordan’s flow is arrested.

The people pass through.

The entire nation

crossed into the promised land.

Let the wars begin.