Bethlehem Ephrathah

Haiku for a birthplace

The prophet Micah

nominates the birthplace town;

it is Bethlehem!

Bethlehem might be

a small place; from her one comes

to rule Israel.

When the time is right

she will give birth; until then

much must be endured.

When he stands to rule,

his absent kindred shall come

home to Israel.

Standing in the strength

of God, he will feed his flock.

They shall live secure.

His name will be known

to the ends of all the earth;

he shall rule in peace.

© Ken Rookes 2024

Sing, Zion's daughters

 

Haiku of hope for people who are oppressed.

Sing, Zion's daughters,

shout, rejoice, be exultant

with your whole being.

Your judgement has passed,

your enemies are scattered;

the Lord has done this.

You need fear no more,

don't grow weak or disheartened;

God is in your midst.

The Lord rejoices

over you. With gladness God

renews you in love.

Disaster is gone,

there is no reproach; I'll deal

with your oppressors.

I will save the lame,

and gather in the outcast,

removing their shame.

I will bring you home,

your fortunes will be restored,

all earth will praise you.

. . . .

When you've been shown grace,

Jesus says, you're expected

to also show grace.

No longer oppressed,

you'd hope they'd extend that same

freedom to others.

© Ken Rookes 2024

Reflecting on Zephaniah 3:14-29

God's Messenger comes

 Haiku for refining

God's messenger comes,

sent to make ready the way;

clearing obstacles.

The Lord whom you seek

will arrive without warning;

make yourselves ready.

He comes to make real

the ancient covenant, made

between God and us.

Not many can stand

before the Lord; not many

will be judged righteous.

Like refining fire

and soap turning wool to felt,

the Lord transforms us.

Like gold and silver

we all need to be refined;

purify us, God.

We must bring ourselves

as a righteous offering,

pleasing to the Lord.

© Ken Rookes 2024

The day is coming

Haiku of righteousness

The day is coming

to fulfil the promise to

Israel, Judah.

At that time, says God,

I'll make a righteous branch spring

up for King David.

Justice, righteousness;

these are what a nation needs.

All else is detail.

Justice, righteousness;

these are the gifts of the one

that God is sending.

Judah will be saved,

Jerusalem will be safe

when justice prevails.

The day is coming,

God says. On that day justice

brings life to the land.

© Ken Rookes 2024

Last words

Haiku of conclusion

They engaged a scribe

to record the final words

of David, the King.

God exalted him,

favoured him above others.

(Despite all his sins).

God's Spirit, said Dave,

speaks through me. His divine word

is upon my tongue.

Israel's Rock says:

A just ruler, fearing God

shines like the morning.

Like the sun rising,

gleaming like rain on the grass;

the king who is just.

God knows I am just.

He makes lasting covenant

with me and my house.

God secures my house,

He will cause it to prosper;

my help and desire.

© Ken Rookes 2024

Hannah's Story

 

Haiku of entreaty

Hannah was favoured

by Elkanah, but sadly,

she had no children.

Hannah wept. Husband

Elkanah spoke words of love

to reassure her.

At Shiloh, Hannah

prayed earnestly to the Lord;

See my misery!

Remember me, Lord.

Give me a child, a son; I'll

give him back to you.

Judge Eli, watching,

thought her drunk, rebuked Hannah:

Put away your wine!

Hannah protested,

Not drunk; merely pouring out

my heart before God.

Eli answered, Go

in peace; may Israel's God

grant your petition.

Back home in Ramah,

Hannah conceived, bore a son,

sang her song of praise.

I asked God for him

and the Lord has answered me.

Samuel's his name.

Hannah sang:

The barren bear fruit,

the mighty will be brought low,

and the poor raised up!

(Sound familiar?)

© Ken Rookes 2024

Capitalism

 

Capitalism:

some folk have more than they need,

most don't have enough.

Ken Rookes 2024

Lunatics

 

When the lunatics

take over the asylum –

already happened!

Ken Rookes 2024

Ruth. Part 2.

 

Some cheeky haiku

A cheeky story

unfolds. Widow Naomi

eyes kinsman, Boaz.

Tells Ruth: Wash, anoint

yourself, put on your best dress,

make yourself sexy.

Go to the threshing-

floor. Wait until he’s eaten,

watch where he lies down.

Go and uncover

his feet and lie there with him.

He will instruct you.

So it came to pass.

Boaz took Ruth and married

her. She bore a son.

Much celebration!

Naomi’s daughter-in-law

secures her future!

Naomi helped nurse

grandson Obed. His grandson

was David, the king.

Ruth's story tells us

that foreigners have faith, too.

Remember this truth.

© Ken Rookes 2024

Ruth. Part 1.

Haiku to set up the story

A protest story.

Ruth, the faithful foreigner,

wife par excellence!

The story’s set up

with famine, and a welcome

in a foreign land.

The Hebrew brothers

marry local Moab girls,

then all the blokes die.

Widow Naomi

heads back home. Daughters-in-law

Ruth, Orpah, go too.

Naomi says: Go

back girls; and find new husbands

among your people.

