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Greetings in the Name of Jesus,
I was reading Deuteronomy 31 in my daily devotions the other day, and I was struck by this line of Scripture: “And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, the days approach when you must die” (Deuteronomy 31:14). I know this statement unfolds within God’s commissioning of Joshua, the people of Israel’s transition into the Promised Land, and after Moses disobedience. Nevertheless, it’s just so matter of fact. I was amazed at how Moses didn’t complain, argue, beg, or plead. He knows he can trust in God even in the face of death. He knows he can trust God’s will even when that means suffering the inevitable consequences of sin as declared by God back in the Garden of Eden.
Earlier in the chapter, God encourages Joshua by saying, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:7-8). Like Moses and Joshua, God’s people can be courageous because God’s plans are the only plans that last for eternity, and those plans are ultimately plans of forgiveness, salvation, and restoration. These plans are fully revealed in Jesus, where we see God’s will for His people on full display through the death and resurrection of His Son.
I often say that the most difficult petition of the Lord’s Prayer to pray is the Third Petition because in it we ask that God’s will, not our will, be done. This means truly trusting in God even as we see our own plans diminishing, breaking, or dying. It means trusting God the way Moses does even when facing death. Like Moses, we know the mighty works of God, how He has brought life and light out of death and darkness through His Son. But we, unlike Moses, get to experience that here and now through our Baptisms and through the preaching of God’s Word and the Lord’s Supper.
On the mission field, it can be easy to forget that the only plans that persist through sin and death are those of our Savior’s. As people from all different races, nationalities, and tribes busy themselves with their plans, they need to hear of the One who calls them to trust in Him. They need to know that only Jesus can transform their life of sin and death into His mercy, goodness, and everlasting righteousness.
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Here is a picture of what a reduced residency student would see when they sign in for their on-line classes. These are the classes I am teaching this semester (with the exception of TH400 Overview of Dogmatics, which is being taught by missionary Rev. Christian Tiews).
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We continue to instruct and form future pastors here at Luther Academy, pastors who will bring that message of salvation to people all over the Eurasia region and beyond. With classes in full swing, we are already looking toward the spring semester and making plans for those classes. Never a dull moment! I have been thoroughly impressed this semester by our students’ faithfulness and practical acumen. In our classes and with their assignments, they are thoughtful, caring, and theologically solid. Praise be to God! Yet, we always pray that God’s will, not ours, be done in and through these future pastors and the people they will shepherd.
Thank you so much for your prayers and continued support! We are incredibly grateful and humbled by the zeal you as God’s people have for His kingdom!
In Christ,
Pastor Bobby
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Bobby Family News
Our family is doing well. Judah is in Nashville. I’m proud to say he has a part-time job at his church, Concordia Lutheran Church, working as a secretary. (I may have mentioned that before.) As a former church organist and son of a pastor, he’s familiar with the liturgy and the church year and is able to put those skills to good use. August and Benjamin are thriving at Saint Paul Lutheran High School in Concordia, Missouri. I cannot express how impressed we’ve been with this school. The boys are getting an excellent Lutheran education from dedicated and faithful teachers. I cannot praise this school enough! Simon and Pax are doing well in school. I’ve started taking them to boxing lessons once a week to help them develop their hand-eye coordination and burn off some energy! Pax goes to Sunday School with the Latvian kids at St. John on Sundays and loves it. The students and teachers are mostly bilingual, and when they can’t understand each other, they just work it out. It’s pretty cool. Erica is still working on her blanket. I’ll send a picture of it next time since so many have asked about it. August and Benjamin will be flying over in December since they have a month off, so we are looking forward to that!
Top Left: This is Simon next to a 1911 Stanley. Riga has an impressive car museum. We weren’t sure what to expect, but our family was not disappointed!
Top Left Center: Believe it or not, there was a Ford factory in Riga for a while in the late 1930s, and this is the car they produced. It’s called the Vairogs, named after the family who owned the factory.
Center: Benjamin loves fresh baked pretzels, a real treat, so when I saw this pretzel the size of my head in a bakery window in downtown Riga, I had to send him a picture of it.
Bottom Left Center: Pax and I took this picture while waiting for a tram. While it’s hard to make out, the neon letters on the sign say VEF. This was the home of one of the largest communications companies in all of the Baltics and Russia. They made phones and radios. It is said that during the 1960s, two of every three phones used in Russia were manufactured at this very plant. VEF split into several different companies after Latvian independence in 1991.
Bottom Left: Here is Pax showing off his Halloween costume. He’s going as a Viking. While not a big holiday here, the International School organizes a small trunk or treat event for which students dress up. Simon’s still on the fence whether or not he’s going.
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You may support us through Mission Central and the work of Gary Thies.
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You may support us through the LCMS website.
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Bobby__Latvia_Nov2024.pdf
