Who are you after Christmas? Think about this. When the fanfare is done, who are you?
I have been watching a lot of the Doctor Who Takeover on BBC America this Christmas, and mostly Christmas Specials at that. But after the Doctor leaves who are the companions? When it feels like Jesus isn’t around, who are you?
We know a bit about who some of the characters are when the Doctor is gone. We know the Daleks still exterminate. The Cybermen still try to convert others into their likeness. We can guess that the “Papal Mainframe” still tries to control things. The Silence are still easy to forget.
Wait…where was I?
Well, moving on, we know about some of the companions. Martha works with U.N.I.T. after she stops travelling with the Doctor. At the end of “The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe” he goes to find the Ponds. This is after two years of not seeing them, letting them think he is dead. What we find out here is important: they still have a place set at the table for him. Amy asks him to come in for dinner and the place is already set. They still have space for the Doctor. They also talk to others about him. River Song (their daughter, his girlfriend/wife/lady) has told them what she knows, which is that he isn’t dead. He is still gallivanting around out there.
During “The Snowmen” he tries to walk away from Clara multiple times. But what does she do? She follows the Doctor. She does not lose interest or let her curiosity fade. She keeps chasing him until some other friends of his stop her and check her out. Then she continues until he gives her some of his time and includes her in his adventure.
After the big celebrations of Christmas and Easter. When it feels like Jesus isn’t there or is silent are you still leaving His spot open? Does He still have a plate at your table? Do you ask others “Have you heard anything from Jesus lately?” Do you keep chasing the Messiah? Do you want to have Emmanuel; which means “God with Us”? Is that the Jesus you seek? Or are you fine with Baby Jesus who sits in a manger with the animals around Him?
In Philippians 2:12 Paul says:
“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling…”
Did you read that? “…not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence…” Much more, not just a little more. What we do after Jesus, after Christmas, after Easter; that is important. It is one thing to stick to Jesus when you feel He is fixing something or speaking to you. But when you don’t understand what is happening to you it can be quite a different thing. Seek Emmanuel. Seek to be a companion (also known as a disciple) with Jesus.