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

Set your mind on the Spirit

Haiku responding to Rom. 8:6-11

Looking to ourselves

leads to death; to find life, peace,

look to the Spirit.

Minds set on the flesh

are hostile to God; God's law

does not rule in them.

You are not fleshly

since God's Spirit dwells in you.

You belong to Christ.

Christ dwells in you; though

the body, through sin, is dead,

the Spirit is life!

God's Spirit, who raised

Jesus to life, gives us life;

makes God's home in us.

© Ken Rookes 2026

Among the mature

Haiku responding to 1 Cor 2:1-16

When I came to you,

Paul wrote, twasn't with big words,

or clever wisdom.

I was hesitant,

wanting my words to reflect

the power of God.

We do speak wisdom

among the mature; we speak

God's hidden myst'ry.

God's purpose stayed hid;

or else the Lord of glory

would not have been killed

Things of great wonder,

beyond thought, God has prepared

for those who love him.

God's Spirit is ours,

revealing to us wisdom

taught by the Spirit.

Spirit gifts from God

seem like foolishness to those

who lack the Spirit.

Who knows the Lord's mind,

to be guided by him? We

have the mind of Christ.

© Ken Rookes 2026

Let's not grow weary

Responding to Galations 6:1-16

Haiku for doing good

Seek restoration

of one who has fallen short;

be gentle with them.

Shoulder the burdens

of your sisters and brothers;

so fulfil love's law.

Assess your own work

honestly; comparisons

only lead to pride.

Sow to the Spirit

and that is where you shall reap,

life that's eternal.

Let's not grow weary

in standing for what is right.

We must not give up.

When chance comes your way

do good for all; specially

the fam'ly of faith.

Boast in Jesus' cross,

not in earthly signs; turn from

the grasp of the world

Take no notice of

physical signs; what matters

is new life in Christ.

If you get this right

you will be blessed with God's peace;

you'll be a blessing.

© Ken Rookes 2025

Stripped, beaten, thrown in jail

Responding to Acts 16: 16-34

Haiku of freedom

The fortune-telling

slave girl made heaps of money

for those who owned her.

The slave girl followed

Paul and Co. These men, she cried,

tell God's salvation.

Annoyed, Paul ordered

the spirit to leave the girl.

It left her at once.

The slave-girl's owners,

were not happy at the loss

of their enterprise.

Paul, Silas, were seized,

dragged before the magistrate;

They disrupt our life!

Attacked by the crowd,

stripped, beaten, thrown into jail;

poor Paul and Silas!

Praying and singing

as the earthquake struck; the doors

opened, chains fell off.

The jailer panicked.

Paul cried out: Don't harm yourself,

we are all still here!

Sirs, what must I do

to be saved! Trust in Jesus,

you and your household.

The guard took them home,

made them welcome, dressed their wounds

and offered them food.

The gathered household

hears the word of love and grace

and all are baptised.

© Ken Rookes 2025

From the beginning

A slight  rework of a previous post, offered with Mourning Day services in mind (January 21)

From the beginning

From the beginning as continents drifted

God’s Spirit hovered over this land;

sculpting, renewing; rock, tree and lizard,

rainforest richness, waves crashing on sand.

Having sung country into existence,

the Spirit calls out: First Peoples, come!

This is your land now, tend and enjoy it,

step with its rhythms, dance to its thrum.

We thank you, Lord, for this ancient wisdom,

feeling the heartbeat, singing its songs;

harvesting grasses, trapping the fishes,

lighting the fires to keep country strong.

We thank you, Lord, for this ancient culture,

graciously shared with those who late came.

Help us remember, and to acknowledge

eras of dispossession and pain.

We thank you, Lord, for being there, present

with those who struggle, from country removed;

living in two worlds, seeking a future,

may they find hope and know that they’re loved.

Lord we rejoice in the wonder of songlines;

Spirit connections throughout our wide land.

Welcome love’s offer to journey together,

healing the nation to meet love’s command.

© Ken Rookes. Revised 2024

Freely available for use in worship.

Tune: Bunessan. TiS 156

In the beginning

Haiku of the waters

In the beginning;

I can’t think of a better

way to start a book.

God the creator,

calling into existence

the heavens and earth.

Words making attempt

to describe the mystery

of how we are here.

The earth, formless void

in the midst of the darkness,

waiting to take shape

Spirit wind from God

sweeping over the waters.

A voice: let light shine!

God saw it was good,

the light; separating it

off from the darkness.

The light, God called, Day,

and the darkness was named, Night.

That was the first day.

© 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

God's chosen servant

Haiku for a new age

God’s chosen servant,

he on whom God’s spirit rests,

will bring forth justice.

He will quietly

go about God’s work, helping

the weak and broken.

He will persevere,

he will establish justice;

as purposed by God

God who gives us life

calls us, leads us, blesses us

to be light for all.

Called to open eyes,

to set the prisoners free,

from darkness to light.

Former things are gone.

The time is coming for God

to do something new!

Do something new, God!

Stir your people to rise up,

to work for justice!

© Ken Rookes 2023 

A sign for us all

Haiku of the promised one

From the ancient line

of Jesse and David comes

one we have hoped for.

The Spirit of God,

of wisdom, understanding

shall rest upon him.

The Spirit of might,

counsel and fear of the Lord

shall rest upon him.

Righteousness guides him

when he delivers judgement

for the poor, the meek.

Such great metaphors:

wolf and lamb; leopard and kid

living peacefully.

Defenceless children

playing safely among snakes:

this image of peace.

The knowledge of God

will fill the earth. He shall be

a sign for us all.

© Ken Rookes 2022

Your shame is over

Haiku for the era of the Spirit

Children of Zion,

it's the time for rejoicing,

like rain after drought.

The seasons of loss

have passed; the promise is made{

full silos and vats.

The years of distress,

of grasshopper and locust,

dismissed and restored.

Eat, be satisfied,

celebrate God's love, mercy;

your shame is over..

Your shame is over.

Know that your Lord is with you,

there is none but me.

My spirit is poured

out upon all humankind,

much dreams and visions.

Your sons and daughters,

the elderly, even slaves,

will share God's spirit.

There will be portents.

The new age is upon you;

no one need miss out.

© Ken Rookes 2022 

Handing over

 

Haiku of succession

Succession planning

is a challenge. Elijah

somehow managed it.

I will not leave you

Elisha declared, when his

master’s time drew near.

Gilgal to Bethel,

then to the Jordan they went,

inseparable.

What would you have me

do for you? A double share

of your spirit, please.

As they walked and talked

a chariot descended,

fiery, between them.

Elijah ascends

in the whirlwind, Elisha

calls out: My Father!

Elisha takes up

the fallen mantle, also

the prophet’s worries.

© Ken Rookes 2002

I'm focusing on the Old Testament for a while. For a gospel response, check the archives for a similar time in 2013, 2016 or 2019

Therefore

Haiku of faith

Justified by faith!

The Reformation catch-cry.

Thank-you M. Luther!

Works won’t get you there.

But works of love must follow

the great work of grace.

We enter the realm

of grace through Jesus the Christ,

finding peace with God.

Discipleship brings

suffering. We endure it;

we grow and we hope.

Not wealth or blessings,

but sufferings. Boast in these;

they show you’re from God.

Endurance and hope

stem from love, poured into hearts

by the Holy Ghost.

© Ken Rookes 2022