Introducing Clash of Kingdoms
A new year always brings with it a strange mix of hope and heaviness.
Hope, because fresh starts feel possible.
Heaviness, because we carry more than we’d like from the year behind us.
As 2026 begins, many of us are already asking the same quiet questions: What do I want to leave behind? What do I want to carry forward? What needs to change?
One practice my wife and I want to carry into this new year is something surprisingly simple: walking together. Most mornings, we lace up our shoes, step into the cool of the day, and walk a few miles side by side. What started as a commitment to physical health has become something much more—relational, emotional, even spiritual.
On those walks, we listen.
We reflect.
We respond.
And often, we rest in silence.
Without naming it at first, we realized what we were really doing: creating space for one another.
And that realization led to a deeper invitation—one that feels especially important as a new year begins.
When You Create Space for God, He Will Fill It
Scripture and Christian tradition remind us of a simple but powerful truth: when we intentionally create space for God, God meets us there.
Not every moment has to be planned. Not every prayer has to be polished. Sometimes creating space looks like grabbing your Bible, finding a quiet place, and simply saying, “God, I’m here. Whatever you want to do.”
Over time, the church has practiced this kind of spacious attentiveness through a rhythm called Lectio Divina, which simply means “divine reading.”
Lectio Divina isn’t about reading more Scripture. It’s about reading Scripture differently. It’s not a task to complete—it’s a relationship to nurture. Like a walk with someone you love, it invites presence over performance.
The Four Movements of Lectio Divina
Lectio Divina traditionally unfolds in four gentle movements:
Listen (Read)
Read a short passage—maybe even a single verse. Listen for what the text is saying, without rushing to interpret or apply.Reflect
Read the passage again, asking God to draw your attention to a word or phrase that shimmers or lingers in your heart.Respond
Read once more and ask: How is God inviting me to respond? What does this reveal about who God is—or who I am becoming?Rest
Perhaps the most difficult step: simply rest. Sit with the truth God has brought forward. Let it settle without forcing resolution.
This kind of prayer creates space. And when space is created, God fills it.
“Seek First the Kingdom of God”
As we begin this year, one verse feels especially fitting:
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
— Matthew 6:33
That small word but matters. It connects this verse to everything Jesus has just said about worry—about food, clothing, money, appearances, and control. Jesus names the reality we live in: we tend to seek the things of this world first, and worry follows close behind.
What if the reason we’re so anxious isn’t because we’re failing—but because we’re seeking the wrong kingdom?
Jesus contrasts two ways of living. One is shaped by striving, self-protection, and control. The other is shaped by trust, surrender, and grace. These kingdoms don’t coexist easily. They clash.
When we seek our own kingdom—our success, our security, our image—we carry the weight ourselves. But when we seek God’s kingdom first, Jesus promises that what we truly need will be given in its proper place.
Words That Linger
When we slow down with Matthew 6:33, certain words begin to stand out:
Seek – an active, hopeful pursuit
First – not eventually, not when convenient
Kingdom – a different way of ordering our lives
Righteousness – not earned, but received through Christ
All – everything we truly need
Added – God’s quiet, faithful work over time
Many of our worries come from trying to make ourselves righteous, secure, or whole. But Scripture reminds us that righteousness isn’t something we achieve—it’s something we receive. Day by day, God adds, shapes, and restores us.
Making Room to Respond
Creating space always invites response.
For some, that response may be confession—naming where your focus has drifted.
For others, it may be repentance—a turning toward a different way.
For some, it may be reconciliation—addressing what’s been left unspoken.
For many, it may simply be slowing down long enough to listen again.
As this year begins, the invitation is not to strive harder—but to seek deeper.
Create space.
Seek first.
Trust that God will meet you there.
And when you do, you may discover that the kingdom you’ve been longing for has been drawing near all along.
