Military Devotion – Who’s in charge here? – May 15, 2026

I don’t know how many movies and TV shows that I’ve watched where there was some military situation and someone bursts through the door or storms onto a battlefield and demands, “Who’s in charge here?!” It’s almost laughable because all that individual would need to do is to look at the rank on the uniform of the war fighters that are standing right in front of them and they would know that this guy or this gal is in charge. But that’s Hollywood.  

We ask this question in our own lives, don’t we? Deployed war fighters have reached out to me and asked, “Chaplain Horn, could you please pray for peace, wisdom for our leaders to make good decisions, for an end to this conflict, and strength for us because we’re awfully tired. We’ve been going nonstop since we got out here.” They’re not complaining. They’re just saying, “Here’s where we’re at and really… who is in charge here because there doesn’t seem to be an end to this.”  

You don’t have to be deployed to ask that question. We look at rising gas prices, the economic struggle that many of us face, the uncertainty with all of the things going on in our life and we even ask God this question, too, “Like who’s in charge here?”  

This past Thursday the Christian Church celebrated the Festival of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ’s ascension answers our question, “Who’s in charge here?”  

The apostle Paul talks about this in his letter to the Ephesians. In chapter one he offers this prayer on behalf of the Christians in Ephesus and says that he wants the eyes of their hearts to be enlightened so that they see the power of God for us who believe (Ephesians 1:18-19). And then he explains that power, “That power is the same as the mighty strength he asserted when he raised Christ from the dead” (Ephesians 1:19-20). No one else has that kind of power – not President Trump, not Putin, no one in this world has that kind of power to raise someone from the dead. Only God does. Paul says, “I want you to know that power.”  

And not only did he raise Christ from the dead but then he goes on to say this: “and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 1:20). God raised Christ from the dead. Forty days later he ascends into heaven – not to be distant from us. Not to abandon us. Not to make us wonder, “Who’s in charge here?” But to answer that question. Paul says, “He is there far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church” (Ephesians 1:21-22). Jesus ascended into heaven to rule and reign over all things. Even when it looks like he’s not reigning, even when we wonder, “Who is in charge here?” Jesus ascended into heaven to prove to us that he has all rule and power and authority, yes even over death and the grave, over your sin, over war, over all things – and to rule for your benefit because you are his church.  

Praise God that Jesus is ascended into heaven. Praise God that he is ruling and reigning for your benefit. Believe it. Trust it. Let’s pray about it.