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

Love fulfils the law

Haiku responding to Rom 13:8-14

Be in debt to none

except to love each other;

love fulfils the law.

Respect marriage, don't

steal, murder or covet; laws

are covered by love.

Love will do no wrong

to a neighbour, therefore love

fulfils all the law.

The time has now come;

it's time that we all woke up,

salvation draws near!

The night's been dismissed,

the day's near; throw off dark works,

put on light's armour.

Walk in the light; steer

clear of drunkenness, cheap sex,

quarrels, jealousy.

Cloth yourself in Christ;

you won't need to gratify

your fleshly desires.

But let's end with love,

where we started. Get that right

and all else follows.

© Ken Rookes 2026

Love must be real

Haiku responding to Rom 12:9-21

Love must be real.

Hate the things that are evil,

hold fast to the good.

Love one another.

Compete with each other in

acting with honour.

Don't lag in zeal,

let your spirit be ardent

as you serve the Lord.

Rejoice as you hope,

be patient in affliction,

don't give up on prayer.

Support each other

financially; show strangers

hospitality.

When people oppress,

offer blessings. Yes, bless them,

and do not curse them!

When people rejoice,

rejoice with them, when they weep,

join your tears with theirs.

Live in harmony.

Try not to be arrogant;

mix with the lowly.

Don't repay evil

with evil. Act nobly, be

a good example.

If it's possible,

as it depends on you, live

peaceably with all.

Do not seek revenge;

vengeance is the Lord's concern.

Let God sort it out.

If your enemies

are hungry, feed them; if they

thirst, give them a drink.

Don't be overcome

by evil. Rather, defeat

it by doing good.

© Ken Rookes 2026

Be transformed

Haiku responding to Romans 12:1-8

Sisters and brothers,

I appeal to you, present

your whole selves to God.

Be a sacrifice

that lives toward God; this is

the way you worship.

Don't be like others,

but be transformed; let your minds

be renewed through Christ.

Discern what God wants;

those things that are good, perfect

and acceptable.

Through the grace God gave

me, I tell you, don't be proud;

see yourself truly.

Make sober judgement

of your self, in accordance

with your faith from God.

All of the members

of the body of Christ have

differing functions

By grace we have gifts

diverse: prophecy, teaching,

and encouragement.

Don't neglect your gifts.

Lead tirelessly; be cheerful

showing compassion.

© Ken Rookes 2026

Sharing the crumbs

 

Here's a fun little song for Sunday, set to a well known folk tune, at least here in Australia. A bit irregular, but the driving 3/4 rhythm makes it quite singable, I think. I think it shouild work across the generations

Sharing the crumbs.

A woman came and sought out Jesus, shouting,

Heal my child, a spirit troubles her today.

His disciples, they found her quite annoying,

Hey, Jesus, can you send her on her way!

The woman kept calling out to Jesus,

It's my daughter, Lord, I beg, make her well!

Jesus said, I'm not sent to help foreigners.

I really am sorry: so long, farewell!

She persisted, came up and knelt before him.

O Lord, please don't dismiss me in this way.

He said, Good food meant for the children,

won't be thrown to the dogs. Now go away!

She responded, Yes, OK, that's fair enough.

But the children are messy, and perhaps

the crumbs from the table can be gobbled up

by the dogs; don't begrudge them the scraps!

Jesus nodded, Top answer, that was the best!

I can see now, you've shown me; great your faith!

Let it be for you as you have made request;

your daughter has been healed, now shout hooray!

Hooray for the woman who pressed her case!

Hooray now, for Jesus, who changed his mind!

Hooray now, for people who've been touched by grace!

Hooray that none need be left behind!

© Ken Rookes 2026

Tune: Botany Bay. (irregular)

Mercy for all

Haiku responding to Rom 11:1-2a, 29-32

Gentiles included

now in God's new covenant;

Hebrews missing out!

Has God rejected

his people? Not at all! I,

Paul am one of them!

I'm an Israelite,

descendant of Abraham,

of Benjamin's tribe!

God does not reject

the people he has long known,

nor withdraw his gifts.

Disobedience

once cut you off from God; now

you've received mercy.

You received mercy

when God's people turned away;

mercy, too, is theirs.

Disobedience

has all people in its thrall;

so too, God's mercy.

© Ken Rookes 2026

No distinction

Haiku responding to Rom 10:5-15

Moses gave us law,

writes Paul, but it is faith that

brings us righteousness.

