Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening" today is about the freedom we have in Christ. Freedom is a core concept of Christianity, and one no doubt bastardized and warped by modern progressive culture (like Ancient Greek modern, not 2010s modern).
Freedom is not the ability to do whatever I want without consequence... it's not even the ability to do whatever I want! What a nightmarish hell the world would be if each one of us could (and especially did) act on every desire that comes into our hearts...
Isle of Dreams
It's like the Island of Dreams in CS Lewis' Voyage of the Dawn Treader... The seaman are all excited about their "dreams" (long lost lovers, money, etc) but the man they rescue makes it clear to them it's not the place where daydreams come true... but dreams.... think of the scary dreams you've had, or you've heard your kids have... With that context you probably don't want to go to the Island of Dreams
So, this childish anti-view of "freedom" should immediately be rejected by any well-reasoned adult, let alone Christian... In this view, self-restraint is the antithesis of freedom, and not that I have some well-endowed argument against that - only I'd say it feels ridiculous that these 2 ideas would be at odds. It's simply unreasonable to me. But perhaps my conviction on that unreasonableness stems from an understanding that the freedom Jesus offers is so much better than whatever pleases my fleeting fancies.
And by that same token, freedom is not our daydreams... we were all created with purpose - humans made in the image of God. Accepting and understanding that truth absolutely ought to affect how we live. I am not a "good person" by default - I have the freedom to act "good" because Jesus saves me, and calls me to a higher standard of living than I would call myself to.
And that's the meditation today - bourne out of the words in Galatians 5:1
Galatians 5:1
For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
If I were to submit myself to my own desires, I'd end up a slave to them. I've felt this reality in many ways over my life, and Jesus has been good to me. He frees me from myself, he freely offers himself to me (aye, his message goes out to all the world, and the ones who are called answer). In that freedom I'm faced with a choice, the same choice as the Garden... Do what I want (eat of the tree of knowledge of good and bad) or trust what God says is good, is good, and make the choice by Jesus' grace to not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and bad, but instead of the tree of life, presently experienced as communion with the Holy Spirit and fellowship with my King Jesus.
For freedom Christ has set me free, may I walk in his freedom today.