ERA

We are a society that loves acronyms. It is generally described as a word formed from the initial letters of the several words in the name. An example in banking might be APR for Annual Percentage Rate or CPR in the medical field for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.

So what does ERA stand for? Equal Rights Amendment? Electronic Representatives Association? European Regions Airline Association? Electronic Research Administration? Never mind that the word era (not an acronym) means a fixed point of time.

I have my own meaning for ERA - Eternal Retirement Account. I am a recent retiree as of a few years ago. I can't say that I was as diligent as I could have been in planning my retirement but I was aware that I should be doing something. As haphazard as it was, God was gracious and, after all, He is my provider.

There is an interesting parable Jesus told his disciples in Luke 16 about a certain rich man and his unjust steward. When the unjust steward could not give a proper accounting of how he had wasted his employer's goods, he promptly resolved what he would do when he was put out of his position so that he would then be received into their houses. This unjust steward planned for his "retirement" and Jesus commended this unjust steward for being wise, actually wiser than the children of light (Christians). Note: Jesus was not commending the unjust steward for being unjust but for his insight and his action to plan what would happen to him after his employment ended.

Whose house will you live in when your life in this earthly house is over? John 8:44 and John 14:2 show what houses your father has prepared for you and which of these houses you may plan for now. How is your ERA (eternal retirement account)?