During a Deaf worship service, praying happens with open eyes and with lots of signing. Hands are often raised up to sign a joyful “Alleluia” to God. In fact, the whole congregation creates a mosaic of gestures that praise God. Silence is not required in order to hear the pastor speaking from the pulpit.
People with hearing loss may find access to faith in the Christian tradition of silence, too.
Most Deaf Christians don’t see hearing as a gift from God because they were given a special language of their own in sign language.
It’s not about what you pray or even how you pray. Prayer can be defined as talking to God, but it is much more than that. A prayer is an act of worship that glorifies God and reinforces our need for Him. Through living a life of prayer, we communicate with the very source of and purpose for our existence.
In other words, who you become, the circumstances in your life, and the core of your character are all determined by what you talk to God about. According to the Bible, the power of prayer is, quite simply, the power of God, who hears and answers prayer. Consider the following:
God Asks Us to Pray
He invites, encourages, and wants us to talk to him. We are to come to him in faith, (James 1:5), with persistence (Luke 18:1), with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6), within his will (Matthew 6:10), and from a heart that is right with God (James 5:16).
In fact, in Luke 18:1 we read, “And he [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.” Hebrews 4:14-16 talks about Jesus as our High Priest and says He can sympathize with us.
Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” We have been given access to the very throne of God through prayer. Please check the Prayer page on Deaf Bible Society’s website and become a Prayer Partner. Pray for Deaf communities around the world to become prayer warriors for their own people!
