Posted by By ROBERT OBIOHA on
Prof. Gabriel Ojo tagged himself a fanatic that cannot do anything without God. His concept of born again, tithes and fasting are different from the views of pentecostal Christians. Everything he does is geared towards a satisfactory relationship with God.
Prof. Gabriel Ojo tagged himself a fanatic that cannot do anything without God. His concept of born again, tithes and fasting are different from the views of pentecostal Christians. Everything he does is geared towards a satisfactory relationship with God. This and other inspiring things he told Daily Sun.
Relationship with God
It is the closest type of relationship. I'm such a fanatic that I think that I cannot do anything without God. From morning till night I just feel like I should put myself in the presence of God and I want Him to use me as a writer would just hold a pencil. I think that I am a pencil in the hand of God and He is the one using me to write. So, that every now and then I go back to him in prayer, in reflection, in thought and in action saying ‘God do this for me' and He has been doing it for me.
Concept of born again
You see, this is an aspect of religion, which I see as being remote from personal relationship with God. I've acquired through the Catholic Church a doctrinal background, that I cannot even find it easy to be acquiring some others.
Because the one I have now is so sufficient for me to know, and since I've known God through baptism and through confirmation, through the eucharist, I don't see how I can be talking about not being born again. I've been born through those sacraments and I don't expect to be born again. I have a close relationship with God.
Prayer life
I am in communion with Him, so, it is a full day's length relationship. It is only when I sleep that I don't even commune with God. I see my prayer life as my communion with God and I see myself as being in the presence of God all the time. It is a continuous process.
Tithes
I give all I can afford without measuring it to God. When people talk of tithes, they bring to my mind the concept of a tenth of what I have. That is looking at it from a dictionary definition. But all I have is for God and I want God to have it at all times. So, I don't even partition to say that this is for me and this is for God. In fact, whatever I have I think it is from God and for God. So my tithe should be a 100 per cent to God and the definition of that will not come under the common one of tithe.
Heaven or Hell
It is the position of the mind here and after because I see heaven as a place where I know that this earth is not the end of it. When I look up in the sky and see the stars, and see the wonders of God and see the eternity of these things, I see myself as part of this eternity.
I believe that anybody who loves a good life will have that eternal relationship with God. So, my concept of heaven is one of eternal happiness with God, which I crave for.
Disappointment
I always say that every disappointment is a blessing in disguise.
Forgiveness
It has to be total. I've been trying to evolve it in my life. Even now and then I have some setbacks. Somebody offends me and I will say I will talk to him tomorrow whereas I should have even forgotten it from the very moment. So, I don't think that I should be remembering that anybody has offended me or not. Frankly, it may sound inhuman to say but I don't owe any grudge against anybody and I don't believe that anybody should hold any grudge against me. In terms of forgiveness, only God can take one's life. If any other person takes it on behalf of God, I say that is up to God. I don't have any reason to feel offended about anything anybody does to me.
Reading holy books
It is endless. I read it continously. Occasionally, when I go to hotels and I find Koranic books there, I read them. I read everything that is spiritual that opens my mind to life here and life beyond.
Fasting
You are asking me a question that I should not be answering. At my age, my body has been refusing food than I used to. By November 1, this year, by the grace of God, I will be 76. I've found myself eating one good meal a day. Sometimes half. And when I am in company of others, more than that. And if you call fast abstinence or giving away something for the sake of good virtues, I do that unconsciously. I don't want to be too personal but I think of a day during this week when I came across food only once. I ate it in the afternoon and in the evening there was no opprtunity to eat and I took a glass of water and I slept very well. But I don't want to be tagging it as fast.