The sun rises early and burns long over the hills of Jerusalem. By midday, the stone streets of the Old City radiate heat, and the olive trees of the Mount of Olives stand motionless in the still air. This is the heart of summer in the Land of the Bible – dry, relentless, and unchanging.
But this weather is nothing new. For centuries, this land has known extremes. Pilgrims walked dusty roads beneath scorching skies. Prophets preached under blazing suns. Jesus Himself taught and prayed through the heat of the day.
In ancient times, communities learned how to live and pray through the drought. Cisterns were carved to hold precious rainwater. Homes were built to catch the breeze and shade. And prayers – always prayers – rose from the lips of farmers, priests, and prophets, crying out to the God who controls the seasons.
Even today, Jewish tradition holds the prayer for rain (Tefillat Geshem) until after the Feast of Tabernacles in the fall – a sign of patient trust in God’s timing. The dry months are not forgotten. They are part of the rhythm. A time of testing. A time of waiting.
As believers, we often find ourselves in spiritual dry seasons – moments when our biblical site prayers feel cracked and weary, when we thirst for a word, a breakthrough, a sign. But just as the land endures the summer, we are invited to remain. To press in. To trust that the rain will come.
The psalmist writes:
“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.” (Psalm 42:1)
In this summer heat, whether you’re walking the paths of Jerusalem or simply feeling the heat of life, remember: He is the Living Water. Even in the dry places, His presence flows.
Submit your prayer from the Land of the Bible – from this sun-drenched, ancient soil where prayers have never stopped. We will place it with care in one of Jerusalem’s sacred sites.
