ANZAC Day comes around once a year, and the older I get, the uneasy feeling inside me gets stronger. And I finally know why.

As a twenty year old Australian, born in Sydney, raised in Darwin, the likes of ANZAC Day, The Bombing of Darwin, WWII airstrips and my years in school have all made me well aware of Australia’s fighting past.

It took courage for all those soldiers, all those men, young and old, to stand and fight for our country. When Australian’s landed on the shores of Galipoli, no one could have imagined the horror, the sacrifice, and the bravery. War has affected my country.

My relatives fought in WWI. They lived and died on the Western Front. My Grandfather, who is now in his 90’s, fought in Indonesia during WWII. War has affected my family.

During 1942, when Darwin was constantly bombed, we stood firm. Men, many my age, would have sat in that gun emplacement that I’ve walked through. I’ve stood on the plaque that shows where a Japanese bomb fell and killed ten people. War has affected me.

I feel the great loss, sacrifice and fight of my countrymen.

And yet for the past few years I have had this uneasy feeling about war. And when I finally figured out why on ANZAC Day this year, I was in tears.

This year was the 100 year anniversary of Australian soldiers landing at Galipoli. So this ANZAC Day was always going to be special. Huge numbers turned out a services during the day. At Galipoli there were over 10 thousand people, many of whom had travelled from Australia to get there.

And all these people were there to remember our fallen soldiers and their sacrifice for our freedom.

But as I watched the Perth dawn service on TV, I still had an uneasy feeling. And because of this feeling all I wanted to do was blast some Michael Jackson and dance.

It wasn’t until later in the day, once I got the dancing out of my system, that I realised why I have felt uneasy. And it has nothing to do with the war.

On ANZAC Day we remember the people who paid the ultimate sacrifice for us, so that we can have freedom. And we do it so well, we get up a dawn, turn out in great numbers, and all think of this sacrifice.

But what about the single greatest sacrifice. When Jesus Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, and through it, He bought us freedom.

How great would it be if everyone who remembered the sacrifice of our soldiers, did the same with Jesus Christ?

It would be so great, and that is why I have tears in my eyes.