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.
"And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen." — Psalm 72:19
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This Week's Radio Program
Week Forty-Four • November 1, 2026
What are you Seeking?
In this week’s message titled "What are you Seeking?" from Kitchener Baptist Church, Pastor Jerry A. Burns explores John 20 to show how the world searches for meaning in the wrong places. Listeners will hear how Solomon looked for purpose in worldly success and pleasures only to find vanity, and how Mary Magdalene sought her Savior at the tomb, weeping for the dead before discovering He had risen.
Pastor Burns reminds us that true life is found only in Jesus Christ. The reality of Christ gives us life, and His resurrection is the key to our salvation and eternal life. We must choose life, for Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Join us on "Timeless Truths" as we turn to God's Word for these vital answers.
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