Noodle Night Market - Melbourne First Time Ever

The Noodle Night Market, is a first time ever event at the Alexandra Garden, in Melbourne. This is already a popular annual event in Sydney for the last 15 years. It is however the first time that it opened in Melbourne, as part of The Age Good Food Month, from November 18 to November 30, from 5pm each weekday, and from 4pm on the weekends.

Alexandra Garden was transformed into a hawker style market with food stalls, a couple of drink bars and entertainments, mostly DJs with one exception that I notice; a Chinese Lion Dance troupe.

Food stalls are predominately Asian; Indian, Thai, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Filipino, Chinese, Japanese. The drinks are represented by Coopers for beers and Yalumba for wines, but an interesting addition is the Rekorderlig Swedish Cider stall. Seems there is more to Sweden than Ikea.

Judging from the long queues at many of the food stalls, the crowd response for the night and the newspaper write-up of the event, it is highly probable that this event will be back next year.

There is also a small section of the garden that highlights lanterns in its many forms, size and colours. Position near the Yarra River, it also show off some of the best skyline views of the city.

The following photos are taken, standing at the river edge, taking in the view of Melbourne evening skyline and the happenings along the river.

Why Would God Hear My Prayers?

Put simply, God loves you. It is for this very reason that Jesus gave his life for us.

John 3:16 - 17 (NLT)
¹⁶ "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.

But often we are not conscious of how much God loves us.

Also we are more prone to the mistaken belife that God not answering our prayers as God not hearing our prayers. Hence, leading us to the belief that this is because of our sins, we are unworthy and therefore we have to do something good otherwise God will not hear our prayers.

Any wonder why we ask the question, "Why would God hear my prayers?" Such question shows our fear of God's judgement.

The truth is, sin is not a barrier to God hearing our prayer. Roman 5:8 and 1 John 4:10, shows that He was willing to even send His Son while we are still sinners.

Romans 5:8 (NLT)
⁸ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

1 John 4:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

What more, God no longer sees or count our sin towards us, because of Jesus Christ finished work at the cross.

Romans 4:7-8 (NLT)
⁷ "Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sins are put out of sight.
⁸ Yes, what joy for those whose sin is no longer counted
against them by the Lord.

If this is so, why do we still hold to the belief that God would not hear our prayers? Our challenge is in us believing the above scriptures, trusting God that Jesus sacrifise and finished work at the cross, an expression of God's love, is being "worked" in us.

1 John 4:15-19 (NLT) says

¹⁵ All who proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.
¹⁶ We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in him. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.
¹⁷ And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world.
¹⁸ Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us.
¹⁹ We love as a result of his loving us first.

When you simply believe and accept that you are perfectly accepted by God because of Jesus sacrifice at the cross, you can have the courage and liberty as a child of God to come boldly into the presence of your heavenly Father. You know then that God hears your prayers.

What more, when you are conscious of His love, you will love God and cannot help but also love (effortlessly, supernaturally) people around you. You know then that God hears your prayers.

More than that, you will find yourself wanting to do the right thing at the right time, because you know His love for you. This sense of His love for you causes you to live life victoriously from the inside out. You know then that God hears your prayers.