Seven Words by Susan G. Robb
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Written as a devotional for Lent, the books is split up into chapters and sections that can be read in small portions for the 40-day period. The focus of the book is literally what the title says; each chapter breaks down the words and phrases Jesus speaks on the cross. Ms. Robb is a pastor and uses her theological background to look at the implications of the last seven words Jesus spoke before dying.
The premise didn’t attract me at first, but I was looking for something to read during Lent so I decided to pick it up at my local indie bookshop. I was surprised once I started reading that this was anything but your usual talking points when discussing the crucifixion. Ms. Robb does a great job exploring the context of the words with that gospel and according to the others, points out connections or references to Old Testament, and how it applies to readers’ lives.
The takeaways she unpacks in each chapter really made me stop and think, which is what I look for in a book like this. I appreciated the literary, socio-historical, and biblical connections that she made. On top of that she wove in current events that were happening at the time of the writing. She wrote this in the midst of the 2020 nation-wide lockdowns. This is one of the first books I’ve read that has made connections to the pandemic and it made the lessons that much stronger and relatable.