God the Father and Our Creation, by Martin Luther

Luther's Little Instruction Book
(The Small Catechism of Martin Luther)

I. The First Article: On Creation

I believe in God the Almighty Father, Creator of Heaven and Earth.

Q. What does this mean?

A. I believe that God created me, along with all creatures. He gave to me: body and soul, eyes,
ears and all the other parts of my body, my mind and all my senses and preserves them as well.
He gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and land, wife and children, fields,
animals and all I own.
Every day He abundantly provides everything I need to nourish this body and life.
He protects me against all danger, shields and defends me from all evil.
He does all this because of His pure, fatherly and divine goodness and His mercy,
not because I've earned it or desrved it.
For all of this, I must thank Him, praise Him, serve Him and obey Him. Yes, this is true!

This text was translated in 1994 for Project Wittenberg by Robert E. Smith and is in the public domain.
You may freely distribute, copy or print this text.