don't let today take up too much of tomorrow

So, usually when I read one of those church signs with a cheesy saying I just dismiss them without a second thought. But, every once in a while it sticks in my head and makes me start to think. Today was one of those times. I was driving along and I read the sign outside a church that I pass often when I go to my parents.I did not think much of it at the time, but it is something that I have had rolling around in the back of my head since then.

don't let today take up too much of tomorrow

I read it once and thought: "oh, that's nice". But then I thought some more and realized the significance in what it was saying. Read it again:

don't let today take up too much of tomorrow

I wonder how many times we do exactly what this is cautioning us not to do. Something happens in our day - whether good or bad - and we take it into the next day to such a degree that we forget about the day we are currently having. Granted it is much easier to do this when it is something bad that happens. But we do this all the time.

Our today takes up most of our tomorrow. Or, to put it another way, yesterday takes up so much of today. When we live this way, we miss so much of life. We are so caught up in what has happened that we do not see what is happening now.

In Scripture, Jesus reminds His listeners that each day has enough trouble of its own so we should not worry about tomorrow. I think we can also say that because each day has enough of its own stuff, we should not be dwelling on and worrying about the past.

Yes, our yesterday could have an influence on our today, and our today could have an influence on our tomorrow. But, we must be careful that we do not get so caught up in it that we miss today - that we miss what God has for us today!