By Cricket Albertson, a slightly edited transcript of her speech given on February 8, 2024, at Hughes Auditorium for Asbury University’s Celebration of the 2023 Outpouring; used with permission
At the transfiguration, Peter was talking to Jesus after seeing Moses and Elijah:
He [Peter] was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
Matthew 17:5–8 ESV
This is the perfect passage to describe the Outpouring. The Father interrupted our normal daily routines, and he interrupted what was happening on Asbury University’s campus to say, “This is my Son, and I want you to listen to him.” Some of us felt afraid, but Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here.” When we looked up, we saw the face of Jesus.
During this event, he taught me four things.
When Jesus Comes, Forgiveness Happens
I don’t know about you, but the first few days, I was a little skeptical. I was present, but I was skeptical. And then quite unexpectedly, I had a front-row seat on repentance and forgiveness. In an impossible situation I did not think would ever be righted, Jesus said, “This is not too big for me.” When he comes, forgiveness comes.
When Jesus Comes, We See the Compassionate Heart of the Father
It was Friday night at 11:00 p.m. I snuck into the packed-out auditorium. I was by myself with a heavy burden on my heart. I made my way to the altar, not to pray with someone else but for Jesus to meet me. And the precious girl I was supposed to be mentoring came up and prayed over me the most anointed, compassionate, loving prayer. As she prayed, I saw the compassionate heart of Father. It was like Joel 2, the young praying over the old, and everything topsy-turvy in the most wonderful way! When Jesus comes, we see the loving heart of the Father.
When Jesus Comes, the Body of Christ Works in a Beautiful Way
When Jesus comes, we see the body of Christ at work with Jesus as the head. One of my jobs was to take the prayer requests that were flooding email and assign them to different people who would pray. I was part of a Bible study, and we would go to the study and say, “Who will take some of these prayer requests?” And people would respond: “I’ll take 25!” “I’ll take 50!” Then we had so many thousands come in that people said, “We can take more!” The body of Christ rallied all over the United States and the globe to support these prayer requests coming in. My favorite prayer requests were from northern Europe: Norway, Sweden, Finland. “Pray for us!” The body of Christ rallied around to pray for all those needs—and some of them are still being covered in prayer!
When Jesus Comes, He Is Irresistible
The fourth thing that I will never forget is when Jesus comes, and we see the face of Jesus, he is irresistible. The whole world wants to come and be in his presence, to experience his love, and his goodness, and his salvation.
I was part of the altar team on that very last day. When they opened the doors and said anyone could come in, people didn’t even stop in the pews; they just walked straight to the altar. I prayed with two fathers who said, “We brought our sons because we wanted them to be in the presence of Jesus.” One had driven 38 hours, one way, from Montana. The other one had come from the Redeemed Church in New York City. They said, “Pray over our sons. We want them to see what Jesus is doing.”
When Jesus comes, his beauty is irresistible. And that is what I’ll never forget.