In 1944, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt chose Harry S. Truman to be his Vice President. On April 12, 1945, however, just 83 days into his fourth term, President Roosevelt died, making Harry Truman the 33rd President of the United States.
Truman was not a popular president. When he ran for reelection three years later, nobody gave him a chance. His opponent was Thomas Dewey, the wellliked governor from New York. All the polls predicted that Truman would lose by over 100 electoral votes. Newspapers and magazines were already calling the election weeks ahead of time.
On election night, Truman had resigned himself to his fate. He did not go to a party or gather with his supporters. He made himself a ham sandwich and a glass of milk, and sat down to listen to the election returns on the radio.
“At six o’clock,” he later said, “I was defeated. I was defeated at ten o’clock. At midnight, I heard the report that I was 1,200,000 votes ahead but was still undoubtedly beaten.” So, Truman went to bed.
At 4 a.m., he was awakened by a Secret Service agent who told him that he was now ahead by over 2,000,000 votes, but that the radio commentators were still saying they couldn’t see how Truman possibly could win.
The next morning, as Truman stood victorious, he was famously photographed holding that morning’s Chicago Tribune with its remarkably mistaken headline.
DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN.
On Good Friday, Jesus looked like Harry S.
Truman on election night.
It looked like death had won. It looked like the devil had won. It looked like Jesus had lost.
But on Easter Sunday morning, what looked like certain defeat turned into a resounding victory. Jesus rose triumphant from the grave. Death couldn’t win. The devil couldn’t win.
Jesus couldn’t lose.
And he promises us that because he lives, we too will live (John 14:19).
Because of Jesus, we can’t lose. His victory is ours through faith. Because of what Jesus did for us on that first Good Friday and Easter Sunday, our sins are forgiven, and our ticket to heaven has been paid.
Because of Jesus, one day we will enjoy the glories and riches of heaven.
Because of Jesus, one day we will sit on thrones.
Because of Jesus, one day we will live and reign with God himself.
But we can’t always see that in this life. Oftentimes, we look like Harry Truman on election night.
We struggle financially.
Our marriages waver and crumble. Our bodies wear out. Our health fails.
If you ever visit a nursing home, you’ll find a lot of people who look like Harry Truman on election night. But remember, things are not always what they seem.
When you look at your life and feel like a failure – when it seems like you can’t win – remember Jesus on that first Good Friday and Easter. What looked like certain defeat turned into a resounding victory.
Because of Jesus, you can’t lose. You have heaven waiting for you.
Things are not always what they seem.
Pastor Andrew Schroer has been a pastor for over 25 years and is currently serving at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Edna, Texas. You can find his latest books, “364 Days of Thanksgiving” and “364 Days of Devotion,” on Amazon.com.
Andrew Schroer Pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church