My lot is bitter,

God has turned his back on me,

I have no future.

Orpah kissed good-bye.

Naomi commanded Ruth

to also return.

Don’t make me leave you,

said Ruth. Where you go, I go;

where you stay, I stay.

Your people are mine;

your God will be my God too.

Where you die, I die.

Death itself shall not

part me from you! Naomi

accepted Ruth's choice.

© Ken Rookes 2024

Sorry I spoke, God.

Haiku of vindication

Overwhelmed by God’s

magnificence, Job is forced

to humbly concede.

Compared to you, God,

I am an ignorant fool,

I’m sorry I spoke.

How can I question

your ways, O God? My knowledge

can’t compare with yours.

I had only heard

of you; now, having seen you,

I am mortified.

The story concludes

as Job’s fortunes are restored;

a happy ending!

The bit we missed.

After Job’s response

God agreed against Job’s friends;

Job had spoken truth.

Vindicated! Job

did not deserve to suffer;

he’d done nothing wrong.

A protest story:

Just because you’re suffering

doesn’t mean you’re bad.

Among the lessons

of this story: it’s okay

to argue with God.

© Ken Rookes 2024

Out of the whirlwind

Haiku of continued questions

At last God responds!

Hides God-self in a whirlwind;

very dramatic.

Questions, not answers.

God’s grandeur seems to excuse

him from answering

God holds all the cards,

suggests that Job is unwise

to ask such questions.

Make yourself ready

Job, almighty God’s about

to ask you questions.

God asks: Where were you

when I laid the foundations

of the earth? Tell me!

Who measured the earth

making sure all was in line?

Surely you know this?

Did you hear the stars

singing for joy when the world’s

cornerstone was laid?

We are impressed, God.

Hardly a fair contest, though;

you being divine!

Ken Rookes 2024

Why me, God?

 

Why me, God?

Haiku seeking answers

He hasn’t cursed God,

but Job doesn’t hold back in

voicing his complaint.

It’s simply not fair;

I’ve done nothing wrong, I don’t

deserve this treatment.

Why is God hiding?

I want to argue my case,

hear what he would say.

I keep asking, Why?

I am upright, tell me, God,

why I must suffer.

God holds all the cards.

If he listened to me he’d

find me innocent.

But I can’t find God.

I look front, back, left and right;

I cannot see him!

I have had enough!

My heart faints. Let me vanish

into the darkness.

Ken Rookes 2024

Under attack

Christianity is under attack! they cry.

I respond inwardly, keeping my thoughts to myself.

Good! It has been ever so,

or at least, it should have been.

I will join in the attack,

there is so much that denies the kingdom,

so much that despises the words

that we declare came from the carpenter’s lips.

He was up-front with his followers,

told how he would suffer, be put to death

for the words he spoke, the things he did.

Said they could expect the same.

We are frightened

watching with alarm as the privileges of our glorious past

are challenged and slowly stripped away.

This cannot be God’s will! Surely this is not right!

But, perhaps it is right;

maybe it is God’s will. When all else is removed;

when what remains of Christianity

is love, bleeding and incarnate,

then we might be said to have arrived

at the gates of the kingdom,

and we should have cause to rejoice.

Ken Rookes 2024

Job

Haiku for testing

Wealth and possessions

have long been seen as proof of

a virtuous life.

Surely God blesses

the ones who are deserving!

Yes, but not always.

The poor are not blessed;

their poverty evidence

of their shortcomings.

The story of Job,

written to challenge. The good

don’t always prosper.

In the land of Uz,

so the ancient tale goes; lived

Job, a righteous man.

Blameless and upright,

bulk money, stacks of children;

Job had a good life.

God boasts about Job.

Satan calls his bluff. Test him;

let’s see what he does!

In but a moment

it is gone. Taken away,

the blessings withdrawn.

Job remains faithful.

God boasts again. Satan laughs;

I’ll really test him!

Satan inflicts Job

with sores from head to toe. Let’s

see what he says, now!

Job’s wife speaks to him:

Enough! It is surely time

to curse God and die!

Job replies:

The good we receive

comes from God, surely we must

accept the bad, too.

© Ken Rookes 2020, 24

Esther

Haiku of creative courage

A beautiful girl

captivates a king, becomes

Queen. No real power.

Hatred-filled Haman

plots against the Jews; the King’s

tricked into helping.

Esther is alarmed,

sends word to Mordecai: ask

my people to pray.

Not just a pretty

face, Esther is resourceful,

brave. Hatches a plan.

At Queen Esther’s feast

Haman and King make merry,

the King is well pleased.

What are you asking,

Queen Esther? It shall be yours;

take half my kingdom!

She tells of the plot

to kill her people. That means

I must die with them.

The King is angry.

Who has done this? Esther waves,

There he sits: Haman!

A servant points out

gallows built for Mordecai,

whose word saved the King.

Hang him, the King said,

on those gallows! (Poetic!)

Then the King calmed down.

Faithful Mordecai,

keeps records, sends out letters:

celebrate these days!

This sorrow-filled month

has become glad; share your food,

remember the poor.

© Ken Rookes 2024