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

Enlightened

Haiku responding to Acts 10:34-43

The Spirit descends

upon some gentiles. Peter

becomes enlightened.

I now understand

that God has no favourites;

God loves everyone!.

In every nation

people who do the right thing

are embraced by God.

This is our message

for Israel, and for all:

Jesus Christ is Lord.

God anointed him

with the Spirit, with power,

to do good, to heal.

In Jerusalem

and Judea he brought hope

They put him to death.

God raised him to life

on the third day; we saw him,

and we ate with him.

He sent us to preach,

to tell that he is from God

and brings forgiveness.

© Ken Rookes 2026

You also belong to Christ

Haiku responding to Romans 1:1-7

Paul, servant of Christ,

unknown to the church in Rome,

gives his credentials.

I was set apart

for the gospel; called by Christ

as an apostle.

The gospel: promised

by the prophets, realised

through Jesus, God's Son.

His resurrection

from the dead established him

as the Son of God.

By grace he called us

as apostles, that gentiles

might come to know faith.

You are included;

you also belong to Christ,

having received grace.

Greetings, beloved

Romans; called as saints of God.

Grace to you, and peace!

© Ken Rookes 2025

United in Christ

Haiku responding to Romans 15:4-13

In days past, scriptures

were written for instruction,

encouragement, hope.

May the steadfast God

draw you together in love.

Live in harmony.

United in Christ

may you sing as with one voice

to glorify God.

As Christ welcomed you

so you must show your welcome

to one another.

Jesus came to serve

Jew and gentile, confirming

ancient promises.

So many scriptures

promise hope for the gentiles:

Rejoice, O gentiles!

May the God of hope

fill you with all joy and peace.

The Spirit gives hope.

© Ken Rookes 2025

The Gentiles have come to faith

 Responding to Acts 11:1-18

Haiku of new insights

No way! The Gentiles

have come to faith! Was that in

our mission statement?

What goes on, Peter?

Eating with Gentiles? You know

they're uncircumcised!

It's like this, said Pete.

I had a vision; a sheet

of unclean creatures.

A voice spoke to me:

Get up and eat! No way, Lord,

I don't eat unclean.

The voice spoke again:

If I say it's clean, it's clean!

Now do what I say.

It happened three times;

leaving me perplexed, not sure

as to its meaning.

Just then, three men came.

Go with them, said the Spirit.

Thought we'd better go.

The house was Gentile,

but that no longer mattered.

We went inside, preached.

The uncircumcised

heard the gospel and believed;

we didn't plan it!

The Holy Spirit

fell on them, just like on us;

so we baptised them.

The penny has dropped:

God's salvation is for all,

both Jew and Gentile.

© Ken Rookes 2025

Breaking Through

 Haiku of inclusion

He’d had a vision.

Didn’t know what it meant, ‘til

the foreigners came.

The Holy Spirit

took him from his comfort zone

to meet with gentiles.

While Peter still spoke

the gentiles, once excluded,

received the Spirit

The Holy Spirit

fell on the gentiles, forcing

Peter’s acceptance.

Peter’s companions,

good Jews, circumcised and all,

were suitably shocked.

They heard them speaking

in tongues, giving praise to God.

We’d best baptise them!

Stick around, Peter

we need to hear more of this

Jesus sent from God.

© Ken Rookes 2024