But somewhere in my Scottish Presbyterian background, I felt a nagging reluctance to let it pass. So I asked my ex-RC, Jesuit-trained, Calvinist-by-the-grace-of-God husband what he thought.
It was his opinion that gradually those ingrained patterns fade away and are replaced with a confidence that Christ is everywhere, knows every thought, every deed, every desire, and thus, Christ's instructions in Matthew take on a very literal meaning.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him." -- Matthew 6:5-8"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Christ knows when our hearts kneel before we bend a knee.
Very nice, Dr. E.
Now I see it. Thank you Dr. E., and thank you to your husband. :) This makes perfect sense. Wow, in this context, that passage has a brand new meaning for me. It makes me think of so many things I can't even keep track. I'll have to think on this for a while. Thanks again.