Forget heaven and

the abyss; the word of Christ

is close to you, here.

Confess with your mouth,

believe in your heart: Jesus

is our risen Lord!

Believe and confess

Jesus as Lord; righteousness,

salvation are yours.

There's no distinction;

Jew, Greek, God is lord of both,

saving ev'ryone.

Ev'ryone who calls

on the Lord's name will be saved.

But how will they hear?

How are they to hear

without someone who will come

to proclaim good news.

How will they proclaim

unless they're sent. Beautiful;

those who share good news!

© Ken Rookes 2026

For their sake

Haiku responding to Rom 9:1-5

Apostle Paul speaks

truthfully of the anguish

he feels in his heart.

Paul's conscience confirms

his pain, the Holy Spirit

stirs his deep feelings.

Paul wishes he was

accursed and cut off from Christ,

for his people's sake.

They are Israelites,

the covenants are theirs. Law,

God's promises, too!

Brothers and sisters,

Paul's flesh and blood, are missing 

out on God's promise.

He came, one of them,

according to the flesh; Christ

the Lord over all.

God's plan all along,

says Paul. Oh, that my people

would come, receive it!!

© Ken Rookes 2026

If God is for us

Haiku responding to Rom 8:26-39

The Spirit helps us;

we are weak we do not know

just how we should pray.

Spirit intercedes

with deep groans when words fail us.

God understands groans.

Things work together

for those who love God, who are

called. (But not always!)

We who have been called

are bearers of Christ's image.

We are justified!

If God is for us

there can be none against us.

Who would dare condemn?

In all our suff'rings

we are more than victorious

through him who loved us.

Nothing; death nor life,

rulers, powers, height, depth, can

keep us from God's love.

In all creation,

nothing can part us from God's

love in Christ Jesus.

© Ken Rookes 2026

Abba! Father!

Haiuku responding to Rom 8:12-25

Brothers and sisters,

don't live by the flesh; the flesh

is the way of death.

Live by the Spirit

and put to death sinful deeds;

this way leads to life.

Led by the Spirit

you are made children of God;

free, and without fear.

You've been adopted

by God. Cry Abba! Father!

you are God's children!

If you are children,

then you are also God's heirs;

heirs alongside Christ!

As joint heirs with Christ

you're called to share his suff'ring;

and then his glory.

Present day suff'rings

are nothing when compared with

the coming glory.

Creation's waiting,

yearning; asking, when will God's

children be made known?

Creation's enslaved,

futility reigns; when will

creation be freed?

The whole creation

is groaning, as in labour,

waiting its true birth.

We have the first fruits

of the Spirit, we groan too,

waiting adoption.

In hope we were saved.

Hoping for what is unseen,

we wait with patience.

© Ken Rookes 2025

No Condemnation

Haiku responding to Rom 8:1-11

No condemnation

now for those who are in Christ;

freed through the Spirit.

The Spirit of life

in Christ Jesus sets you free

from the law of death.

God has done what Law,

made weak through damaged flesh, was

unable to do.

God sent his own Son

in the guise of sinful flesh

to straighten out sin.

Law has been sorted

for us. We walk not as flesh,

we live through Spirit.

Those who live by flesh

are focused on flesh; the flesh

is the way of death.

Live by the Spirit!

Think upon the Spirit; this

leads to life and peace.

The mind set on flesh

is hostile to God; such as

these cannot please God.

You are not of flesh.

Since God's Spirit dwells in you

you're in the Spirit.

Without the Spirit

we do not belong to Christ.

But Christ is in you

The body is dead

because of sin; the Spirit

gives life, makes righteous.

God who raised Jesus

from death, gives your bodies life,

gives you his Spirit.

© Ken Rookes 2026

Who will rescue me?

 Haiku responding to Romans 7: 15 - 25

I don't understand

myself, struggle to do good;

I do things I hate.

I struggle under

law, no longer in control.

The sin in me rules.

In my fleshly self

there is no good. I want good

but I can't do it.

I don't do the good;

don't want to do the evil

I end up doing.

I cannot escape

the sin that dwells within me;

as if it's a law.

In my inmost self

I delight in God's law, but

my mind keeps losing.

I am a captive

of the law of sin that dwells

and rules my members.

I feel so wretched!

This body of death grips tight;

who will rescue me?

Yes! It is Jesus

Christ our Lord who rescues me!

I give thanks to God!

© Ken Rookes 2026