Use yesterday. Live today. Treasure tomorrow.

How often we fail to live well today because we're not using yesterday! Yesterday is a gift--its failures, successes, gifts and losses are meant to be used today. What kinds of things do I want to do differently? Avoid? Or seek after? How can I learn from them?

The greatest gift of the past, Jesus' life, death, burial and resurrection, is intended to be used and applied daily, not forgotten.  I can let go of past hurt and failure because Jesus died for that. I can live a new life because I'm dead to my old self and now I live for Christ, not me. For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Romans 15:4

If I am not relying on the Word of God and the past presented there, I am not living the way I should--or could. God wants me to remember and use the past to live today and push forward into the future.

And how often do we fail to live well today because we're not actually living today? We're living in the past or borrowing from the future--making today both wearisome and difficult.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34

Live now. Experience the moment. Laugh. Cry. Hug. Be alive! I need God's Word, His people, and His Spirit right now, this very hour. I need to depend on Him, to lean hard on and rejoice in Him, praise Him, seek Him, rest in Him, delight in Him. All those commands happen now! I can't change yesterday's obedience. I can't live tomorrow. But I have this moment. Am I believing right now? Am I obeying right now? Am I loving, giving and serving right now? This is the only moment I have.

And finally, how often do we fail to live well today because we don't treasure tomorrow? We borrow its trouble. We procrastinate, worry, fume and try to live in tomorrow when we should be looking to, and living today based on, tomorrow's treasure.

...I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14

What does the future hold? My future is Jesus. And because I am confident that, not only will I see Him, but I know He gives good rewards, I am living today with my all.

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen. Jude 24-25

Use yesterday. Live today. Treasure tomorrow. And be blessed.