On a heartbreaking night of waiting for the test results, Carol and her husband were longing to find out if indeed their daughter had Leukemia. When the doctor arrived in the lobby, his head did not droop low, but these parents were brave enough to recognize the sorrow in his eyes as he prepared to speak. It was true. Twelve-year-old Cynthia was very much in need of a blood transfusion if she was to have any chance of survival.

Each member of the family was tested for the proper blood type until it was found that just one had a match. Little Matthew, who was only eight years old, was healthy enough to at least temporarily strengthen the life of his sister. Yet, Matthew's mother and father were unsure of how to relay the necessity of the situation. After all, he was just a little boy and the gravity of his older sister's ordeal was quite over his head. So they sat down with him and did their best to explain what was going on. After having a little while to "think it over," the boy walked up to his father, took his hand, and said, "I'll do it."

Within the hour, Matthew was lying on his side in a hospital bed with a needle attached to his vein. The nurses were attempting to entertain him, but his focus was attentive on the task at hand. When the doctor arrived to begin the process of taking Matthew's blood, he rolled up a chair and made sure that his young patient was comfortable. As the fluid moved into the appropriate bag, the boy's eyes caught a glimpse of what was happening. With his other arm, he tugged at the doctor's sleeve. "Sir, when will I begin to die?" The nearby nurses quickly turned to see the doctor whispering a sweet assurance, "Matthew, you're not going to die."

The importance of understanding the things we do or the things we believe is essential. Certainly no one would condemn little Matthew for his good nature and willingness to lay down his life for Cynthia, but we gasp to think that he made his decision without knowing that it was easier than he originally thought it would be. Understanding grace ought to be just as simple.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:" Ephesians 2:8

By "grace" are we saved. The word grace stems from the Greek word, charis, which means "giving what is undeserved." Scholars can find strong debate in the notion that charis led us to develop our word, charity. As we all know, charity implies the giving of ourselves or our finances to those who have done nothing to deserve our attention.

Much to the surprise of many Biblical students, charis is built upon something even more amazing than just our simplistic notions of grace itself. For it is grace built upon chara, or "joy" and "gladness."

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy (chara) and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." Romans 15:13

"Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy (chara): for by faith ye stand." II Corinthians 1:24

"Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness (chara); and hold such in reputation:" Philippians 2:29

Both charis and chara are nouns. What this teaches is grace as the gift of God beyond the action of His mercy or forgiveness.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:" Ephesians 2:8

Our God and King eternal is full of gifts. And surely we know this to be true by how much He abounds in the riches of His glory. He has so much to give and the creation thus becomes a recipient of all that He desires to provide.

We should also find it fascinating to consider that other words in our modern world have been built from the Greek word of grace. Charisma is found 17 times in the New Testament and translates as a "gift" or "free gift." We recognize it today as a charming attribute of powerful leaders. Of course, from charisma is the easily recognizable charismatic way of thinking. Those who are charismatic tend to lean on the extreme of needing some level of ecstatic or supernatural experience in order to maintain their weekly faith.

The Catholic Eucharist, as you may not have seen it before, stems from the belief in a spiritual communion with God. Conceiving that He has given so much, the eucharist (lower case) follows that man is to graciously give thanks in return by partaking of the body and blood of the Savior. Theological battles raged from the days of John Wycliffe as to whether the bread and the wine were translated into the body and blood of Christ (transubstantiation), but it was Martin Luther who re-introduced believers to the truth that we partake in communion "in remembrance" of the price that He paid on the cross for our sins.

In classic Greek mythology, it was the goddess Charis who represented the personification of grace and beauty. Hence, it is here again that we find Paul taking what was familiar in the pagan world and demonstrating it as something much more powerful and much more significant through the inspiration of Almighty God. In the majestic doctrine of his Epistle to the Romans, Paul teaches grace by contrast to the law and so establishes a foundation of grace that cannot be earned.

"For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." Romans 6:14

"And if by grace, then [is it] no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if [it be] of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work." Romans 11:6

Insistence is placed upon the message that God's grace cannot be merited through our works. Rather, His grace is a gift that stands alone without anyone's contribution or payment in hopes of receiving it. Just a moment ago, you saw that this is Paul laying a foundation. Let us be assured that it is indeed a solid ground upon which we may stand.

"According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon." I Corinthians 3:10

Putting all this together we are able to then know with confidence that God's grace, above all else, is a gift given to the undeserving. Although its origin has grown into a variety of forms, grace itself is given with great joy by the King who is rich in mercy. Likened to the lesson on methods, the gift of His grace is not given with a backhand or a snide expectation. He dispenses grace with joy and we receive it re(joy)cing.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Colossians 3:16

To find the glory of His grace is to have found joy in His gift. For many, this is a daily treasure that inspires them forward. For others, this is a forgotten truth in the midst of force-fed doctrine. But if we do not remember grace and discover the joy underneath its wrapping, then there is little glory in the gift. Remember, for something to be glorious, it must be at its highest level. Thus, the glory of God's grace is found in the exultation of what we have been given. May we not forget that as one body, each member must help the other to find their joy in Christ (II Corinthians 1:24).