Faithful Through the Waiting
By Pastor Jerry A. Burns
In December of 2013, a very unusual military funeral took place in California. Sergeant First Class Joseph Gantt, a man who had served his country in both World War II and the Korean War, was finally laid to rest. He had been captured during the Korean War in 1950 and died the following year, but for decades his body was never returned, and his death was never confirmed. For all those years, his story remained unfinished.
What moves my heart most is not just his service, but the quiet faithfulness of his wife, Clara. She waited for decades, attending meetings with government officials, asking questions, hoping for answers. She even bought a house and had it professionally landscaped so that if Joseph ever came home, all he would have to do was go fishing. That kind of waiting is not passive—it is hopeful, committed, and deeply rooted in love.
Clara was ninety-four years old when Joseph’s remains were finally brought home for a military funeral with full honors. It wasn’t the reunion she had dreamed of, but it was the moment when the waiting ended. When asked about her long faithfulness, Clara said something that still lingers in my mind: “He told me if anything happened to him, he wanted me to remarry. And I told him, ‘No, no.’ Here I am, still his wife, and I’m going to remain his wife until the day the Lord calls me home.”
That kind of love reminds us that true, godly love is not temporary or convenient. It does not depend on circumstances going right or emotions running high. Love is a commitment—a choice of the will—to remain faithful even when answers are delayed and hopes are stretched. Casual commitments cannot sustain deep relationships, but enduring love reflects the heart of God Himself.
When I think about Clara’s faithfulness, I’m reminded that this is how God loves us—not with a fleeting affection, but with an unfailing love that endures through time, silence, and uncertainty. It is that kind of love we are called to reflect in our marriages, our families, and our walk with the Lord—steady, committed, and anchored in faith.
Let this story challenge the way you view love and commitment. In a culture that walks away when waiting becomes uncomfortable, choose to remain faithful—in your marriage, your relationships, and your walk with God. Faithful love is not proven when everything goes right, but when answers are delayed and the outcome is uncertain. Ask the Lord to give you a love that endures, a commitment that does not waver, and a heart that reflects His unfailing faithfulness, even in the long seasons of waiting.
"As for God, his way is perfect; The word of the LORD is tried: He is a buckler to all them that trust in him." — 2 Samuel 22:31
Daily Scripture Reading
Join us as we read through the Bible in one year, growing together in God’s Word day by day. Click on any underlined verse to access Pastor Burns’ helpful study notes and deeper insights.
Exodus 19-20
(Exodus 20)
Matthew 27:27-50
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This Week's Radio Program
Week Twelve • March 22, 2026
Trusting God in the Storms (Pt. 3)
Storms don’t schedule appointments. One moment the sun is shining, the next the wind is howling and everything feels out of control. In this message from Mark 6, we walk with the disciples into a very real storm on the Sea of Galilee — tired, rowing hard, and making little progress. The wind was contrary. The night was long. And Jesus was not in the boat… at least not yet.
But what they did not realize was that while they were fighting the storm, Jesus was watching from the mountain. He saw them toiling. And in the fourth watch of the night — when strength was gone and hope was thin — He came walking on the water. When they acknowledged Him, everything changed. The storm ceased. The fear faded. The destination was reached.
Most of us know what it feels like to row against contrary winds — burdens, opposition, uncertainty, exhaustion. Proverbs 3 reminds us that storms reveal what we’re leaning on. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” The question is not if storms will come — Isaiah 43 says when. The question is: Who are you trusting when they do?
In this message, we explore three powerful truths: a reliance upon God, a recognition of His presence, and a rebuke against trusting our own wisdom. Calm does not come from better rowing — it comes from Christ in the boat. Join us as we learn how to put all our weight down and trust Him fully, even when the winds are strong.