This morning, there is not a verse on my mind, but I was made to think of some things due to an experience yesterday. Yesterday morning, I had a visit to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned, and it had been about a year and a half since the last visit.

Needless to say, there was more build-up than there would have been normally after only six months between visits. So, due to this circumstance, many things came to mind while trying to get my mind off the activity within my mouth.

When we go about our daily lives, we are commanded to seek the Lord's face. We need to be studying His word, praying without ceasing, and serving Him will all of our being. Still, the Bible also commands us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together.

When one brushes and flosses his teeth, he still needs to go and have them cleaned periodically to get what he misses. Likewise, in our daily prayers, meditations, and studies, we still need to hear the gospel proclaimed in demonstration of the Spirit and with power. Our old clod needs to be knocked back from time to time to get what we miss ourselves on a day-to-day basis. Sometimes, people talk about how hard it is to get back into the custom of going to church regularly when they get out of the habit.

The first time back to the Lord's house is a painful experience, and they feel like, "Everybody knows how bad I've been lately." When we miss a Sunday, it gives tendency to miss another one. We begin to justify our behavior to ourselves about how busy we are. Then, when we do go back, the pain is more than the week-to-week pain that we experience due to the injuring of our pride.

So it was with me yesterday at the dentist. Had I not waited so long in between teeth cleanings, the pain experienced would not have been nearly so tormenting, and the oral hygienist said that my build-up was quite a lot. We need to seek the Lord's face in the service often, as our Lord's example was to be there every sabbath day. Paul's custom was to present himself with the assembling of the saints. So, people should know that if they desire our company on the Lord's day that they know to find us in the house of God in His service.

Finally, if one waits for quite some time between cleanings (longer than I waited), more serious problems can arise. Cavities, tooth loss, gum disease, etc are all symptoms of improper tooth care. We have been blessed with and given much in our lives. Therefore, much is required of us in obedience. The Lord is not only the One that gives the life (ability), but He is also the One that gives the understanding of the life that has been bestowed. Now, He has promised that our life is forever secure in Him, but our knowledge of it is not. We are commanded to add to our faith many things (such as virtue, knowledge, temperance, etc). What is the result of not doing as the Lord commanded? We are blind and cannot see afar off and have forgotten that we have been purged from our old sins. We need to have these things in us and abound so that we would neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Whether our God has blessed us with one, two, or five talents, the number is irrelevant. What is relevant is how we utilize what the Lord gave us to make more talents in His service to His praise. If we do not these things, He may take our talent and give it to someone else that is labouring more abundantly than we. So, let us not be weary in well doing. In daily life, let us seek His face. In home and work life, let us show forth His praises by our behavior.

Finally, let us still be found in the house of the Master's brethren worshipping His grand and matchless name with the saints. We all need to brush and floss our teeth, but we still need to get them scraped by an expert.

Likewise, we all need to pray and study, but we still need the ultimate teaching from the Expert who is proclaimed by His servant upon the walls of Zion.