Grace

Eph. 2:8 -9 (NKJV)
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Unmerited favor. 10 years ago, after trying for several years and many Doctors' visits. We found out that we were expecting. If it was a boy it would be Andrew, and if a girl it would be Abigail. We knew that, but a middle name escaped us. On the wall of my office was a print of Noah's ark, with a dove perched on a branch of a tree. At the bottom were the words from Genesis 6:8 "Noah found grace..." Grace is God's blessing irregardless of our merit. Hence we named our daughter Abigail - (Father's joy) Grace - (unmerited favor) My daughter is a constant reminder that she is my unearned gift of joy direct from the grace of God.

It is by grace that we have been saved. if faith is the mechanism of our faith, then grace is the motivation. God, motivated by His infinite grace, extends salvation to us.