God accepts whatever is offered with love, whether it is a meal, a piece of clothing, a chant (mantra), a thought, or the soul (jiva).
As we love God, wish to see him, develop a sense of belonging, and work for him, faith blossoms to produce refuge in him. Refuge is about leaving everything to God.
As we remember the Personal God, chant his name, clean his temples, or read tales of his play on earth...we start liking God. The expressive mind experiences the feeling of affection towards our preferred form of God. When this bond of love is purified by the addition of selflessness (nishkama mode) to it, love becomes true love or bhakti.
