Jesus as pioneer

Just over 60 years ago my dad purchased his first car. It was a second-hand Ford V8 Pilot. If you haven’t heard of it, that’s hardly surprising, Ford’s Dagenham plant only produced them between 1947 and 1951. This Pilot was to be our family car from when I was 10 years of age until I was 14. I really liked it having, as it did, a number of special features, one of which was the radio set. I readily associate the car with holidays and the Merseybeat records playing on the radio’s Light Program.

Why was the name Pilot chosen by Ford? I’ve no idea! The word ‘Pilot’ has about a dozen shades of meaning but essentially describes one that steers, guides or paves the way for that which is following – a pioneer if you will.

Many years later, I got a Ford Pilot of my own. The acquisition of that Pilot was exciting. However, when I was 27 years old, I did receive an infinitely more valuable type of ‘Pilot’. This was when I became a Christian – meaning one who trusts in Jesus. He is a unique pilot; a pioneer, as he has gone ahead of us, through death and has risen again to life.

If you believe there is a God, have you ever wondered what he is like? Well, after becoming a Christian, I soon came to understand that he is just like Jesus in character and purpose; in fact Jesus is the human face of God.

Today he is inviting all sorts of people - the well-off and down at heel; those of all shades of colour; the lawbreakers and upright; the religious and non-religious to surrender the steering of their own lives and allow him to be their personal Pilot.

A relatively small number of Ford Pilots do survive but, just like our own physical bodies, they’re going to fail. Jesus is the way ahead for his followers and has promised them that, just as death wasn’t the end of it for him, nor will it be for those who trust in him.