God Shows Up Where We Least Expect Him

If you’ve ever seen Home Alone, you’ll know that the opening scenes feel like Christmas at its most… realistic. The house is bursting at the seams, nobody can hear themselves think, breakfast is a disaster, and the whole morning spirals into beautiful, noisy chaos. You can almost feel your blood pressure rise.

And of course — nothing goes to plan.

But by the time the credits roll, something lovely has happened. The things that really shape the family aren’t the polished moments. They’re the interruptions, the unexpected encounters, the plans that went wildly off-script.

The stuff no one would have chosen turns out to be the stuff that mattered.


There’s comfort in that, isn’t there? Most of us aren’t living inside a Christmas card. We carry tension, tiredness, longing, and moments that feel more “help me, Lord,” than “silent night.” And yet God has this surprising habit of doing some of His best work right there — in the middle of real life.

That’s why stories, films, and even our own memories often echo one simple truth:

we meet God most clearly when we’re not trying to impress Him.

Think of your own journey.

The stuck seasons.

The cancelled plans.

The prayers you whispered in frustration.

The days where you felt anything but “holy.”

And then — quietly — God showed up.

Through a kindness you didn’t expect.

Through peace that made no sense.

Through a conversation at exactly the right time.

Through the realisation that you were held, even when nothing else made sense.

I once heard someone say that moments like that “aren’t detours — they’re altars in disguise.” Ordinary places that suddenly become holy ground.

And when you look at the very first Christmas, that’s exactly how God works.

The Shepherds — Luke 2:8–12

The biggest announcement in history didn’t go to royalty or religious experts. It went to night-shift shepherds. Men who probably smelled like sheep and had mud on their boots.

As if God was saying, “I can show up anywhere — even here.”

God Moves Into the Neighbourhood — John 1:14

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”
Jesus doesn’t wait for tidy hearts or tidy homes. He steps into the noise, the worry, the fear, and says, “I’ll come close anyway.”

In Matthew 18:20 he says, “Where two or three gather…” Not thousands. Not choirs. Just a handful of people.
God fills the small spaces long before He fills the grand ones.

Christmas tells us something astonishing:

God is not drawn to perfection — He is drawn to people.

So what does that mean for us this year?

You don’t need an ideal Christmas to experience Him.

Not perfect plans, perfect health, or perfect harmony.

Just a heart that’s open — even a little — to the God who loves turning up in unexpected places.

Three simple invitations this Christmas:

1. Pay Attention.
Ask yourself, “Where did I sense God today?”
You might find the answer in the most ordinary corner of your day.

2. Practice Gratitude.
Not forced cheerfulness, just noticing the small gifts — a laugh, a moment of rest, a shared meal. These are threads of grace.

3. Be Present.
A gentle conversation, a word of encouragement, a helping hand — you might be the way God shows up for someone else.

We can expect God to turn up anywhere: over coffee, in a workplace corridor, in a crowded kitchen, in a quiet car ride, even in rooms full of scattered Lego and half-finished cups of tea.

He is Emmanuel — God with us.

Not God waiting for us to get our act together.

Not God far away.

God. With. Us.

Right here.

Right now.

In the middle of whatever is happening.

This is the wonder of Christmas:

the unexpected is often the place where God is most at work.

The ordinary becomes holy.

And the places we least expect Him often become the places we meet Him most deeply.

This article is based on the message shared by Phil Hibbert at the service on 7 Dec '25.

You can of course watch the full service, including the sermon on our website, here.