"Created to Draw Near" talked about what it means to be a priest of God, how God wants us to draw near to Him, and what He's done to allow us to draw near to Him. The author started by looking at the Garden of Eden, then talked about Moses and Mount Sinai, looked at the tabernacle and the symbolism found in the tabernacle and the priestly clothing. He looked at the sacrifices and the feasts and how Jesus is a later fulfillment of these. He explained how Jesus is our tabernacle, our high priest, the final sacrifice that allows us to draw near to God, how we are priests and saints, and other Old Testament/New Testament imagery.

The author is very fond of finding symbolism in things, some of it widely accepted and some of it I've never heard before. At the end of each short chapter, there were two personal application questions. I appreciated that he used verses from and studied the Bible to make his points. I'm not sure that I agree with his repeated theme that mankind (including Adam and Eve before the Fall) were always meant to wear priestly clothing. He seems to believe that the fact that Adam and Eve were naked and didn't know it was a bad thing, and their nakedness always needed to be covered. Overall, though, I felt like he did a good job showing how Jesus fulfills the promises and symbolism found in the Old Testament.

This book contains 40 meditations that focus on some part of our relationship with Christ and the royal priesthood. Welch challenges our preconceived notions. I appreciated how he defined the priestly role. "The heart of the priestly job description is fellowship with the Lord, enjoying his hospitality and protection, living in his house. May we never think that dour obedience is the essence of life in Christ. Lavish meals, satisfaction, peace, and pleasure are the lot of God's priests" (location 673).

Another favorite part for me was when he said that instead of thinking of our growth in Christ as "progressive sanctification," we should think of it as "progressive nearness" (location 908). The Lord declares us holy, and that status change helps us change. As we grow in holiness and obedience, we experience a greater closeness.

Thank you to Crossway for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.