A thief in the night

Haiku responding to 1 Thes 5:1-11

A thief in the night:

quite a foreboding image,

this day of the Lord.

Apocalyptic

visions telling upheaval

and devastation.

Peace, security,

will elude. Like labour pains,

no way to escape.

Children of the light,

not darkness; you need not fear

that day when it comes.

Let us stay awake

sober and alert;for we

belong to the day.

Put on the breastplate

of faith, and for a helmet,

salvation's strong hope.

God has destined us

not for wrath, but salvation

through our Lord Jesus.

Christ died for us, that

whether awake or asleep,

we may live with him.

Encourage each other,

and build one another up.

(I know you do this!)

© Ken Rookes 2026

The expectation

Haiku responding to 1 Thes 4:13-18

The expectation

was that the Lord would return

during their lifetimes

Brothers and sisters 

have died. Christ has not returned;

Paul tries to explain.

We'll all rise with Christ,

no need to grieve, Those who die

will be raised with him.

Paul paints a picture;

at the trumpet's sound the dead 

in Christ will be raised!

Then we, still alive,

will be caught up in the clouds;

with him for all time.

Encouraging words,

Paul! OK if I don't take  

them literally?

© Ken Rookes 2026

Urgings and Encouragements

Haiku responding to 1 Thes 2:9-13

Recall our labour,

brothers, sisters; how we worked

not to burden you.

We worked night and day

so that you might hear from us

the gospel from God.

You witnessed, with God,

how pure, upright and blameless

we were toward you.

We were like parents,

urging, encouraging you all

to lead worthy lives.

We keep thanking God

that, hearing the word from us,

you knew it as God's.

We give thanks that God's

word that led you to believe,

is at work in you.

© Ken Rookes 2026

Let no one deceive you

 

Haiku responding to 1 Thes 2:1-8

A cosmic contest

when the Lord returns to take

on the lawless one.

No doubt Paul's readers

knew of whom he was writing,

this man without law.

Paul gives the warning:

don't be shaken or alarmed,

and don't be deceived.

Troubles and struggles

will come, but be reassured,

the Lord will prevail.

It's all a bit much;

obscure references leaving

us guessing today

The lawless ones still

grasp power, oppress, deceive;

making themselves God.

They exalt themselves.

We refuse to worship them,

we will stay faithful.

Paul's warnings remain,

the faithful must hold firm; stand

against the lawless.

© Ken Rookes 2026

We thank God for you

Haiku responding to 1 Thes 1:1-10

Paul and his comrades

send greetings to the church in

Thessalonika.

Grace to you, and peace,

from God the Father, and from

the Lord Jesus Christ.

We thank God for you,

sisters and brothers, knowing

how you grow in faith.

We hear of the love

you share; we make boast of it

among the churches.

We boast of your faith

knowing the persecutions

you are enduring.

You are judged righteous,

worthy of God's kingdom, for

which you have suffered.

Those who afflict you

will be repaid by God, leave

the vengeance to God.

They will be punished,

cut off from God's presence, when

Jesus is revealed.

Eschatology.

Straight forward in Paul's thinking;

we're left wondering.

© Ken Rookes 2026

Think about these things

 

Haiku responding to Phil 4:1-9

Therefore, my sisters,

my brothers whom I long for,

stand firm in the Lord.

You leading women,

agree and work together;

you others, help them!

My coworkers, how

we struggled for the gospel!

God's book holds your names.

Rejoice in the Lord!

There is much to celebrate,

so rejoice always.

The Lord has come near.

Let all see your gentleness;

do not be anxious.

Pray with thanksgiving,

make your requests known to God;

God's peace will guard you.

Whatever is true,

of honour, just, pure, pleasing;

think about these things.

Commendable things,

excellent, worthy of praise;

dwell on these things, too.

What I have taught you

in words and deeds, do these things;

God will give you peace.

© Ken Rookes 2026

Pressing on

Haiku responding to Phil 3:4b-14

Do you have reason

to trust in the flesh? If so,

I have more reason.

