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Silent Listening

Al Weir, MD

May 7, 2019
Silent Listening Al Weir, MD May 7, 2019

“And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, ‘Follow me’” (Mark 2:14a, ESV).

Arnie was retired from his orthopedic practice and helping lead the retreat for Christian doctors. He did not know it would be he who would be changed. Based on Dallas Willard’s book Hearing God, the retreat speaker challenged his audience, “I want you each to take the next five minutes and just listen to the Lord in silence.” After three minutes of silent listening, Arnie heard God ask him in the silence, “How are you spending your time?” From that moment, Arnie’s life was rearranged.

Have we practiced the discipline of solitude and listening? At the end of our daily prayers, do we sit still a few moments and let God speak before we rush into our day or slip into our nightly dreams?

Who knows what God might tell us?

It’s actually a scary thought to think that God might rearrange our lives like Arnie, should we truly listen to Him. I’m not sure I’m ready for that. I know that, when Jesus spoke, James and John “…left their father Zebedee in his boat with the hired men…” (Mark 1:20, NIV 1984); and I know that Levi got up from his tax collector’s booth to follow Jesus into a rearranged life, but I’m not sure I’m ready for that. So, I’m not sure I want to stop my day for a few minutes at the conclusion of my usual requests and listen to what God has to say.

Dear Father,
Let me be still and listen.
Amen

Al Weir, MD

Al Weir, MD

After leaving academic medicine, Dr. Weir served in private practice at the West Clinic in Memphis, Tennessee from 1991-2005 before joining the CMDA staff as Vice President of Campus & Community Ministries where he served for three years from 2005-2008. He is presently Professor of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and Program Director for the Hematology/Oncology fellowship program. He is also President of Albanian Health Fund, an educational ministry to Albania where he has been serving for 20 years. He is the author of two books: When Your Doctor Has Bad News and Practice by the Book. Dr. Weir’s work has also been published in many medical journals and other publications. Al and his wife Becky live in Memphis, Tennessee, and they have three children and three grandchildren. Dr. Weir is currently serving on CMDA's Board of Trustees.