“Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death’s dark shadows put to flight.”   Christmas is a happy day and we like to sing happy songs. “Joy to the World”? Perfect! “Deck the Halls”? That’ll work. “Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la” is a lot better than gloomy clouds and dark shadows. But the most theologically sound Christmas carols acknowledge that this is a “season to be jolly” only because Emmanuel has indeed come. Jesus was born to overcome Satan’s power, shine light into our dark world, and free us from the haunting fear of death. Jeremiah 20 is not a happy chapter. “Unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given.” This is the Good News we would like to be reading today. Instead, we find Jeremiah regretting the day of his own birth, and cursing the one who made his father glad with the news, “A son is born to you” (v 14-18). Ironically enough, today we find Jeremiah at the low point of his ministry. The man to blame is a priest named Pashhur, who served as chief of security at the temple. He heard about the clay pot getting dramatically smashed at the garbage dump. He also heard the gist of Jeremiah’s negative prophecy about Jerusalem being smashed to smitherines. All this sounds like treason to him, so Pashhur has God’s prophet arrested and tortured (v 1-2). Upon his release the next day, Jeremiah greets his tormentor with a message of judgment from the LORD. Passhur’s punishment will be even more severe than what he had dished out to Jeremiah. His friends will fall by the sword or die in captivity. His lies will be exposed and his crimes avenged. And the man will now be called by a new nickname: “Terror on every side” (v 3-6). Sadly, the priests took Jeremiah’s rebuke of Pashhur and used it against him, even sarcastically calling him, “Terror on every side.” They mocked God’s spokesman, making fun of his two-point sermons. Every time Jeremiah got up to preach, his outline was basically the same: 1. Violence; 2. Destruction. The message was getting old. As Jeremiah reflected on the problem, he considered quitting the ministry to get a real job! But that was impossible, for God’s Word was burning in his bones like an unquenchable fire. Opposed by enemies and betrayed by friends, Jeremiah commits his cause to the LORD (v 7-12). He even manages to lift up a song of praise in this dark night of his soul (v 13). The chapter is an emotional roller-coaster, isn’t it? And it ends on a downer. Maybe that’s how the holiday season has been for you. But through the tears and pain, may you lift up your head and rejoice. Emmanuel has come to you. For further meditation: