Between The Flock And The Wild

I wore the badge before the dawn With a coffee cup and a radio song Pulled on the vest, checked every strap Never knew what waited down the map Some nights brought peace, some nights brought pain Some names still whisper through the rain I learned real quick what the strong must do Stand in the gap when the danger comes through I wasn’t made to run with the flock I wasn’t born to hunt in the dark I walked the line where the wild winds blow Guarding the ones who would never know I’m somewhere between the flock and the wild A weary old sheepdog with a battle-worn smile Not a sheep, not a wolf, just a man standing guard Trying to keep faith when the road gets hard There were long, lonely miles and a few words of thanks Just duty, a promise, and mud on my ranks But Lord, if You called me, I answered the call And I’d do it again, every rise and every fall I carried the weight of the lost and afraid The ones who were hurt, the ones never saved The unanswered questions, the cases gone cold The faces of strangers my memory holds I brought home the silence, I slept with the sound Of doors kicked open and sirens around But somewhere beneath all the sorrow and strain Your mercy kept moving through each night of rain I wasn’t the hero they wrote in the news Most days I was simply the one they would use But You gave me courage when courage ran thin And placed me where service and sacrifice begin I’m somewhere between the flock and the wild A weary old sheepdog with a battle-worn smile Not a sheep, not a wolf, just a man standing guard Trying to keep faith when the road gets hard There were long, lonely miles and a few words of thanks Just duty, a promise, and mud on my ranks But Lord, if You called me, I answered the call And I’d do it again, every rise and every fall I had the honor of leading the brave Teaching young officers the choices they’d make Telling them, Protect them, whatever it costs But don’t let the darkness convince you you’re lost I watched them grow steady, I watched them stand tall I watched them give everything answering the call And though I wore stripes that reflected command The greatest reward was to walk with those men Now the final shift is drawing near And retirement carries a different kind of fear When the radio’s quiet and the uniform’s gone Who am I when the duty light fades at dawn I’ve spent my whole life watching over the gate Now I’m standing before an uncertain estate But I don’t believe You brought me this far Just to leave me alone in the dark where I am So if there’s a young man who needs someone near If there’s a wounded soul living under fear If there’s work in the shadows that still must be done Lord, point me toward it I’m ready to run I’m somewhere between the flock and the wild Still Your sheepdog, though the years have turned mild Not a sheep, not a wolf, but a servant who knows The Shepherd decides where the next pathway goes And if no one remembers the nights I stood watch You saw every burden, each mile and each loss For every door opened, each life You let me touch Thank You, my God I can never say enough When I lay down the badge, let me not lay down grace Let me carry Your light to a different place The next chapter waits, though I don’t know the part But I’ll follow Your voice with a willing heart I was honored to serve, honored to stand Honored to lead with Your strength in my hands And whatever comes when this old road ends I’ll thank You for letting me serve again