This great cloud

 

Haiku responding to Hebrews 11:29-12:2

They trusted in God,

all those heroes of the past.

God rewarded them.

Slaves and freed people,

prostitutes, judges, prophets,

kings; all trusted God.

By faith they achieved

great things; they conquered, they ruled,

they became mighty.

Others who had faith

suffered in various ways,

some were put to death.

We commend their faith,

they await their reward; God

fulfils them in Christ.

They're surrounding us;

this great cloud of witnesses.

They're urging us on!

Let us lay aside

all that holds us back, complete

the race before us.

We must persevere,

like Jesus; God's pioneer,

perfecter of faith.

We look to Jesus;

cross and shame deterred him not,

sits at God's right hand.

© Ken Rookes 2025.

But God raised him

Responding to Acts ch.10

Haiku of witness

The ancient witness

from the book of Acts; Peter,

once frightened, speaks out.

God, Peter declares,

does not take sides, all nations

are treated the same.

If you do what's right

God will accept you, listen

to what God's saying.

Jesus came preaching

peace with God, for all nations,

not merely his own.

Anointed by God

and filled with Spirit power,

Jesus came to heal.

We, his witnesses,

were with him in Judea

and Jerusalem.

They put him to death

on the tree, God restored him

day three; we saw him!

Chosen witnesses,

we ate and drank with Jesus

when he rose to life.

Commanded to preach,

we declare, through Jesus' name,

sins are forgiven.

© Ken Rookes 2025

Peter, once frightened.

Haiku for witnesses

Peter, once frightened,

no longer fearing to die.

stood before the crowd.

I speak of Jesus,

who came among us with signs

he was sent from God.

You ignored his words

and killed him. But it goes on:

God raised him to life.

Full of life and love;

why should we be surprised that 

death could not hold him?

He was crucified;

now God has raised him from death.

We are witnesses.

© Ken Rookes 2023