Genesis 2:18-25 - What God did while Adam slept

"18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” 19 So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. 20 He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him. 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. 23 “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’ ” 24 This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. 25 Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame." (Genesis 2:18-25, New Living Translation, 2015)

I believe God created the world out of nothing (Hebrews 11:3). This part of the Creation account could be metaphorical, but there's no indication that it's not literal. 

Bringing all these animals to Adam had more purpose than naming them. (Hmmm. What language did he use?) Many of them could support humans in some way: cows produce milk, donkeys can carry burdens, butterflies delight with beauty, etc. But even though some animal (e.g., a dog) could be "man's best friend," with each animal, Adam was increasingly convinced that he needed something more than animals in his life.

Because it is not good for a person to be alone, God created Eve. She would be more than a companion to Adam. Together, they would create the first family. From that family would grow a community: human companionship on a much broader scale.

So why did God have to put Adam to "deep sleep" before creating Eve? Perhaps it was anesthetic... though God can do things painlessly. Maybe he didn't want Adam awake to be making suggestions as to what Eve should be or look like.

If someone says to you, "Close your eyes until I say to open them," it's usually so they can surprise you with a gift, particularly when it's not wrapped. ;-)  God is not above being playful: "Close your eyes, Adam. When you wake up, I'll have a wonderful gift for you."

Lord, despite all that I need, even all the things I desire, help me to let go of my expectations enough to rest in You. Surprise me with what You have in store (Ephesians 3:20). Amen.