By faith

Haiku responding to Romans 4:13 - 25

Abraham received

God's promise, not through the law;

'twas received by faith.

If the law could bring

God's gift of life, what's the point

of faith? Law brings wrath.

Where there is no law

there is no sin. God's promise

comes through faith alone.

It's all about grace.

To Abraham's descendants

God's promise is made.

I make you father

to many nations, said God

who makes all happen.

'Twas a foolish hope

to be father of nations

at his advanced age.

Nearly a hundred

with a barren wife; still he

hoped, trusting in God.

Growing strong in faith

Abe glorified God, never

wavering in faith.

Abraham trusted

in God; who thus considered

him to be righteous.

So with us; our faith

in God's saving acts through Christ

render us righteous.

© Ken Rookes 2026 

Through faith

Haiku responding to Romans 4:1-5, 13 - 17

Good works don't make us

righteous, so Abraham was

justified by faith.

When you work, you're paid;

wages are not a gift, they're due

to he who earned them.

Works won't get us there,

we have to put trust in God:

God makes us righteous.

Righteousness is gift,

from the God who justifies,

it's received by faith.

If Law's adherents

are God's heirs, faith is nothing,

God's promise is void.

The Law is not what

makes us righteous, without law

sin doesn't exist.

God's promise of life

comes through grace to all who share

in Abraham's faith.

With Abraham”s God

the dead have life, and nothings

are made to exist.

© Ken Rookes 2026

By faith

Haiku responding to

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

Faith: the assurance

of things hoped for, conviction

of the things not seen.

By faith God's purpose

is made real; the unseen things

are made visible.

Abraham had faith;

when God called, he headed off

towards the unknown.

Trusting God's promise,

Abraham pressed on towards

God's builded city.

In the promised land,

living in tents, they trusted

God's promise would hold.

By faith, the ageing

pair conceived. A son was born,

succession secured.

Numbered as the stars

and seaside sand, Abraham

and Sarah's offspring.

These all died before

the promises were fulfilled;

watched from a distance.

They did not look back,

but faithfully reached towards

God's promised future.

© Ken Rookes 2025

You are Abraham

Haiku of promise

Ninety-nine years old;

granted private audience

with the Almighty.

Walk well before me,

be blameless, Mister Abram,

I’ll bless you, God said.

Let’s make covenant:

walk well before me, I’ll make you

numerous and great.

Abram fell, humbled.

You’ll father many nations;

you’ll have a new name.

You are Abraham,

your wife will be called Sarah;

she’ll bear you a son.

I will bless you both;

nations shall rise from you. My

covenant shall stand.

Covenants have two

sides: to receive the blessings

one must act justly.

© Ken Rookes 2024

A story most strange

A story most strange

Haiku that challenge our notions of God.

A story most strange;

a father is told to kill

his beloved son.

It was just a test.

We know that. Did Abraham

pass, or did he fail?

Should he have stood firm

and refused God’s mad request?

I hope I would have.

Where is the lamb, Dad?

We have the wood and the fire,

but where is the lamb?

It’s a grim picture;

father poised with knife in hand,

ready for murder.

Just kidding, says God.

Hmm. That’s a relief. Hey God;

strange sense of humour!

How could Abraham

not know the voice that says kill,

can not be from God?

The point of the tale:

God, (unlike others), rejects

human sacrifice.

© Ken Rookes 2023

A cruel story

 

Haiku to disturb and reassure

Sarah the jealous,

 

feels threatened by her rival;

 

slave woman, Hagar.

Hagar’s Ishmael

 

is Abraham’s first-born son,

 

fruit of agéd loins.

Sarah’s son, Isaac,

 

shall remain the only heir;

 

Ishmael must go!

 

 

A cruel story:

 

even God is complicit.

 

The child is dismissed.

 

 

Dismissed with water,

 

bread. The water gone, the child

 

is laid in the shade.

 

 

Ishmael’s mother

 

calls to God: Don’t make me watch

 

as death takes my son!

God sends an angel.

 

Do not weep or be afraid

 

God hears the child’s cries.

 

 

Take your son, I’ll make

 

him a great nation. Look, see;

 

I give you water!

The promise was kept.

 

God blessed him as he grew strong

 

in the wilderness.

© Ken Rookes 2023

No laughing matter

Haiku of unexpected fecundity

There, at Mamre’s oaks

Abraham met three strangers;

he made them welcome.

Hospitality:

bread, cheeese and a barbecue;

the men were grateful.

She will have a son,

Sarah, your wife. Hearing this,

the old woman laughed.

Shall we have pleasure;

is life in these old bodies?

(The young don’t think so!)

Why did Sarah laugh?

God wants to know. There’s nothing

too tricky for God!

The thing came to pass

as the Lord had promised them:

Isaac, laughing boy.

Sarah was most pleased;

God has brought laughter to me,

laugh out loud with me!

Abraham, Sarah;

hard to believe such old folk

could become parents!

© Ken Rookes 2023

Move it, Abram!

Haiku for the settled

God said to Abram:

Leave the comfort of your home,

go to a new land.

Leave your father’s house,

bid your family good-bye;

I’ll make your name great.

I’ll bless you greatly.

For all of earths families

You’ll be a blessing.

He did as God said,

taking his wife and nephew.

Aged seventy-five!

Abram and Sarai,

gather their servants and goods,

and depart Haran.

They get to Canaan.

In Shechem, at Moreh’s oak,

there the Lord appeared

This is your country,

said God; you and your offspring.

An altar is built.

Good news for Abram;

less so for the Canaanites,

already settled.

© Ken Rookes 2023

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

Laughing Boy

Haiku of surprise

Back in ancient times

God wandered with some angels,

met with Abraham.

At Abraham’s tent

the Lord was welcomed with cakes,

yoghurt, milk and veal.

The childless couple,

long past it, would have a child,

the strangers promised.

Sarah overheard,

listening near the entrance;

she laughed at the thought.

The promise mocks her.

Her childlessness is failure;

laughter hides her pain.

The impossible

is made possible, with God;

so the story says.

Sarah does conceive.

Apparently the old folk

still knew what to do.

Laughing Boy arrives.

Lots of joy, hope, and wonder,

not to mention laughs.

© Ken Rookes 2019


Haiku in response to the Narrative lectionary.