So my family has been sick the past few day and now the creeping junk…better knows as the “cold” (full of snot, a sore throat, congestion, coughing and just feeling like garbage) has claimed me as a victim. I would love to show you what I am coughing up and blowing out of my body right now. Anyway, I woke up at 2:11 am feeling pretty bad. I couldn’t breath or sleep. So, I went downstairs and took some medicine. Here’s the funny thing about cold medicine: while it can definitely help you, it can also mess you up.
There are specific directions on any kind of medicine. Directions, such as “take 2 tablets every 4 hours” and “do not take more than 10 tablets in a 24 hour period” or “may cause drowsiness…operate motor vehicles and heavy equipment with extreme caution.” Thank goodness these directions are on cold medicine. What if I would have ignored these directions and decided to go out and take a drive at 2 am despite taking medicine that warns me of the danger of mixing drowsiness and driving? That could have led me to harm…and others. I guess in some ways, driving while drowsy is comparable to some of our high school kids driving 
Wow…now I am sounding old. Sorry.
Anyway, the directions on the medicine keeps me safe. The directions lead me away from potential harm. The person who wrote the directions has my health and safety in mind. Does that sound familiar? God provides commands to keep us safe…to give up freedom…to improve His creation. Just like the directions on cold medicine, we don’t have to obey God’s commands. But, when we realize that God’s commands lead us toward something better, we are so much more likely to obey. Think about the 10 commandments. Yes, they are a part of God’s Old Testament Law, but these commands really do lead us towards freedom and something better. Think about it…don’t take things that aren’t yours, don’t kill each other, don’t sleep with someone else’s spouse, be truthful etc etc. Clearly, following these kinds of commands make the world a better place. I think that God has our best interest in mind when He gives us direction and command. So, the next time you’re sick and take medicine, follow the directions and think about God’s direction for your life. Obedience may just make your life a whole lot healthier.
