Let's go!

Haiku for leaving home

Is economic

migration such a new thing?

As ancient as hills!,

God said to Abram

leave everything behind;

come to a new land.

The promise is made

Abram will be blessed, he will

be a great nation.

He’ll be not only

blessed, but will be a blessing

to all earth’s people.

Abram left Haran,

as per instructions; nephew,

Lot, travelled with him.

Seventy-five years

and joining the grey nomads;

quite an adventure!

I’m nearly as old

as Abram when he set forth.

Much trepidation.

Ah, Patriarchy;

wives don’t count. Sarai’s response

was not recorded.

© Ken Rookes 2023

We call it the Fall

Haiku for blaming

We call it the Fall;

this ancient tale that explains

why things aren’t perfect.

When God created

all was good, harmonious;

why did things go wrong?

You may eat, says God

of any in the garden,

save that tree, yonder.

The tree of knowledge

of good and evil; that fruit

will cause you to die.

The crafty serpent,

(Where did he come from?) is made

the villain. Boo, hiss!

No, you will not die,

the serpent spoke. But rather

you’ll be wise, like God.

The man and woman

freely partake of the fruit;

the woman is blamed.

The man and woman,

their nakedness revealed, stitched

loincloths from fig leaves.

Their innocence lost,

the garden becomes a place

of deceit and blame.

Our own earth garden

is wracked by violence, deceit

and blame. Save us, God!

© Ken Rookes 2023 

Come up the mountain

 Haiku

God, Moses chatting.

Come up the mountain, says God;

I’ll give you some laws.

God’s been hard at work

formulating commandments;

writing them on stone.

Benevolent laws

for harmonious living;

laws that lead to life.

Moses, Joshua,

start their climb, tell the elders:

Wait here, we’ll be back.

The mystery cloud

covers Sinai; God’s glory,

a devouring fire.

On the seventh day

God calls from the cloud. Moses

goes up inside it.

From way down below

the people see the glory;

wonder what it means.

Forty days and nights

Moses is gone. The people

think he must be dead.

© Ken Rookes 2023

We work as one

Haiku of the common purpose

Spiritual babes;

that is how Paul described them.

A fractious people.

You are of the flesh,

not the Spirit, I fed you

milk, not solid food.

Quarrels, Jealousies;

these prove that you have not heard,

do not understand.

My job was to plant,

Apollos watered. We work

as one to serve God.

God alone gives growth,

Apollos, Paul don’t matter.

What matters is God

We work together,

servants of God for your sake.

Grow strong in God’s field!

© Ken Rookes 2023

Decide

Haiku for living well

God says: Decide now.

Prosperity or hardship,

life or death. Your choice!

Obey God’s commands.

This is the way to true life,

thus will you prosper.

Rules for living well,

Commandments to enable

harmonious life.

Laws that serve people,

that create community;

building justice, love.

False Gods surround you;

don’t go astray or serve them.

That path leads to death.

Obey and hold fast

to God. This way leads to life;

live long in the land.

I give you this land.

Obey my laws, you’ll be blessed;

choose the way of life.

© Ken Rookes, 2023