I was circumcised

on the eighth day, a member

of Benjamin's tribe.

Both of my parents

were Hebrews, as to law, I

was a Pharisee.

A zealous Hebrew,

I persecuted the church,

blameless under law.

Whatever I had

I now regard as nothing,

all because of Christ.

Knowing Christ is all

that matters. It surpasses

in value all else.

There's no righteousness

in following the law; it

comes from God, through faith.

I want to know Christ

and his resurrection, and

to share his suff'ring.

To become like Christ

in his death is to share in

his resurrection.

I am not there yet.

It is my goal; I press on

to lay hold of it.

I forget what lies

behind, and I strain forward

to what lies ahead.

Pressing on toward

the prize, God's heavenly call

in Jesus the Christ.

© Ken Rookes 2026

Every knee

Haiku responding to Phil 2:1-13

You have Christ's comfort;

you are buoyed by love, partners

in the Spirit's work.

Make my joy complete,

have one mind. Let love join you,

be in full accord.

Do not be guided

by selfish ambition, led

by empty conceit.

In humility

consider other people

better than yourselves.

Don't put yourselves first,

but look to others' interests.

Think the way Christ would.

Christ did not regard

equality with God as

something to be grasped.

Christ emptied himself,

became like a slave, was found

in human likeness.

A human, like us,

he was humble, obedient

to the point of death.

God exalted him

highly, giving him the name

above all others.

The name of Jesus!

All knees shall bend, tongues confess:

Jesus Christ is Lord!

You are being saved;

work at it seriously.

God's at work in you!

© Ken Rookes 2026

Come to the water

 

Come to the water

The water, it dances, it burbles and flows,

and sings alleluia, new life it bestows.

It sweeps ever onward, spreading hope 'cross the land,

inviting our dreaming, granting visions so grand.

This river, it eddies, it catches us all

in long graceful turnings; love’s generous swirl.

This water springs deeply, our thirst, it is quenched;

our living is freshened, our souls they are cleansed.

The Spirit is given, she hovers and cries,

delights in the laughter and aches with the sighs.

Surrender to the water, and hear Jesus' call

to be a disciple, and a servant to all.

Some are wrinkled from birth; others, wrinkled with age.

Hey, come to the water; whatever your page!

Drink freely, my sister, my brother, my friend;

drink deep from the fountain of grace without end.

This water is justice, this water is peace;

it saturates living, its strivings won’t cease.

Let none withhold water, the Spirit claps her hands;

be joined with God's people and fulfil love's command.

© 2016 revised 2026 Ken Rookes

Could be useful for Season of Creation 2026 - Living Water

Can be sung to the tune St Denio,

Together in Song 143, AHB 80

My life is in Christ

Haiku responding to Phil 1:21-30

My life is in Christ;

my death, also. When I die,

I will be with him.

In my earthly life

I labour to be fruitful;

should I live, or die?

How to choose? I would

depart, be with Christ; but to

stay is best for you.

Yes, I shall remain

that you might grow in your faith

and boast in Jesus.

Live your gospel life.

Whether I'm here or absent

I'll know you stand firm.

Striving together

in one spirit, of one mind,

afraid of no one

Their opposition

attests to their destruction;

shows your salvation.

God has done all this,

allowing you to believe,

and suffer for Christ.

© Ken Rookes 2026

Don't judge

Haiku responding to Rom 14:1-12

Dietary rules

are not a concern for those

of a mature faith.

Extend a welcome

to those who are weak in faith,

don't quarrel with them.

Some eat anything,

others only vegetables;

don't judge each other.

God welcomes them all,

so don't judge people by what

foods they choose to eat.

The same with holy

days; observe or don't observe,

do it for the Lord.

It's not for ourselves

that we live, or that we die;

we belong to God.

Christ died, lived again,

that he might be Lord, of both

the dead and living.

When we pass judgement

we despise each other. God

judges each of us.

Ev'ry knee shall bow

before God, and ev'ry tongue

shall give praise to God.

We are not to judge.

Each of us must give account

of ourselves to God.

© Ken Rookes 2026