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

In the beginning

Haiku of creation

In the beginning.

Top marks for the opening,

you bible writers!

The earth was formless

until the wind from God swept

across the waters.

God spoke and light came,

sun and moon, day and night: thus

happened the first day.

Creation’s story

follows an orderly path:

land, plants, animals.

Birds traverse the sky

and fish occupy the sea;

God saw it was good.

Cattle and crawlies,

wild animals find a home

amidst the earth’s dust.

God’s pleased with the work

so far; completes creation

sculpting humankind.

They will be like us,

God decides; we will put them

in charge of it all.

What were you thinking,

God, entrusting the planet

to such flawed creatures?

Go and lie down, God,

you’ve earned a rest. And reflect

 

upon what you’ve done.

© Ken Rookes 2023

Roaring wind sound

Haiku of wind and fire

On Pentecost Day

they were gathered in one place,

waiting and praying.

A roaring wind sound

filled the house, shaking them all

to their foundations.

Tongues of holy fire

dance through the air; alighting,

warming hearts and minds.

The Spirit arrives

to ignite love’s fire, bringing

tongues of ecstacy.

Spilling noisily

outside, diverse languages

commanding a crowd.

Folk from all nations

are puzzled, hearing the speech

in their own language.

We’re not drunk! Peter

counters. Rather God’s Spirit

has come upon us.

As Joel, the prophet,

spoke, God pours out God’s Spirit

on all humankind.

Men, women, young, old,

slave, free; the Spirit has come.

The Day has arrived!

These tongues are a sign,

one among many. Be saved:

call upon God’s name!

© Ken Rookes 2023

Lifted

Haiku of departure

On Mt Olivet

they gather, as instructed,

to farewell their Lord.

He could not remain.

At least in body. Risen,

Lord Jesus departs.

First his commission:

When the Spirit comes, you must

be my witnesses.

And so he ascends,

departing earth’s dust, hidden

within a low cloud

Two glowing angels

conveniently appear

to seal the event.

In Jerusalem

the group reconvenes

in the upstairs room.

With the apostles,

some women, his brothers, mum;

waiting and praying.

© Ken Rookes 2023

In the Areopagus

Haiku of witness

He engaged with them

in the Areopagus;

the apostle Paul.

Paul was most clever,

taking time to understand

Athenian thought.

People of Athens,

I see you are religious;

signs are ev’rywhere.

Objects of worship

abound; even an altar:

To an unknown God.

I am a servant

of your unknown God; let me

tell you of this God.

This God made all things

ruling heaven and earth; God

has no need of shrines.

God gives life to all,

asking only that they seek

God out. God is near.

In God we live, move,

exist. As your poet said:

We are God’s offspring.

A God not fashioned

from human hands, of silver

gold or stone. God lives!

Human ignorance

is no longer an excuse;

repent, come to God!

Judgement is coming

through the man whom God has sent;

God raised him from death.

Ken Rookes 2023

 

Stephen

Haiku for a faithful witness

Not one of the twelve,

but most powerfully kissed

by Holy Spirit.

He had angered them

with his account of God’s plan,

fulfilled in Jesus.

A final vision

of God’s glory, with Jesus

there, at God’s right hand.

Ah, such recklessness!

Could have kept it to himself,

instead he spoke up.

Greatly offended,

they dragged him beyond the walls

let fly with the rocks.

The mob dealt with him,

leaving their cloaks in the care

of the youthful Saul.

Receive my spirit!

brave Stephen cried as he died.

And forgive them, Lord.

Gentle man of faith,

Stephen follows his master,

living out his words.

© Ken Rookes 2023