It's more likely today that newsreaders will intone the sad news that 'mother nature unleashed her power' again in the latest tornado or cyclone or earthquake.
This language fits exactly with living in a post-Christian society of course but perhaps even some Christians are chary of suggesting that an earthquake is a God's demonstration of his power.
And yet the Old Testament is full of such witness (e.g., Ps 60.2; Isa 2.19, 21) and the New Testament too (Matt 28.2; Acts 16.26).
'Mother nature' which is creation, does not operate autonomously but is under the hand of God the creator. How could it be otherwise since creation is His creation?
But then what of the devastation that such acts of God bring about? Deaths, injuries, damage to property, dislocation of populations! No small consequences!
Whatever we come to conclude about the problem of evil we have to reckon with Jesus' words in Luke (13.1-5) who commented that those caught up in two contemporary sufferings that they were not worse sinners than others not so affected.
Jesus did not address the issue of evil but rather challenged his hearers, 'unless you repent you will likewise perish' (v5). These happenings are salutary warnings about our transient state as creatures.
I don't necessarily accept all of John Piper's theology but he writes some good things on this Lukan passage above.
