We often think of the LORD as a Good Shepherd.

But after some recent visits to my dentist, I also think of the LORD as a Good Dentist!

Have you ever heard of a deep cleaning?

I had heard the words for many years.

My dentist and dental hygienist warned me again and again.

I’d need a “deep cleaning” if I did not brush vigorously, floss diligently, and visit the dental hygienist faithfully.

Nevertheless, I brushed my teeth lackadaisically. I almost never flossed.

I compensated for my daily failings by making regular visits to my dental hygienist. In fact, I went every four months instead of the normal six months.

This worked well enough until the Pandemic hit and we got busy moving from New York to California.

For a variety of reasonable excuses, I went without a dental cleaning for two years!!!

Sure enough. When the dentist and dental hygienist saw my teeth, they pronounced the dreaded judgment: “Deep cleaning!”.

And so, I recently spent two days getting “deep cleaned”.

Each day, I needed injections of anesthetic for the pain.

Why?

Because otherwise the pain would have been unbearable as they cleaned deep below my gum line with ultrasound, sharp metal points, and lasers!

Have you ever experienced such a deep cleaning?

It becomes necessary because food is getting under your gums. The resulting tooth decay is insidious. It’s not even visible in normal living. (Matthew 23:25-28).

But then, one day, you “suddenly” need a root canal. You “suddenly” suffer from gum disease. You “suddenly” lose a tooth. You “suddenly” have a heart attack because bacteria from your diseased gums damaged your heart.

A similar problem often arises in our lives.

Under ideal conditions, we keep tooth decay and gum disease at bay.

We pray vigorously. We read the Bible diligently. We participate in church activities faithfully.

But then, our discipline slips a bit.

We become lackadaisical.

We don’t “brush” hard enough with the Bible . We don’t “floss” often enough with prayer.

We stop having others “clean” us by holding us accountable through our faithful participation in church activities such as small groups.

Nevertheless, we may go many years without noticing our spiritual decay or disease.

We don’t hear and understand the words of the LORD that would heal us. (Isaiah 6:9-10).

Then, something bad happens.

Perhaps we fall away due to troubles or persecutions. (Matthew 13:20-21).

Perhaps we are overwhelmed by the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, or the desire for other things. (Matthew 13:22).

Perhaps the Power of Money, the Power of Religion, or the Power of the Kingdoms of the World lead us astray. (Matthew 4:1-11).

Perhaps our lackadaisical, undisciplined living leads us to take “the easy way out” by foolishly building our lives and civilizations quickly on foundations of sand instead of wisely building our lives and civilizations carefully on foundations of rock. (Matthew 7:24-27).

But then, the storms of life hit.

Suddenly, “flash floods” sweep through, crushing our lives and civilizations with a mighty crash. (Matthew 7:26-27).

To prevent such catastrophes in our lives and civilizations, the LORD may tell us: “It’s time for a deep cleaning.”

I hope we get our “deep cleanings” sooner than King David did.

He didn’t realize his need for a “deep cleaning” until after he raped Bathsheba and murdered her husband. (2 Samuel 11:1-27; Psalm 51:1-19).

David didn’t get his “deep cleaning” by the ideals of the Law of Moses and the Prophets, until after he had done irreparable damage to his “teeth” and “gums”—to his life, his family, and his civilization. (2 Samuel 11:1-20:22; 1 Kings 1:1-2:46).

Such deep cleanings of our lives and civilizations aren’t pleasant. Even with anesthetic.

As the author of Hebrews cautioned us:

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11-13).

To me, the most unpleasant, alarming part of my deep cleaning came near the end. My dental hygienist used a laser to burn up my old, diseased tissue.

I could smell my flesh burning.

In fact, at one point, I felt hunger pangs.

Why?

I smelled hot dogs grilling!

But then, I realized with horror and revulsion that I was smelling my own flesh burning!

I thought of how John the Baptist warned:

“E]very tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. . . . [Jesus] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. . . ., gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:10).

Thank God for burning up the “chaff” in our lives and civilizations.

Fortunately, God uses “anesthetic”!

For God so loves Humanity, that he did not give Jesus to Humanity to condemn Humanity, but to save Humanity through Jesus! (John 3:16-17).

And so, thank God for deep cleanings! Thank God for “deep cleanings” by Jesus who fulfills the ideals of the Law of Moses and the Prophets. (Matthew 5:17).

Because, sometimes the only way to save our teeth and gums—the only way to save our lives and civilizations—is to give us “deep cleanings”.

These “deep cleanings” overcome “blindness”, “deafness”, troubles, persecutions, the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things.

These “deep cleanings” overcome the Power of Money, the Power of Religion, and the Power of the Kingdoms of the World.

We thank God for such painful “deep cleanings” because—as David came to realize after catastrophes struck his life, his family, and his civilization—sometimes “deep cleanings” are the only way God can cleanse us, wash us, and blot out all our iniquity. (Psalm 51:7,9).

Sometimes “deep cleanings” are the only way God can create in us a pure heart and renew a steadfast heart within us. (Psalm 51:10).

Sometimes “deep cleanings” are the only way God can restore to us the joy of his salvation and grant us a willing spirit to sustain us. (Psalm 51:12).

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For similar themes, please read my blog “Black Pine Trees”.