Back Pressure

As i was driving this morning, or more accurately: while idling at a stop light I could feel my car shake. It reminded me ever so gently that I have a hole in my exhaust. I am sure that small hole in my muffler is from dragging it across concrete or some other hard surface. My little car sets so close to the ground, it is rather awkward to get in and out of. (which would be much cooler if it was a sports car or somethng really fast)

but that tiny hole affects how the car runs. Often people speak of "back pressure" but that isn't exactly true. Smart people and real car people know it is about velocity and how your exhaust flows out. They confuse the idea with back pressure because there is release somewhere that minimizes the outflow (velocity) in the correct place.

I think of that mislabeled Back Pressure as the thing that keeps us together (as if my life were the exhaust system of a car). From the exhaust manifold to the muffer and the tail pipe, and everything in between is trying to guide that exhaust out in right place.

have you ever had an exhaust leak? Have you had the smell of the exhaust permeate the cab of your vehicle? It obviously wasn't coming out in the right place...

We seldom want things to contain us, or force us through a series of bends and dips. Much like the gases expelled from an engine we need just that. It may not be a metal tube, but rather likely it is people. It may not be a muffler, but it may structure around us.

It isnt really "back pressure" but it is something that pushes back and doesnt allow us to do whatever we want or even what we would do naturally. What do gases do? well they are governed by laws and rules of science. lighter gases rise and denser ones sink, unless otherwise directed.

More than I like to admit I have have exhaust leaks in my life. Places where some of my was going where I was not intended to be. It may have even been "natural" (mostly because of our fallen sin nature). But my life and its intended outflow were diminished.

We can take out cars and trucks, even motorcycles to an exhaust shop to repair rusted metal, a scraped muffler or a bent pipe. As Christians we need the Word of God, time in His presence and the people around us, to help us flow in the right direction...