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

The Lord had a plan

 

Haiku of the chosen

Before I was born

the Lord had a plan for me.

A disturbing thought.

In my mother’s womb

he gave me my name. I would

be his instrument.

I laboured in vain,

my words went unheard. I trust

God to console me.

I have been chosen

to call God’s scattered people,

Jacob, back to him

God becomes my strength.

A new task; not just Jacob,

but all the nations.

You will be a light;

God says, that my salvation

might reach all the earth.

Despised and abhorred,

God’s messenger will be heard.

All will come to God.

The Lord is faithful;

God’s chosen one will stand proud,

as the nations come.

© Ken Rookes 2023

Walk in God's light

Haiku of peaceful hope

The days are coming

when the nations will stream to

the house of the Lord.

Many peoples come,

saying, let’s seek Jacob’s God,

so to learn God’s ways.

They will say, Come, now,

We will learn the ways of God,

walk upon God’s paths.

From Zion, God’s word

comes forth, to instruct and guide

and show us God’s way.

God shall judge between

the nations, and determine

what is fair and just.

They shall beat their swords

and spears on anvils, into

ploughs and pruning hooks.

No more shall they learn

warfare; nations will not fight

or lift up their swords.

God’s light shines on all;

come, house of Jacob, let’s walk

in the light of God.

© Ken Rookes 2022