In John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian goes through trials, temptations, and triumphs on his pilgrimage in a fallen world to the Celestial City. Sin makes this world a dry and weary land.  I’m reminded through Pastor Rob McCurley’s sermon recently, that although the road to the Heavenly City is always an ascent (Psalm 24:3), the Lord Jesus Christ is a place of Shelter.  He is a large Rock that is higher than us (Psalm 61:2) in the wilderness, casting a shadow and providing coolness from the blistering heat of the sun.  He is the Shade upon which we may take refuge.  Anything else is a tree of broken branches with no leaves, leaving us exposed.  Christ is the cool, clear Water which we may drink to the satisfaction of our parched soul.  He is the Shelter from the storm of affliction and rain.